Road Map

Education for Service Scholars

As part of the Education for Service Scholars program, full-tuition scholarships exclusively for Buena Vista County high school students. Award-winning students serve as Iowa College AmeriCorps volunteers for communities in the county to build on valuable personal, leadership, and professional skills.

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Your commitment

This is a 6+ hour per week commitment. Students must:

  • Complete up to five hours of purposeful community service activities with a cohort of students each week.
  • Attend enriching service-oriented retreats to broaden the meaning of service.
  • Participate in peer mentoring.
  • Choose from hands-on service opportunities, capacity building, and research on and off campus.
  • Register for a zero credit hour course each semester, which will serve as an opportunity for the cohort to come together, discuss social justice issues, and understand how the course relates to their area of study.

Four-Year Map

Summer

  1. Attend a week-long Summer Bridge orientation program.
  2. Participate in a nonprofit meet-and-greet.
  3. Register for the social innovation minor.

First Year

  1. Meet with a peer mentor bi-weekly.
  2. Complete required service hours at off-campus service sites paired with work study.
  3. Attend fall/spring Urban Plunge.
  4. Attend a mid-year retreat prior to the start of spring semester.

Second Year

  1. Attend a week-long Summer Bridge orientation program (Focus: sophomore slump).
  2. Meet with peer mentor bi-weekly.
  3. Complete required service hours at off-campus service sites paired with work study.
  4. Attend a mid-year retreat prior to the start of the spring semester.
  5. Go on an AWOL trip or secure a nonprofit internship (Year 2 and 3).

Third & Fourth Years

  1. Assist with the Summer Bridge orientation program.
  2. Complete required weekly service hours, focusing service on building capacity and starting a community-based research project.
  3. Serve as a mentor to a first-year ESS student, meeting bi-weekly.
  4. Help plan and participate in the mid-year retreat prior to the start of spring semester.

Commencement

Graduate from Buena Vista University! Receive honor cords in recognition of program success.