In high school, Sami Mooney was “a student council kid,” always looking for a way to be involved and already thinking about public service as a career.
So she was excited to join the newly launched Next Generation Service Corps as a first-year student at Arizona State University in fall 2015.
“In that first cohort, we didn't get to see past student stories, but I think by then I already had an identity with public service, knowing I'd want to make a difference,” Mooney said.
Mooney, who graduated in 2019, is now one of nearly 650 Sun Devils who served in the ASU Next Generation Service Corps, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week. Many of them have gone on to careers in public service.
With a degree in justice studies, a minor in nonprofit management and a certificate in cross-sector leadership, Mooney served in Teach for America after graduating and is now in a shared role with the Colorado Workforce Development Council and the Colorado Department of Education. She works to help schools respond to the needs of the labor market.
This year, 488 ASU students are in the corps, representing 151 majors across 13 ASU colleges and all four campuses.
The intent of the corps is to produce leaders who are prepared to face complex problems and the concept was always meant to be scaled. The corps concept is now at 27 institutions, including Penn State University and the University of Wisconsin.
Housed under the Public Service Academy in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, the program is an intense commitment for students. There are three parts:
- Academic: Students take coursework and earn a certificate in cross-sector leadership through the School Public Affairs.
- Internships: Each member is expected to complete three internships, one each in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
- Service and leadership: The members join student-led mission teams, tackling social issues they’re passionate about, such as homelessness, climate change and criminal justice.
