2020-2021 Application

With faculty and peers, you'll engage in hands-on service and forge connections to your academic interests through critical reflection and collaboration as you discover how to be "in the nation's service and the service of humanity."

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.

Preferred First Name *

Last Name *

Princeton Email *

Cell Phone Number *

Are you a member of the Class of 2023?
(Only members of the class of 2023 are eligible to apply to Service Focus) *

Yes

No

We apologize. Only members of the class of 2023 are eligible to apply to Service Focus.

Please check the option below that best describes your current situation

I have applied to one or more summer service internships.

I have secured a Princeton service internship that will happen remotely

I have secured a Princeton service internship that will happen in-person

I have secured a non-Princeton service internship that will happen remotely

I have secured a non-Princeton service internship that will happen in-person

My internship was canceled due to COVID-19 and I am looking for other opportunities

My internship was canceled due to COVID-19 and I do not want to look for other opportunities My internship was canceled due to COVID-19 and I do not want to look for other opportunities

Summer Service Internship

Have you secured a summer service internship? Is it remote or in-person? Have you received confirmation that it will continue despite COVID-19? Please list sponsoring programs (IIP, Pace, PICS, etc.) and organization.

If you do not have an internship or your internship was canceled due to COVID-19 please write 2-3 sentences about your summer plans. Where will you be located? Do you have time and interest in designing an independent remote project?

Please check all boxes below that reflect an area of interest you would be interested in pursuing *

Short Essays

What role do you think service should play at Princeton or in the world? *

0/250 words

Service Focus is about bridging service and learning, briefly discuss how you imagine service connecting to your academic trajectory and/or career interests. *

0/250 words

Schedule

Service Focus will meet an average of twice per month throughout the academic year and require a moderate amount of outside engagement (reading relevant articles, going to campus talks, trips off campus to engage with community partners, etc). Please list other commitments you have in your schedule and flag any conflicts you foresee. *

We know that Princeton students have busy schedules. Service Focus is moderate but serious commitment. Please briefly explain your approach to balancing multiple commitments. *

Which Service Focus events are you likely able to commit to attending? *

Service Focus Cohort Kickoff (Half-Day, Early September 2019)

Service Focus January Intersession Retreat (Optional, 3 days during intersession)

Service Focus Graduation Symposium (Dinner, Early May 2021)

None

Referrals

How did you hear about Service Focus?

Privacy Policy

For the purpose of applying for the Service Focus program, I hereby consent to the release/disclosure of the information that I am providing with this application, including but not limited to my personal statements and other personal information, to University staff involved in review. Additionally, should I be accepted to the program, I consent to have any written documentation or photographs related to my application to be released or disclosed to University officials, program donors, and/or supervisors, including being posted on University websites and/or reproduced in printed materials to promote the program. Written material which I provide may be used in its entirety or excerpts may be selected. *

I acknowledge my consent to the above.