If all goes according to plan, University students could change the Wood County community for the better within the next year. The cause for these improvements is a new service project being developed in part by the University.

In a kickoff event yesterday at the Wood County District Public Library, the University, along with six other local groups, announced the launch of a new AmeriCorps program for Wood County. The consortium of organizations has been awarded a grant for the design of the program, of which University students will make up a large part of potential members.

“It’s a way to really open up interesting options for students,” said Jane Rosser, assistant director of the University’s Partnerships for Community Action. Rosser, as a representative for PCA, is a member of the AmeriCorps consortium Management Board.

AmeriCorps presents not only benefits to the community, Rosser said, but also opportunities for students involved.

“[As AmeriCorps members, students] could be tutoring, working with seniors at the senior center, working with the Red Cross on disaster preparation,” she said. “There are options for majors across the board.”

Participants of the program are also given an advantage when looking for jobs, according to Rosser.

“A lot of employers like to see AmeriCorps experience,” she said.

AmeriCorps members participate in service projects with the intention of meeting different needs of their community.

“The key to an AmeriCorps program is that it’s community-based,” Rosser said.

AmeriCorps members can perform service activities, such as building houses and mentoring children, as well as more managerial activities, such as recruiting volunteers. Most AmeriCorps members are provided with a relatively small living allowance and a monetary award to be used for education when they complete their term of service.

The organizations teaming up with the University in the AmeriCorps project are the Children’s Resource Center, Wood County Juvenile Court, the Wood County District Public Library, the Wood County Educational Service Center, the Wood County office of United Way of Greater Toledo and the United Christian Fellowship.

“We have an opportunity to enhance Wood County, Ohio, and we appreciate BGSU for making that happen,” County Commissioner Jim Carter said.

Representatives of each of the groups in the consortium met in the spring to apply for the $50,000 grant from the Ohio Community Service Council, which they were awarded. The funds from the grant will be used to design the new program.

Another application will be made in January for operational funds, so the program can actually begin to function within the community.

The consortium’s goal is to have at least 25 local AmeriCorps members–a full staff–by next fall.

“We’re intending to go in with a full-fledge program,” Rosser said.

To get more information about AmeriCorps, contact Jane Rosser at [email protected].