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Cornell presenters outline student engagement programs for local municipalities
Summary
Cornell’s Einhorn Center representatives described community work-study, the Empire State Service Corps, grants and a pre-orientation service program (POST) that municipal employers can use to hire undergraduates for project work.
Representatives from Cornell University's Einhorn Center on May 16 presented several programs that local governments, nonprofits and schools can use to engage undergraduate students for paid and volunteer work.
Nicole McPherson, who coordinates Cornell’s Community Work Study program, described a program that enables eligible students to use federal work-study funds to work for local nonprofits, municipalities and schools. The academic-year program typically recruits in late August; employers must submit job descriptions and complete a short orientation. At least 75% of wages are generally covered by federal work-study funds, with the employer billed for the remainder at term end. Positions must provide community service benefit and cannot displace existing staff.
Renee Farkas, director of student programs at the Einhorn Center, outlined additional opportunities: engaged-opportunity grants for jointly led Cornell-community projects, the Empire State Service Corps (a state-funded program focused on nine public-interest areas that provides up to 300 hours of student work at no cost to the host), and POST, a pre-orientation five-day program that places incoming students with full- or half-day community projects to introduce them to Tompkins County.
Speakers said examples of past student assignments include data analysis, website updates, social-media outreach, operational support, manual-service projects for POST (for example, invasive-species removal or cemetery cleanups), and school or nonprofit support that does not replace paid staff. The presenters offered follow-up contact details and said they would distribute recruiting links and sample job descriptions by email to interested municipal staff.
Municipal representatives asked about eligibility (primarily undergraduates; some graduate students have limited work-study eligibility) and logistical requirements such as supervision, payroll/timecard responsibilities and recruitment through Cornell's Workday system. Presenters said the Einhorn Center and program contacts (including Amy Somchangovan and Whitney Cassie) will help municipalities evaluate eligibility and apply for grants or student placements.
