When students at New Roots Charter School in Ithaca need a moment to reset, Taylor Cole ’26 goes for a walk with them, offering conversation and support — a role that has become much more than a job. “Working at New Roots reminded me why I decided to pursue a career working with children,” said Cole, a human development major in Cornell’s College of Human Ecology. “I’m absolutely in love with my job.”
Cole is one of a dozen Cornell students — and some 500 across New York — participating this academic year in the SUNY Service Corps, a statewide initiative that places students in paid public service roles with schools, nonprofits and community organizations. Administered at Cornell through the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, the program is now in its second year and continues to expand.
Both undergraduate and graduate students in the university’s contract colleges and schools are eligible to participate in SUNY Service Corps. At Cornell, students serve with local host sites that include New Roots, Ithaca City School District, Greater Ithaca Activities Center and Finger Lakes ReUse, completing about 10 hours a week in placements focused on areas such as K-12 education, food access and sustainability.
At New Roots, Cole is one of four Cornell students currently working through SUNY Service Corps. They support middle and high schoolers and staff in a range of ways, from mentoring and tutoring to mediation and day-to-day school support. “Each day can be a bit unpredictable, and the SUNY Service Corps students are able to quickly pivot into whatever roles we need them in,” said Kris Erickson, the school’s dean of postsecondary success. “They have become integral within our New Roots family.”
The jobs also offer students learning, connection and professional development. “It’s a valuable program for both students and community partners, with educational components, networking and professional development opportunities built in,” said Nicole MacPherson, community work-study program coordinator at the Einhorn Center. Organized into six thematic cohorts — civic engagement, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, education, healthy futures and veterans and military families outreach — participants meet periodically with peers from across the state to network and dive deeper into the subject matter. Eligible students who complete 300 hours of service over the course of the academic year can also receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of up to $1,400.
For Cole — who was recognized as the 2026 Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year for Cornell University — joining SUNY Service Corps has not only clarified her plans for the future but also become a defining part of her time at Cornell. “It has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my college career, and I wish I could have joined earlier,” she said. Applications to join the program are accepted on a rolling basis.
