The 114th Congress is coming to an end in a few weeks, and while the new Congress will bring new champions for the service year movement, it also means that our movement is losing one of our most ardent supporters.

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) — the Godmother of National Service — is retiring at the end of the year.

Growing service years is a key component of our strategic plan at Service Year Alliance, and one way we'll be doing that is by increasing the number of international service year opportunities. We were proud to be able to present the first Service Year Award at the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance's International Volunteer Day Forum on December 5th to Peter Ter, returned Peace Corps volunteer who has done multiple service years in Azerbaijan, China, and Georgia. 

Service Year Alliance's launch event featured a video from Launch Chair and Airbnb Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Joe Gebbia calling on the tech community to embrace a service year. 

[embedlycard url="https://www.fastcompany.com/3065942/pov/why-companies-need-to-make-2017-a-year-of-service"]

“Doing a service year with Teach for America changed my trajectory and got me involved in education, which I will be involved in for the rest of my life.”

“I was involved in an altercation that led me to be put in juvenile hall. When I got out, I told myself I needed to make a change...My service year with Youth Conservation Corps became the vehicle to transform my life."

“For someone who is considering a service year, go into it with a completely open mind. It's a whirlwind...you learn new skills, you learn new things that you never thought you would be able to do."

“What I learned in that [service year]...is that you are an incredible ripple in this big pool that is the world around you. And all you have to do is show up.”