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Volcker Alliance/NextGeneration (NextGen) Service Corps Program

The Department of Public Policy and Administration and the Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs proudly announce the launch of a new program for undergraduate students of all majors and disciplines at Florida International University: the Volcker Alliance/NextGeneration (NextGen) Service Corps Program.

The Volcker Alliance is a nonprofit foundation established by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul A. Volcker to promote his vision of an empowered public-sector workforce. The Volcker Alliance formed the NextGen Service Corps to create a national network of university programs dedicated to inspiring and preparing students to serve their communities and the nation by building practical, collaborative leadership skills. The NextGen Service Corps at FIU will enhance existing undergraduate public service training and education efforts by combining them with new resources and opportunities available through the Volcker Alliance to provide students with a broad range of career preparation, leadership development, public policy formation, and community engagement activities and opportunities.

Benefits

The Volker Alliance NextGen Service Corps Program provides students in its nationwide network several substantial benefits:

  • Paul A. Volcker Public Service Internship (winners of this award can receive up to $3,000 for internships in public-sector agencies).
  • Student Ambassador Program (up to $500 stipend for event planning and social media promotion).
  • Annual student conference.
  • Monthly virtual events.
  • Access to a dedicated online platform (NextGen Connect) for job hunting and networking.

These benefits will add a national dimension to the extensive range of local and regional public service, civic leadership, and community engagement opportunities available through the Ferré Institute, including:

  • Student fellowship and internships opportunities.
  • Preference for academic scholarships and stipends.
  • Professional development, mentoring and coaching.
  • Travel support for local, regional, and national events and programs.

Pathways

Providing a path to public service careers for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds is a major objective of the NextGen Service Corps. FIU is an ideal environment to pursue this worthy goal because of our diverse student population. The FIU NextGen program will be structured to serve the broadest range of undergraduate students across different modalities and majors.

To accommodate students who, because of the distance-learning modality, may not be able to attend events in-person, as well as those students who already have a high number of credit hours on their record, we offer two approaches for participating in the NextGen Service Corps Program.

Application Process

To encourage a sense of cohesiveness among participants, the FIU NextGen Service Corps Program will be composed of annual cohorts of students.

  • Eligibility
    • All FIU undergraduate students of any major in good academic standing are eligible to apply.
    • Applications will be submitted via Qualtrics (link and barcode) beginning in August and will be due by mid-September.
    • Students will be asked to discuss their motivation for public service, describe an issue of public/community importance that they would like to address, and identify the skills they would like to acquire to pursue their interests.
  • Timeline

    The FIU NextGen Service Corps Team is submitting curriculum changes this semester to facilitate a program launch for Fall 2024.

  • Contact

    For more information, please contact, Dr. Keith Revell, BPPS Program Director,  Dr. Amanda D. Clark, and Dr. Agatha S. Caraballo, Director of Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership.

For veterans and individuals with substantive military experience may be eligible for credits for prior learning (CPLs), which are awarded based on a student’s prior learning acquired outside of a formal college classroom and are equivalent to college level learning outcomes and competencies.