100 SUNY Oneonta Students Participate in Empire State Service Corps

Two years after launching, SUNY's Empire State Service Corps has more than doubled in size at SUNY Oneonta and expanded its reach throughout the greater Oneonta community.

SUNY Oneonta played a leading role in the program's launch in 2024, with 48 students in its inaugural cohort-the most of any participating SUNY campus. This year, 100 students are participating, making Oneonta's 2026-27 cohort one of the largest in the SUNY system, alongside Binghamton University and the University at Buffalo.

Through the Empire State Service Corps, or ESSC, students complete paid public service in areas ranging from K-12 education and basic needs outreach to sustainability, civic engagement and mental health. Placements now include area state parks, schools, nonprofits, food banks, Head Start programs and other community organizations, as well as on-campus services such as the Red Dragon Food Pantry and Bugbee Children's Center.

"One of our biggest goals has been to build meaningful partnerships throughout the community," said Francis Carter, director of SUNY Oneonta's Center for Volunteerism and Community Engagement, who leads the ESSC at Oneonta. "Students want to make a difference, and our local organizations have incredible opportunities for them to do just that."

Full Story: https://suny.oneonta.edu/news/campus-community-empire-state-service-corps-expands-its-impact