BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs has been designated to be a School of National Service through a partnership that will provide benefits for AmeriCorps alumni who further their education at the O’Neill School.
The O’Neill School boasts more than a half-century of commitment to service and civic engagement, making it the ideal location for service-minded AmeriCorps alumni. In recognition of the value of their service, AmeriCorps alumni will receive academic credits from the O’Neill School, AmeriCorps service will satisfy the experiential requirement for multiple degrees, and the graduate school application fee will be waived, saving AmeriCorps alumni thousands of dollars.
“We are truly excited and honored to partner with AmeriCorps to provide critical benefits that will allow members to expand their skills with a degree from the O’Neill School,” Dean Siân Mooney said. “Our school has a long, proud history with AmeriCorps, and becoming a School of National Service is a natural evolution in our partnership.”
Professor Emeritus in Public Affairs and Philanthropic Studies Leslie Lenkowsky was appointed in 1993 by President Bill Clinton as one of the founders of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Eight years later, President George W. Bush named Lenkowsky the CEO of the corporation, which was rebranded as AmeriCorps in 2020. Lenkowsky has been a faculty member at the O’Neill School since 2004.
The O’Neill School is one of only two Schools of National Service at Indiana University, and IU is one of just three institutions in the state to hold the distinction.
AmeriCorps alumni are students with leadership skills, problem-solving experience, and a commitment to civic engagement. Schools of National Service connect these leaders with higher-education institutions who seek to recognize those qualities and honor the service they’ve provided to their community and country.