FIRST YEAR - APPLY
The following application will ask you a bit about your interest in and commitment to making service a central part of your Princeton experience. You are eligible to apply to Service Focus if you are a First Year at Princeton.
Selection of students takes into consideration:
- Strength of commitment to further learning about service and civic engagement
- Maturity and demonstrated ability to carry through on co-curricular commitments
- Strength of interest in collaborative projects
- Diversity of disciplinary interests/aspirations
Your application will be reviewed by a selection board made up of university staff and faculty. If your application advances to the second round, you’ll be asked to participate in a short interview before final decisions will be made.
SUMMER EXPERIENCE — PREPARE, SERVE & CONNECT
Service Focus will help students prepare for their summer by providing guidance and resources remotely. Due to COVID-19 the normal internship requirement for Service Focus has been waived. To support those of you with disrupted summer plans, Service Focus will offer guidance on civic engagement opportunities this summer. For accepted students, there will be opportunities to apply for limited funding for a remote independent summer service project.
SOPHOMORE YEAR — REFLECT & SUSTAIN
You’ll become part of a close-knit peer group that meets an average of twice per month with a Service Focus staff member and student mentors. You’ll support each other through reflection on service and development of your academic paths. Each group is paired with a faculty mentor who shares your own passion for service and offers guidance about integrating service into academics, work and life.
Groups work collaboratively to explore a particular societal issue. You will engage with campus and community partners to ground your exploration in community perspectives and where appropriate, work together to make a direct impact. Students may submit proposals for additional funding for projects that are larger in scope.
As a Service Focus student you’ll be required to take one service-related course during their sophomore year. You can work with the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES) to find a course. Course options are broad and include choosing from a pre-approved list of ProCES courses or petitioning to take a different course that matches your interests and internship experience.