On January 17, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the expansion of a statewide economic program that will provide approximately $10,000 to college students in exchange for a year’s worth of volunteer work. 

Not only will this program benefit in-state students, this program will give DACA recipients the opportunity to volunteer in areas such as K-12 schools, COVID-19 recovery, and climate change. California is one of the handful of states in the country that provides tuition for college students who are non-citizens. The program, named the CaliforniaForAll College Corps, was established to address the student loan debt crisis, especially because California is home to 4 million of the U.S.’s 43 million borrowers.  

The total amount of debt nationwide sums up a total of $1.7 trillion.

The schools that are participating in this program include 7 of the 10 UC campuses across the state, 16 of the California State University institutions as well as a limited number of community colleges and private universities. The CaliforniaForAll program will help an estimated 6,500 students starting in the fall semester of 2022 and will cover their costs for two academic years. 

The leaders of the major school systems in the state pledge to cooperate with Governor Newsom in this effort.

“This is an invaluable opportunity for our students to not only give back to their communities, but also to help prepare the next generation of CSU students for success. We look forward to even greater opportunities for the students selected through the inaugural year of the Corps,” says California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro.

This program may indeed help a significant portion of the college-student population who are in financial trouble. With the COVID-19 pandemic making a negative impact in different sectors of the economy, not only in California, but across the United States, student loan debt has worsened the financial situations of many students and their families as a result.

“”Providing more pathways to a debt-free degree while empowering students to pursue service-oriented career paths is a reflection of our shared commitment to access, affordability, and public service,” announced University of California President Micheal V. Drake.

In order to receive the money, students must complete 450 hours of community service. For more information, click here.