We know that internships and other paid opportunities for college students over the summer break are in high demand. The value of high quality, paid internships for students combined with the civic significance of national service is why Seed Coalition continues to provide our network with summer of service positions through our AmeriCorps grants.
This year our summer AmeriCorps programs hosted 57 members at 21 sites, including positions on college campuses and in partner organizations.
As a student, you don’t really think about all the little things that make a campus run, but being a VISTA showed me how much people do to help students feel supported. It made me feel like I was actually contributing to something bigger, not just doing random tasks.
Sedrick O’Neal, AmeriCorps VISTA at Central Lakes College
The national Summer VISTA program returned on short notice after a two year hiatus, and our VISTA team pivoted quickly to ensure that we could offer as many spots as possible to our coalition’s communities in Minnesota and Iowa. VISTA positions typically focus on capacity building efforts for host sites, but in the summer, members are allowed to volunteer in direct service positions as well. We were able to place 41 VISTA associates across 11 host sites, with members serving in eight to ten week positions providing support to food pantries, community clinics and gardens, youth sports and summer programs.
Summer service opportunities through our Iowa College Corps AmeriCorps program connect college students with meaningful community-based experiences that build career skills while meeting local needs. This year we have 16 members serving across Iowa in positions at summer youth programs, addressing food insecurity on campuses, and earning college credit through hands-on experience with a cohort of students at organizations across the Des Moines metro. We were able to reestablish partnerships in Grinnell and welcome a new partnership with Central College, where a cohort of students is participating in a course that combines academic credit with hands-on nonprofit experience. Through placements with nonprofit organizations in the Des Moines area, these students are gaining practical skills, exploring careers in the nonprofit sector, and strengthening communities through meaningful service.
While each program has separate parameters, both AmeriCorps State and National members and Summer VISTA members receive a living allowance and an education award for completing their service, and service terms run from eight to twelve weeks in length. The availability of both programs offers flexibility to our host sites, depending on their needs. Most of all, we know that students find meaning and belonging through service. VISTA member Will Grunewald shared, “One thing I really enjoy about my AmeriCorps Internship is the ability to help my community in a way that is both fulfilling for the community and also for myself. Every time I get off of work, I feel better about myself.”
We are excited to continue to offer access to these summer volunteer positions as our grants allow. If you are interested in planning for national service at your college or in partnership with a community organization for the summer of 2027, please reach out to Riah or Carly.
From left: Members at the Bridge of Storm Lake in Storm Lake Iowa; Sedrick O’Neal and William Grunewald serve at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota; Bottom: Jordyn Grotbo (St. Catherine University) promoting health and wellness and conducting research at the Hennepin County Fair.
