The Service Year Alums Awards recognize outstanding alums across the national service community for their contributions during their service years and beyond. This diverse network is composed of AmeriCorps Alums, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and alums from various service year programs across the country.
In 2025, the Service Year Alums Awards are all about celebrating this life-changing experience, recognizing alums who embraced the lessons, skills, and connections gained during their service year to pursue meaningful careers and positively impact their communities.
A service year is an extraordinary opportunity that has the potential to transform your life. For many service year alums, the experience is a launch pad - to a new community, a new set of skills and interests, and new personal and professional aspirations.
Each awardee was asked to reflect on their service year and identify the experiences, learning, and connections that enabled them to make the leap to what came next in their post-service professional and service journey. In doing so, they demonstrated how their year of service provided a platform to continued impact and achievement.
As an AmeriCorps member with JusticeCorps, Lilit helped self-represented litigants at a court-based self-help center in her home state. Working alongside licensed attorneys, Lilit assisted neighbors from low socioeconomic communities - including domestic violence survivors, the elderly, and tenants facing uninhabitable living conditions - navigate complex legal barriers and processes. As a current law student, Lilit draws upon her service year in the classroom and as a volunteer at a local legal aid clinic.
Multiple service years with Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. expanded Logan Beyer’s understanding of the determinants of health, especially the environmental factors that can impact a young child’s mental, physical, and socio-emotional well being. Logan continues her service today as a student at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She also serves as the Executive Chair of Advocacy for the AAP Section on Pediatric Trainees; a Resident Tutor at Harvard College’s Mather House; a running coach for high school students with and without disabilities; and a play space leader for unhoused children living in shelters.
Jordan Bohlen’s service year with the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City focused on helping newly arrived refugees and other vulnerable populations find safe, healthy, and affordable housing. Today, Jordan works for UServeUtah, the state service commission, where she helps nonprofits across the state implement impactful service year programs. Jordan also remains an active volunteer with organizations supporting refugees and immigrants find employment and tell their story.
Myles Cramer served with College Mentors for Kids as a Data & Evaluation VISTA, where he applied his background in mathematics to help colleagues track their impact in the classroom. Myles served two additional service terms through Conservation Legacy as an Acoustic Assistant, where he helped preserve the natural soundscape of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Through his varied service year experiences, Myles gained skills and insights that support him today in start-up environments at the intersection of technology and governance.
Brendan Csaposs is a three-time AmeriCorps Alum and lifelong educator. Service years through Jumpstart, Teach for America, and City Year solidified Brendan’s desire to help students and teachers succeed, a mission he continues today as a global education consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya. Brendan’s commitment to his students is rooted in a belief that everyone can achieve their goals.
As a fifth generation farmer, Don Holly left his rural hometown to help communities in Jamaica adopt modern and sustainable agricultural practices. Building upon his lifelong upbringing in farming, Don’s Peace Corps service provided him a greater understanding of community engagement and economic development. He employs these skills today as an Agricultural Biofuels Program Analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Doria Josma is a two-time AmeriCorps Alum. Through Public Allies New York, Doria helped young adults succeed in the classroom and connected them to pre-professional and post-secondary opportunities. An additional service year as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Reading Partners further developed her understanding of organizational development - expertise she applies today as both a fundraising specialist for a local nonprofit and as the founder of her own social impact consultancy in New York City.
As a FoodCorps Service Member with Wellness in Schools, Cady Molloy applied her dual passions for food and education to serve students in New York City Public Schools. During her service year, Cady helped introduce more fresh and nutrition-rich ingredients in school cooking, and connected students to the kitchen through cafeteria taste tests and classroom activities. Cady continues her service today as Executive Chef for a school district in Colorado. In recognition of her efforts, the district recently received the Innovation in Nutrition Education Award from the US Drug Administration.
Zachary Schreckenberger served as a Patient Navigator with the National Health Corps at a high-volume pediatric vision clinic. During his service year, he provided free comprehensive vision care for children living in the South Side of Chicago. As a student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, Zachary served on the board of a student-run health clinic, provided peer support as a tutor, and volunteered with the American Medical Association’s Medical Student Section Committee on LGBTQ+ Affairs. Zachary graduated from medical school in spring 2025 and returned to Chicago to begin his residency in pediatric care.
Keith Smith is an AmeriCorps Alum and veteran of the United States Navy. More than 50 years after his service in Vietnam, Keith found a new sense of purpose by supporting his fellow veterans. Through Operation: Veteran Connect, Keith helped veterans access their government-provided benefits and resources, access transportation to job interviews, and furnish their living spaces at a transitional housing facility. He continues to serve his Florida community as a volunteer, including helping with disaster relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Christian Soto is a three-time AmeriCorps Alum. Through service years in Montana, Massachusetts, and New York, Christian developed an interest in public health and policy. As an Excelsior Fellow with the New York State Department of Health Division’s Legal Affairs, Christian brings a unique perspective to his work, including an understanding of the varied and complex issues affecting local community members. He also serves as a volunteer with the American Red Cross and is an active member of the American Public Health Association and the Albany County Medical Reserves Unit.
About Service Year Alliance
Service Year Alliance is working to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. We envision a future in which national service is an integral part of growing up in America, with one million young people serving their communities each year. To make this vision a reality, we partner with states, agencies, and local organizations to expand the number of service year opportunities through new models and funding sources. To enhance the corps member and alumni experience, we develop partnerships to build and scale key national service innovations to demonstrate how service transforms lives. At the core of our work is a commitment to raising up the voices and experiences of young people, corps members, and alumni.
About the Service Year Alums Awards
The Service Year Alums Awards celebrate alums across the national service community for their contributions during their service years and beyond. These awards are an opportunity to showcase alums’ contributions through service, highlight the positive impacts they’ve made, and inspire future generations of service year members. For their achievements, award recipients received a $1,000 award prize.
Submissions are closed for 2025. Check back soon for details about the 2026 awards program.
The awards are open to anyone who has completed a service year. There are no age restrictions or geographical limitations.
In general, a service year is defined as a paid opportunity to develop real-world workplace skills and civic engagement through hands-on service. Service years address unmet community needs through direct service or indirect “capacity building” for at least 32 hours per week over the course of 9-24 months total. All AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and YouthBuild positions are considered service years.
Have questions about the Service Year Alums Awards? Whether you're curious about eligibility, the submission process, or what kinds of narratives we're looking for, we’ve got you covered! Head over to our FAQs page to find all the answers you need to ensure your application shines here.
