Interest in Moore’s service year program on the rise

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Interest in Gov. Wes Moore‘s state-sponsored service year program has expanded significantly in the past year.

Maryland received more than 2,400 applications to be in the 2024-2025 cohort, far above last year’s total of about 900, according to the Department of Service and Civic Innovation. (A prior tally from the department for last year, though, was around 500.)

“This year will change you, and it will challenge you. There will be moments when the work gets hard — and may even feel like it’s too much. But the work you do will make our state better,” Moore said in a statement addressing members of the program on Wednesday.

Like with last year’s inaugural cohort, the governor and members of his administration held a “launch” event at the University of Maryland, College Park, that has served to promote the program and bring members, government officials and more together for community service activities.

The state accepted about 500 recent high school graduates into the Service Year Option and 100 applicants into the Maryland Corps Program, established in 2016 to provide paid service opportunities to help high school graduates transition to postsecondary education or the workforce.

When Moore signed the Service Year Option into law in 2023, the Maryland Corps Program still hadn’t made it off the ground.

The nine-month Service Year Option is available to Maryland residents ages 18 to 21 who’ve received a high school diploma or completion certificate, or who’ve earned a GED in the state.

The Moore administration established the program last year as an alternative to pursuing a college education or career and technical training immediately after finishing high school.

Program members work at least 30 hours per week and make no less than $15 per hour while receiving job training and professional development from the organization for which they’re working, whether in conservation, education, housing, supporting veterans, reentry from incarceration or other fields.

Those who complete the nine-month program are also eligible for $6,000 toward tuition or as a stipend.

Supporters — the governor chief among them — hope it will channel young people into public service, strengthen the pipeline of workers for state and local governments and expand the state’s service opportunities.

The service program will continue to grow in the coming years, as required in state statute. After an inaugural cohort of at least 200 participants and a second-year class of at least 500, the program is expected to expand to 1,200 next year and 2,000 the following year.

The Maryland Corps, unlike the Service Year Option, isn’t limited to recent high school graduates. The state is expected to prioritize people from historically marginalized communities who want to work in public and community service.

Members of the Service Year Option and Maryland Corps programs have similar responsibilities and benefits, but those in the Service Year Option, unlike in Maryland Corps, must work at least 30 hours per week for their host employer.

The second-year cohort will be divided among more than 150 host employers, which include nonprofit organizations, businesses and more than 20 government agencies.

More than 250 organizations, businesses and agencies applied to host program participants this year — 100 more than the number that applied last year, according to the Moore administration.