Buffalo State students’ service recognized at annual SUNY ESSC Summit

Through SUNY's Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) program, select students engage in paid public service work for 300 hours over the course of an academic year. Students are placed in a cohort aligned with their interest areas and serve at either an on-campus or community-based host site. This opportunity allows New York State students to be paid for meaningful work that can provide lifelong skills as well create lasting impacts in their community.

The ESSC 2nd Annual Summit took place December 6-7 in Albany, New York. Students from 47 different SUNY colleges and universities came together to learn best practices around the theme "Unity Through Service."

Buffalo State was represented by students Jevin Watkins, Skylah Edwards-Thompson and Alana Jacowitz; and campus coordinator Denise Harris. Jacowitz was recognized for her service work in Milligan's Food Pantry with the Excellence in Service, Above and Beyond award.

Buffalo State has a total of 12 students participating in the ESSC program this year:

• Yasmine Arabaty; student success coaching, Roar to Success Program/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Harmoni Brown; FAFSA, Financial Aid Office
• Rachelle Clark; civic engagement, Office of Senator April N.M. Baskin
• Camryn Coughlin; sustainability, SBD Center/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Larkin Graham; sustainability, Great Lakes Center/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Alana Jacowitz; food insecurity & SNAP, Milligan's Food Pantry/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Daquan Johnson; student success coaching, Academic Standards/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Zeinab Keita; food insecurity & SNAP, Milligan's Food Pantry/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Susana Loyola; early childhood, Buffalo State Childcare Center
• Desiree Schwartz; FAFSA, Financial Aid Office
• Skylah Edwards-Thompson; food insecurity & SNAP, Milligan's Food Pantry/SUNY Buffalo State University
• Jevin Watkins; civic engagement, Voter Registration/Political Science Department/SUNY Buffalo State University

"The ESSC program allows students to serve our community while being able to financially support themselves," Harris said. "I am so proud of this year's ESSC members as they continue to go above and beyond."