The 2023-24 Albion College AmeriCorps program enjoyed a year of growth and success which included increased campus awareness of the program and additional community partnership.

“We maintained full participation and engagement throughout the year, successfully filling all member slots and swiftly refilling positions when a few members faced challenges and did not complete their terms,” Albion College AmeriCorps Director Lindsey Knowlden wrote in the report. “This ensured no disruptions to our service commitments, allowing us to meet all performance measure goals and demonstrating the effectiveness of our program and its growing impact within the community.”

Knowlden said one highlight of the year was the development of the Tech Savvy Seniors program in collaboration with the Albion Health Care Alliance. The program focuses on improving digital literacy among older adults.

Please read Tech Savvy Seniors program builds connections and reduces digital barriers

“By building the program slowly and thoughtfully, we were able to create a more tailored approach that responded directly to the challenges faced by organizations with limited capacity,” Knowlden wrote. “This process allowed us to foster stronger relationships and deliver more effective support. Moving forward, we intend to use this model in future partnerships, including a new collaboration with Harrington Elementary this fall. By applying these same principles of careful planning, open communication, and gradual program development, we aim to ensure similarly impactful and sustainable outcomes in our upcoming initiatives.”

The 2023-24 year also saw the development of the framework for Community Corps, a lighter version of AmeriCorps through which students can volunteer between two and five hours per week at AmeriCorps sites.

“Recognizing the interest from international students, athletes, and other campus groups such as Pleiad writers and community assistants, we created this program to facilitate regular volunteer opportunities for those who may have limited availability due to their academic and extracurricular commitments,” Knowlden wrote.

In total, 56 students volunteered 14,324 hours to various community organizations and projects during the 2023-24 year, roughly translating into $452,503 in service value that directly benefited the Albion community. Additionally, students worked with 10 community partners and nine campus partners.

“As we look ahead, we are excited to build on the successes of this year while implementing new strategies that will further strengthen our impact,” Knowlden wrote. “The lessons learned and improvements identified will guide us as we continue to support both our community and AmeriCorps members in the coming years.”