This document provides information and resources to AmeriCorps members as they transition out of service. It discusses feelings members may experience, preparing to exit properly, and next steps such as re-enrolling in AmeriCorps or pursuing education, employment or volunteering. It also provides details on accessing and using the AmeriCorps education award for tuition or paying off qualified student loans within 7 years of completing service.

1. LIFE AFTER AMERICORPS
Leveraging Your Year of Service
Experience to Build Your Future
May 02, 2013

2. OBJECTIVES
 Provide resources so you can
decide the next steps and continue
on the path to your dream job/life.
 Walk through systems you will need
to access after you exit AmeriCorps.
 Equip you with powerful information
to make the most of your post-
AmeriCorps life.
 Prepare you for stages of transition
and re-entry.

3. YOUR TERM IS ALMOST DONE… HOW DO
YOU FEEL???
Proud, accomplished, satisfied
Apathetic, disconnected, fatigued
Nervous, excited, eager
Angry, frustrated, cynical
Confused, fearful, isolated

4. Chances are you feel more aware
of social issues in the community
and school where you served
You may now or sometime soon
feel a sense of loss

5. REFLECT
Can you identify what, specifically
has made you feel this way?
What motivated you to join
AmeriCorps?
What have been TWO standout
accomplishments as an
AmeriCorps member?

6. WHAT’S NEXT?
 Re-enrollment in AmeriCorps or other service
 Continuing in Higher Education
 Employment
 Other:_____________
 Do nothing/Chill

7. WHERE TO GO???
 Stay in the service community (Oakland/San
Lorenzo)
 Go home (if away)
 Go elsewhere, somewhere new
 Other:__________

8. PREPARE TO LEAVE
 Catalog your accomplishments/Build a Portfolio
 Position Description
 Data on your accomplishments
 Surveys
 Curriculum, programs you created
 Leave a map for next year’s members (binder)
 Guides for systems you created for continuation, where
stuff is; helpful hints
 Make time to say goodbye
 Co-workers, fellow
members, volunteers, youth, community
members, friends, etc.

9. LEAVING RIGHT
 Before you pack your “desk”
 Final administrative issues: exit
interview, forms, timesheets, Daily Activity Logs, etc.
 Clarify you’ve signed everything and have all documents in
order.
 All documents must be received in order to exit satisfactorily.
 Forwarding address, exchange of contact info
 Ask for a reference or two!

10. DEALING WITH LEAVING
 Prepare to describe your experience
 Prepare for a variety of responses
 Journal, converse, express
 Recreate, catch up, enjoy yourself
 Continue to volunteer
 When you’re ready:
 Research, apply, interview
 Remember: Change is Inevitable!

11. RE-ENROLLING IN AMERICORPS
 Available if you have served less than four terms of
service (any length)
 Same Program
 If you’ve had a positive experience
 If you feel there is still more opportunity to grow in this area or
you would like to be instrumental in the program growing
 Different Program
 AmeriCorps State/National
 AmeriCorps VISTA
 AmeriCorps NCCC (if you are 18-24)
 Senior Corps (55+)

12. RE-ENROLL TO RECEIVE MORE COLLEGE $
 The maximum Education Award is equal to
the Maximum Pell Grant limit:
 Full-time $5,550 (2013)

13. RE-ENROLLING… SORT OF…
 Peace Corps
 www.peacecorps.gov
 Teach for America
 www.teachforamerica.org
 Extended Volunteer Experiences
 www.handsonbayarea.org

14. EDUCATION
 Finish your Undergrad Program
 Enroll in Grad School (MA, MS, PhD)
 Take classes of interest here and there
 Seneca Center
 Community Colleges
 Berkeley Extensions
 Professional Organizations

15. SEGAL EDUCATION AWARD
To access your award, you must:
 Successfully complete your AmeriCorps term
 Program Director must exit you from the system
 You must access the “My AmeriCorps Portal”

17. ACCESSING YOUR EDUCATION AWARD
1. In your home page, under “My Education Award” click
on the “Create Education Award Payment Request”
link to bring up the screen to request the payment.
2. Follow the instructions and complete the form.
3. Select the purpose of the payment (loan or current
educational expenses), the amount of the
payment, and identify the holder of your student loan.
4. Click “submit”, a notice will be sent electronically to
your educational or loan institution.
5. A record of your request will appear in your account
home page.

18. NEXT STEPS…
1. The school or loan holder will complete their
portion of the form and return it electronically to
the Corporation.
2. They will fill in the amount for which you are
eligible if the request is for current educational
expenses or they will provide the payoff amount
and loan type if the request is for a student loan.
3. When the payment has been made, your account
will reflect the deduction.

19. SEGAL EDUCATION AWARD
Going Back to School:
You can use the ed. Award at any Title
IV school as defined by the U.S. Dept.
of Education
Includes many technical/vocational programs
http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/tiv.phtml (run
search by state)

20. SEGAL EDUCATION AWARD
Paying back your loans:
 Must be qualified!
 Lender should be able to tell you if your loan is
covered by these statutes
 Usual suspects include: Perkins, Stafford, William
D. Ford, & Federal consolidation loans
 Be careful before you consolidate your loans to a
private company
 Pay out the value of your ed. Award first!

21. TRUE OR FALSE?

22. TRUE OR FALSE
 As soon as you finish your term of service, you can
receive your education award.
 FALSE.
 To become eligible to receive your education
award, you must complete all of your program’s
requirements in addition to your service hours or
term. Your Program Director has to exit you from
the system with the designation of “successfully
completed”.

23. TRUE OR FALSE??

24. TRUE OR FALSE
 Members can choose to take a cash payment
rather than the education award.
 True AND False.
 VISTA members can decide between a $5,550
education award and a $1,500 cash stipend as their
post-service benefit.
 AmeriCorps State and National members (YOU!)
can select only the education award option.

25. TRUE OR FALSE???

26. TRUE OR FALSE
 If you use your credit card to pay for school, you
can use your education award to pay your credit
card bill.
 FALSE
 You can use your education award to make
payments to qualified schools or loan agencies
holding your qualified federal loans.

27. MORE ON THAT…
 The TRUST makes education award payments only
to loan holders or Title IV schools, NOT you.
 But what if I don’t have to pay tuition?
 The Ed. Award covers the “cost of attendance”
 Room and Board, books, supplies, fees
 In some cases, schools will have purchasing
agreements for computers and will have the students
buy through those companies. In other cases, students
may be able to bring in receipts for purchases made
and get reimbursed.

28. Work with your financial aid office so
you don’t have to pay out of pocket or
to assure that you will get reimbursed.

30. TRUE OR FALSE
 You can use your education award to attend
schools overseas.
 TRUE
 You are eligible to use your education award at any
school listed by the U.S. Dept. of Education as Title
IV. Many overseas schools are Title IV.
 If a school doesn’t accept your Ed. Award, you can
often apply for a Stafford or other Fed award and
then repay that with your Ed. Award.
 ALWAYS ASK!!!

31. HOW MANY YEARS?

32. HOW MANY YEARS?
 How many Years do you have to use your
education award?
 SEVEN.
 You have 7 years from the date of completion of
service to use your Ed. Award. Under certain
circumstances, you may receive an extension. You
must apply in writing. To learn more about this, call
the National Service Trust at 1-888-507-5962.
 Circumstances may include: more AmeriCorps
terms, Peace Corps, military, illness, etc.

33. YES OR NO

34. YES OR NO?
 Do you have to use your Education Award all at
once?
 NO.
 You can draw from your education award account
at the National Service Trust in increments. Over
several semesters or institutions. You can also use
part for tuition and/or and part to pay off student
loans.

35. TRUE OR FALSE?

36. TRUE OR FALSE?
 The education award is considered taxable income.
 TRUE.
 The Ed. Award counts as taxable income for the tax
years in which you use more than $600.
 BUT!!!!
 Most states have a law which waives the state tax
for AmeriCorps Education Awards
 You must use the Ed. Award at a public state school, not
private. i.e. a UC, Cal State Univ., etc.

37. MATCH!
 Many schools match the Education Award
 % of award value, class credit, application fee, scholarships, etc.
 An incomprehensive list:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/highered/ed_aw
ard_match.asp
 Current California Schools that participate:
 Antioch University Santa Barbara
 California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
 Mills College
 Monterey Institute of International Studies
 Notre Dame de Namur
 Pacifica Graduate Institute
 Union Institute & University – Los Angeles and Sacramento
 University of the Pacific

38. DISCLAIMER!
 The best use of the Education Award is extremely
variant depending on:
 Your particular situation
 Your lender
 The financial aid office at your school
 And everyone’s knowledge of AmeriCorps’ Education
Awards
 There is NO magic bullet!
 Don’t give up if you encounter barriers. You have
earned this award.

39. EDUCATION AWARD & FINANCIAL AID
 Get the most buying power!
 ALWAYS: Fill out the FAFSA’s additional financial
information section and report your AmeriCorps Ed.
Award amount.
 Your Ed. Award will not count against your financial
aid need.
 TIP! Save the award and accept the school’s
financial aid offer. May lose larger scholarships and
grants if you frontload Ed. Award.
 Learn about Financial Aid: www.finaid.org
 Meet with a Fin. Aid counselor, tell them you have an
award, but don’t want to use it if it will cause you to lose
financial aid.

40. LOAN: FORBEARANCE
 If you obtained forbearance on loans while in
service and successfully complete your term…
 The TRUST will pay accrued interest
 All interest (for full time)
 A portion (for part time)
 Subject to taxes…
 Does not deduct from your Education Award.

41. LOAN: FORBEARANCE
 You should:
 First be exited from the system
 When you see your term end & award appear in “My
AmeriCorps”
 Request a statement from your lender that shows the
total accrued interest during your postponement period
(with beginning and end dates).
 Have the statement sent to the Trust
 Get a copy sent to you for your records.

42. LOAN: ADVANCE VS. PRINCIPAL
Advance (automatic)
 The Ed. Award pays out as multiple
monthly bills (pays INTEREST before
principal)
 You don’t pay any loan bills during this
period… but they will return.
May be for you if:
You hate paying your bills
You know you may not be able to pay for a
while

43. ADVANCE VS. PRINCIPAL (CONT.)
 Principal (must request to your
lender in writing)
The Ed. Award goes directly to the full
amount borrowed before interest
You continue to pay your bills at a lower
rate
May be for you if:
 You want your loan paid off sooner
 You can pay your monthly bills now
 You want to pay less over the lifetime of
your loan.

44. LESSONS LEARNED… (VIDEO FROM YOUTUBE)

45. LOAN: INCOME BASED REPAYMENT
 What is IBR?
 A relatively new student loan repayment plan
 Uses a sliding scale to determine how much you can
afford to pay on your federal loan(s).
 If you earn below 150% of the poverty level for your
family size, your required loan payment will be $0.
 If you earn more, your loan payment will be capped at
15% of what you earned above that amount.
 Except for the highest earners, it usually works out to
less than 10% of your total income.
 http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/12poverty.shtml

46. LOAN: INCOME BASED REPAYMENT
 What about Interest?
 In some situations, your IBR payment may not
cover the interest on your loans.
 If so, the Gov’t will pay that interest on your
Subsidized Stafford Loans for the first 3 years.
 After 3 years, the interest will be added to the total
amount you owe.
 Your debt will grow, but anything you still owe after
25 years of qualifying payment will be forgiven.
 http://ibrinfo.org

47. LOAN: PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS
Obama Administration initiative
If you work in a qualifying public
service position, it will forgive
remaining debt after 10 years of
eligible employment and qualifying
loan payments.
http://studentaid.ed.gov/

48. WHO QUALIFIES FOR PSLF?
 People with federal student loans who work in a
wide range of “public service” jobs, including jobs in
government and nonprofit, 501(c)(3) orgs
 Must be employed FULL-TIME
 OR serving in a full-time AmeriCorps, Peace
Corps, or T4A Position
 Must make regular payments on student loans–120
payments while serving in public service.
 More info:
http://www.finaid.org/loans/publicservice.phtml

49. BREAK

50. LEVERAGING YOUR SERVICE
 Objective: strategize how to best construct and
represent your service experience on a
resume, letter of intent, or verbal interview.
 This is an intro method, and creating a polished
product for yourself will take quite a bit more time…

51. LEVERAGING YOUR SERVICE
 Start with your position description
 Make a list of everything you can think of that you
created, enhanced, accomplished or learned.
 Think about:
 For whom? How often? With what result? To ensure what?
Why? How?
 Think in numbers and time
 Recruited 120 community volunteers for 2 National Service
Day events…

52. LEVERAGING YOUR SERVICE
 Make your bullet points
 Use action verbs:
 Evaluated, developed, facilitated, supervised, administer
ed, initiated, generated, achieved….
 Make a big, general list and save in a document or
within your general resume.
 Pick and choose the most important/applicable for a
specific resume for the position(s) for which you are
applying.

53. THE AMERICORPS EXPERIENCE

54. LEVERAGING YOUR SERVICE
 Also consider the training you received:
 CPR / First Aid
 Diversity & Cross-cultural Communications
 Conflict Resolution
 COST
 Family Engagement
 Curriculum Development
 Other:_________________
 Again, pick the most relevant for your tailored
resume.

55. LEVERAGING YOUR SERVICE
 Written or spoken narrative
 For interviews, letters of intent, etc.
 Identify your biggest achievement, most meaningful,
most challenging (assign them all)
 In 500 words or less, describe each bullet point and why
you assigned it as such.
 For interviews, write it all down and then edit to 2-3
minutes of speech. Practice.

56. STAYING ENGAGED
 http://www.americorpsalums.org
 Find your local chapter and get connected with
other alum!

57. STAYING ENGAGED
 Take advantage of:
 Career Center
 Free Tax Preparation
 Bank of America Free Checking
 You should also:
 Contact your elected officials and encourage them to
support AmeriCorps and eliminate the federal tax on the
education award.