SacBee.com: $10,000 for community service? How College Corps is helping Californians pay for school

By Hannah Poukish, September 09, 2024

Three years ago, Drew Dailey felt stuck. Working as a full-time carpenter, he had only completed a few community college credits. No one in his family had ever received a college degree.

But Dailey, 28, started to consider a future filled with more meaningful work, where higher education was possible. His hurdle was the high cost of entrance.

He started googling and networking with colleagues, asking around how he could find funds to attend school. Eventually, he came across California’s College Corps program.

In return for 450 hours of community service, he learned he could receive $10,000, academic credit and job experience. Dailey thought it was too good to be true, but he applied anyway.

He was accepted into Sacramento State’s cohort last year. The now-sophomore said it was the “big difference” that made attending college a reality for him last year.