SUNY Chancellor Celebrates Empire State Service Corps at SUNY Canton

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the SUNY Board of Trustees announced that nearly 500 students from 43 SUNY campuses will be participating in the 2025-2026 cohort of Empire State Service Corps fellows. SUNY Canton currently has five students participating in the program on campus or in the community.

Students participating in the program commit to dedicating at least 300 hours a year to engaging in community service and will convene regularly to share and learn from each other's experiences. They are placed in alignment with their interest areas. The opportunity allows New York State students to be paid for meaningful work that can provide lifelong skills as well as create lasting impacts.

“Ensuring students become well-rounded, civically engaged members of society is a core component of a SUNY higher education,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “As we observe Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and celebrate the foundational aspects of the American Democracy, the participants of the Empire State Service Corps represent the living embodiment of service to our great state. I applaud every member of our Empire State Service Corps, and the outstanding staff and faculty who support these future leaders across our SUNY campuses as they work to advance public education, civil discourse, and civic engagement.”

At SUNY Canton, students are working with the college’s Renzi Food Pantry, Wellbeing Programs and Initiatives office, EMS Squad, and TRiO Student Support Services. Off-campus, a student is working with Canton’s Renewal House, according to Katie Kennedy, Associate Director of Career Services.

“The Empire State Service Corps has created valuable opportunities for students to complete paid service work and develop important career-readiness skills while contributing to our campus and local community,” Kennedy said.

Each of SUNY Canton’s positions aligns with one of nine areas established by SUNY, including Food Insecurity and SNAP Basic Needs, Peer Mental Health, and Student Success Coaching. Other areas include Civic Engagement and Civil Discourse, Early Childhood, FAFSA Completion, K-12 Education, Sustainability, and Veterans Affairs Outreach.

“We are incredibly proud of the students who are dedicating their time and talent to the Empire State Service Corps,” said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. “Their work supports their peers and assists local organizations, strengthening both our campus and our community. This experience reinforces the values of service and civic responsibility that define a SUNY Canton education.”

This month, SUNY will launch the Building Bridges student competition, where registered student groups or clubs can submit a proposal for grant funds to create a program on their campus for civic engagement and civil discourse.

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed on September 17, on the anniversary of the adoption of the United States’ Constitution in 1787. The holiday, designated by Congress in 1952, is observed as an opportunity to learn about the U.S. Constitution as the foundation for the American democracy and law-based government. SUNY campuses observe Constitution and Citizenship Day with educational and civic-engagement-focused events, and highlight opportunities like the Empire State Service Corps, where students are able to uphold American values like service to others and building a better society for all.