The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ celebrated its 30th anniversary in March, marking three decades of student-led community service.
The program traces back to 1995, when Dr. Joseph Savoie, then vice president for University Advancement, and Dr. Eddie Palmer, then department head of Sociology and Anthropology, wrote and submitted a grant that launched one of the longest continually funded AmeriCorps programs in the country.
"Since 1995, over 700 USL/ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette AmeriCorps members have served over 200,000 service hours in Lafayette, the Acadiana community and in the state of Louisiana," said Julie LaFleur, the program's current director and former AmeriCorps member. "They have tutored children, cleaned up state parks, built houses and gutted homes after hurricanes and floods."
LaFleur said members volunteer in three focus areas: education, housing and sustainability. In turn, the students earn a living allowance or money to put toward their education. In its 30-year history, the program also faced challenges. Judd Jeansonne, executive director of Volunteer Louisiana, said grant terminations last year left program staff, AmeriCorps members and community partners across the state concerned about future opportunities.
Louisiana lost roughly 70% of its grants before court action restored most of the funding. ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette's program remained largely unaffected because of its longstanding partnership with the University, said Kimberly Dural, the program’s assistant director.
"The University supported us because they feel this is a vital program," Dural said. "We've been here 30 years with continuous funding."
Jeansonne, who served as ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette's AmeriCorps program director for 12 years before moving to Volunteer Louisiana, said he oversaw about 400 volunteers throughout his time at the University. He said these students have a consistent track record of becoming leaders in their communities.
"No matter where they were in life when they came in, they left better," Jeansonne said. "Better connected to their community, with lifelong relationships."
LaFleur agreed. She considers herself, her daughter (a three-year member) and her Corps colleagues all part of the same legacy.
"I consider us to be an AmeriCorps family," LaFleur said.
Applications for 2026 - 2027 AmeriCorps positions are until the end of the Spring 2026 semester.
Photo caption: Over the past 30 years, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette's AmeriCorps volunteers have served over 200,000 service hours. Photo credit: Submitted photos (ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette AmeriCorps)