Senator Milner pitches Utah Service Fellowship to fund college grants via AmeriCorps

Senator Milner told the Senate on Feb. 16 that lawmakers have been working with the governor’s office and the Center for Community Engagement to develop a Utah Service Fellowship for young adults.

Milner described a program in which participants would serve in high-need areas — examples cited include homelessness response and other community priorities — for approximately 1,700 hours. Participants would receive a modest stipend during their service and, upon satisfactory completion, be awarded a $7,400 grant for tuition and fees to assist with college expenses.

“We give them a small stipend,” Milner said, describing the program’s financial structure. He told colleagues that, at the present planning stage, the fellowship’s scholarship money would come from AmeriCorps funds.

Milner framed the proposal as an opportunity to combine community service with postsecondary support. “This will allow students to actually give back, serve their community, and at the same time, be earning a scholarship,” he said on the floor.

The proposal as presented did not specify total program costs, the number of participants planned, or whether state matching funds would be required beyond AmeriCorps support. Milner said the grant amount per participant would be $7,400; the transcript does not indicate an estimated program-wide appropriation or implementation timeline.

Next steps noted on the floor included continued work with the governor’s office and the Board of Higher Education or other implementing entities. The Senate later continued with floor votes and procedural business.