Sociology  
 

Michigan Service Scholars: AQ Community Fellows
 
Civic engagement, leadership, and service are central components of an AQ education and Catholic social thought. The college mission includes an emphasis on “career preparation focused on leadership and service to others” that is evident in the curriculum and co-curricular programming.
Michigan Campus Compact Americorps
The Michigan Service Scholars Program provides education awards state-wide to students attending Michigan Campus Compact member campuses through a grant from The Michigan Community Service Commission and The Corporation for National and Community Service. Students that complete 300 hours of community service during one calendar year will be awarded a $1,132 AmeriCorps education award, to be used for qualified educational purposes.
 
Being selected as an AQ Community Fellow provides the student with:
  • 300 hours of community-based work experience during their one-year fellowship
  • Regular meetings with the other AQ Fellows and faculty and staff
  • Recognition of your role as a current AmeriCorps member and community leader
  • A $1,132 AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of the fellowship
 
AQ Community Fellowships Include Four Components

The goal of the fellowship is encouraging students to engage in their education, their campus, and their community.  To support engagement, fellows complete activities in four areas:
 

Team building and peer support: During the course of their first year, AQ Community Fellows participate in regular cohort meetings. Monthly meetings focus on the activities fellows are pursuing both in and outside of their courses; obstacles to academic success; maneuvering through what can be a difficult system of higher education; and leadership development.
 
Faculty and Staff Support: Advisers for members of this group work closely with the AQ Fellows.  They are available to provide assistance identifying service opportunities and supporting fellows as they engage in their education, campus, and community.
 
Leadership education: Fellows complete the introductory course in Community Leadership as a cohort in their second semester.  CL100, Introduction to Community Leadership, is a three-credit semester course introducing students to the concepts of community, civic engagement, and leadership.
 
Community engagement: As part of the AQ Community Fellowship, students commit 300 hours over the course of the academic year to their fellowship. This includes an average of 10 hours per week in a community-based organization.
 
Fellows who successfully complete all four fellowship components receive a $1,132 AmeriCorps education award through the Midwest Campus Compact Consortium.  Fellows are invited to apply for a second year in the program.
 
Eligibility
To receive an AQ Community Fellowship you must meet the following criteria:
  • First year college student
  • First generation college student* OR Pell Grant Eligible
  • Demonstrated commitment to community engagement and leadership development
Applications are being accepted through December 5, 2011 for one-year AQ Community Fellowships.
 
Download the AQ Community Fellows Application: .pdf version; .doc version
 
For more information about the AQ Community Fellows, contact:
Dr. Kathy Kremer
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Academic Building (AB) 24C
Aquinas College
1607 Robinson Road SE
Grand Rapids MI 49506
Phone: (616) 632-2078
E-mail: kremekat@aquinas.edu

Eric Bridge

Coordinator of Service-Learning

Browne Center 20

Aquinas College

1607 Robinson Rd SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Phone: (616) 632-2490
E-mail: bridgeri@aquinas.edu
* First generation is defined as those whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree.