A passion for geography and the environment, along with a campus golf cart permit and a College Corps internship, accelerated Brandon Contreras \u201823 along his way to government service.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was fortunate enough to be the first one to go to college and finish my degree in my family,\u201d Contreras said. \u201cNow, I have two younger siblings that are looking up to me and pursuing that for themselves right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Contreras, working for the city of Long Beach to promote recycling and waste reduction, is among the 217 Cal State Long Beach students and alumni who have joined College Corps @ The Beach<\/a>, which connects undergraduates to compensated internships. The California State University recently received state funding to keep College Corps in action<\/a> through the 2028-29 academic year.<\/p>\n CSULB matches students to opportunities, provides mentorship and instruction and delivers $10,000 for educational and living expenses for students completing 450-hours’ service. More than half of the 68 students in this year\u2019s College Corps at The Beach cohort are first-generation.<\/p>\n \u201cComing from a family where I\u2019m first-gen, having younger siblings, I kind of had to provide for my family a little bit,\u201d said Contreras, who earned his bachelor\u2019s in geography while minoring in environmental science. \u201cI really had to find something that was paid. This College Corps program did provide the resources.\u201d<\/p>\n By providing guidance and removing financial obstacles, College Corps at The Beach lets participating students focus on building skills, generating confidence and getting ready for life after graduation.<\/p>\n \u201cCollege Corps is not just a program \u2014 it is a driver of social mobility,\u201d said Beth Manke, professor of human development and College Corps program director. \u201cBy easing financial burdens and providing meaningful, career-connected experience, we are fundamentally shifting students\u2019 economic trajectories while strengthening the communities they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n College Corps @ The Beach helped Brandon Contreras ’23 start a career in local government, helping Long Beach promote waste reduction efforts.<\/p>\n Meeting California\u2019s needs<\/p>\n College Corps is open to undergraduates in any major, linking students with nonprofits and public agencies where they can apply their talents to environmental stewardship, food provision and K-12 education.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s truly a win-win \u2014 students graduate with less debt and valuable career experience, communities benefit from their service and energy and our state gains a new generation of leaders who know how to work across differences to solve challenges,\u201d said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.<\/p>\n Fryday directs the Governor\u2019s Office of Service and Community Engagement. Its California Volunteers office announced renewed College Corps funding.<\/p>\n Maria Garcia Mendez, a fourth-year human development student, is in their second College Corps internship. They first helped the Gray Panthers distribute food to older adults and now serves at an affordable Linc Housing community. Both internships connected with academic topics, such as older adults\u2019 financial issues and how meeting basic needs clears the way for people to further improve their lives.<\/p>\n \u201cCollege Corps allowed me to apply concepts I was learning to real life,\u201d Garcia Mendez said.<\/p>\n Financial awards covered Garcia Mendez\u2019s summer abroad experience in Guatemala and, via service, they discovered a professional interest in helping older adults. They aspire to employment as a case worker after graduation and may subsequently pursue a master\u2019s degree in social work. \u00a0<\/p>\n From campus to community service<\/p>\n College Corps interns also serve on campus. Contreras did just that, helping the CSULB Sustainability Office<\/a> to coordinate the deployment of recycling bins. He hauled the bins around campus himself. Driving a golf cart while doing so was one of the more fun aspects of his internship.<\/p>\n