College Corps @ The Beach changes students' lives, one paid internship at a time | California State University Long Beach
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:09
College Corps @ The Beach changes students' lives, one paid internship at a time | California State University Long Beach
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College Corps @ The Beach changes students' lives, one paid internship at a time
Published March 9, 2026
By
Andrew Edwards
Trusted Outcomes
A passion for geography and the environment, along with a campus golf cart permit and a College Corps internship, accelerated Brandon Contreras ‘23 along his way to government service.
“I was fortunate enough to be the first one to go to college and finish my degree in my family,” Contreras said. “Now, I have two younger siblings that are looking up to me and pursuing that for themselves right now.”
Contreras, working for the city of Long Beach to promote recycling and waste reduction, is among the 217 Cal State Long Beach students and alumni who have joined
College Corps @ The Beach
, which connects undergraduates to compensated internships. The California State University recently received
state funding to keep College Corps in action
through the 2028-29 academic year.
CSULB matches students to opportunities, provides mentorship and instruction and delivers $10,000 for educational and living expenses for students completing 450-hours' service. More than half of the 68 students in this year’s College Corps at The Beach cohort are first-generation.
“Coming from a family where I’m first-gen, having younger siblings, I kind of had to provide for my family a little bit,” said Contreras, who earned his bachelor’s in geography while minoring in environmental science. “I really had to find something that was paid. This College Corps program did provide the resources.”
By providing guidance and removing financial obstacles, College Corps at The Beach lets participating students focus on building skills, generating confidence and getting ready for life after graduation.
“College Corps is not just a program — it is a driver of social mobility,” said Beth Manke, professor of human development and College Corps program director. “By easing financial burdens and providing meaningful, career-connected experience, we are fundamentally shifting students’ economic trajectories while strengthening the communities they serve.”
Image
College Corps @ The Beach helped Brandon Contreras '23 start a career in local government, helping Long Beach promote waste reduction efforts.
Meeting California’s needs
College Corps is open to undergraduates in any major, linking students with nonprofits and public agencies where they can apply their talents to environmental stewardship, food provision and K-12 education.
“It’s truly a win-win — students graduate with less debt and valuable career experience, communities benefit from their service and energy and our state gains a new generation of leaders who know how to work across differences to solve challenges,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.
Fryday directs the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement. Its California Volunteers office announced renewed College Corps funding.
Maria Garcia Mendez, a fourth-year human development student, is in their second College Corps internship. They first helped the Gray Panthers distribute food to older adults and now serves at an affordable Linc Housing community. Both internships connected with academic topics, such as older adults’ financial issues and how meeting basic needs clears the way for people to further improve their lives.
“College Corps allowed me to apply concepts I was learning to real life,” Garcia Mendez said.
Financial awards covered Garcia Mendez’s summer abroad experience in Guatemala and, via service, they discovered a professional interest in helping older adults. They aspire to employment as a case worker after graduation and may subsequently pursue a master’s degree in social work.
Image
Image
From campus to community service
College Corps interns also serve on campus. Contreras did just that, helping the
CSULB Sustainability Office
to coordinate the deployment of recycling bins. He hauled the bins around campus himself. Driving a golf cart while doing so was one of the more fun aspects of his internship.
Contreras also helped with the office’s outreach to faculty and staff, played a key role in creating the campus’
Green Events Program
and made personal connections that led to his discovery of job opportunities in the public sector.
He is now a Waste Diversion & Recycling Specialist for the Long Beach Energy & Environmental Services Department. His assignments include teaching the city’s Compost and Recycling Ambassador program.
“Every time I go out into the community, I make a new opportunity for me to feel grateful for the opportunity to work in the community that I live in, that I grew up in,” Contreras said.
Partner with College Corps @ The Beach
College Corps @ The Beach connects student interns to more than 30 nonprofit organizations in the Long Beach area. College Corps partners focus on climate action, food insecurity, K-12 education and healthy futures. If your organization is interested in hosting a CSULB student via College Corps or other internship programs, contact
the Center for Community Engagement
for more information.
LEARN MORE
boost your future with college corps
If you are a CSULB undergraduate interested in joining College Corps’ cohort for the 2026-27 academic year, applications may be submitted through April 14.
APPLY TODAY
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Skip to main content
Open
Menu
Image
College Corps @ The Beach changes students' lives, one paid internship at a time
Published March 9, 2026
By
Andrew Edwards
Trusted Outcomes
A passion for geography and the environment, along with a campus golf cart permit and a College Corps internship, accelerated Brandon Contreras ‘23 along his way to government service.
“I was fortunate enough to be the first one to go to college and finish my degree in my family,” Contreras said. “Now, I have two younger siblings that are looking up to me and pursuing that for themselves right now.”
Contreras, working for the city of Long Beach to promote recycling and waste reduction, is among the 217 Cal State Long Beach students and alumni who have joined
College Corps @ The Beach
, which connects undergraduates to compensated internships. The California State University recently received
state funding to keep College Corps in action
through the 2028-29 academic year.
CSULB matches students to opportunities, provides mentorship and instruction and delivers $10,000 for educational and living expenses for students completing 450-hours' service. More than half of the 68 students in this year’s College Corps at The Beach cohort are first-generation.
“Coming from a family where I’m first-gen, having younger siblings, I kind of had to provide for my family a little bit,” said Contreras, who earned his bachelor’s in geography while minoring in environmental science. “I really had to find something that was paid. This College Corps program did provide the resources.”
By providing guidance and removing financial obstacles, College Corps at The Beach lets participating students focus on building skills, generating confidence and getting ready for life after graduation.
“College Corps is not just a program — it is a driver of social mobility,” said Beth Manke, professor of human development and College Corps program director. “By easing financial burdens and providing meaningful, career-connected experience, we are fundamentally shifting students’ economic trajectories while strengthening the communities they serve.”
Image
College Corps @ The Beach helped Brandon Contreras '23 start a career in local government, helping Long Beach promote waste reduction efforts.
Meeting California’s needs
College Corps is open to undergraduates in any major, linking students with nonprofits and public agencies where they can apply their talents to environmental stewardship, food provision and K-12 education.
“It’s truly a win-win — students graduate with less debt and valuable career experience, communities benefit from their service and energy and our state gains a new generation of leaders who know how to work across differences to solve challenges,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.
Fryday directs the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement. Its California Volunteers office announced renewed College Corps funding.
Maria Garcia Mendez, a fourth-year human development student, is in their second College Corps internship. They first helped the Gray Panthers distribute food to older adults and now serves at an affordable Linc Housing community. Both internships connected with academic topics, such as older adults’ financial issues and how meeting basic needs clears the way for people to further improve their lives.
“College Corps allowed me to apply concepts I was learning to real life,” Garcia Mendez said.
Financial awards covered Garcia Mendez’s summer abroad experience in Guatemala and, via service, they discovered a professional interest in helping older adults. They aspire to employment as a case worker after graduation and may subsequently pursue a master’s degree in social work.
Image
Image
From campus to community service
College Corps interns also serve on campus. Contreras did just that, helping the
CSULB Sustainability Office
to coordinate the deployment of recycling bins. He hauled the bins around campus himself. Driving a golf cart while doing so was one of the more fun aspects of his internship.
Contreras also helped with the office’s outreach to faculty and staff, played a key role in creating the campus’
Green Events Program
and made personal connections that led to his discovery of job opportunities in the public sector.
He is now a Waste Diversion & Recycling Specialist for the Long Beach Energy & Environmental Services Department. His assignments include teaching the city’s Compost and Recycling Ambassador program.
“Every time I go out into the community, I make a new opportunity for me to feel grateful for the opportunity to work in the community that I live in, that I grew up in,” Contreras said.
Partner with College Corps @ The Beach
College Corps @ The Beach connects student interns to more than 30 nonprofit organizations in the Long Beach area. College Corps partners focus on climate action, food insecurity, K-12 education and healthy futures. If your organization is interested in hosting a CSULB student via College Corps or other internship programs, contact
the Center for Community Engagement
for more information.
LEARN MORE
boost your future with college corps
If you are a CSULB undergraduate interested in joining College Corps’ cohort for the 2026-27 academic year, applications may be submitted through April 14.
APPLY TODAY
More stories about Beach students building critical skills
'The VITA experience' yields tax return prep for accounting students
Inside this CSULB clinic, real-time coaching readies future speech therapists
Decades of 'KJazz' radio scholarships and internships continue to elevate CSULB students
CSULB students give local small businesses a marketing makeover
How internships help CSULB students gain real-world experience in the workplace
Related Articles
This is a carousel. Use next and previous buttons to navigate.
April 8, 2026
Alumni and civil rights trailblazers turn past struggles into lifelines for students
Getting an education never came easy for Patricia Newby ‘70 — not as a high schooler in deeply…
March 25, 2026
CSULB alumna uplifts, supports social workers with her popular podcast
Catherine Moore ’09, ’15, a licensed clinical social worker, was washing the dishes one evening,…
March 18, 2026
From the LBSU track to Olympic ice, bobsledder Azaria Hill hits new speed
“Make ‘em say your name.”The words echo inside the mind of Olympian Azaria Hill '20. Since the days…
February 10, 2026
McNair doctoral program launches alumna’s research on formerly incarcerated women
Taryn Williams ’20 is on a mission to increase society’s understanding of formerly incarcerated…
January 12, 2026
CSULB art grads illustrate the storyboards that bring Hollywood blockbusters to life
As they discovered their love of storytelling through hand-drawn illustrations, or found their…
December 3, 2025
How a CSULB grad with an iPhone is redefining Long Beach's food scene
In April 2022, James Tir ’13 pushed open the door of Chiang Rai, a small Thai restaurant on a busy…
November 26, 2025
CSULB alumna works toward saving an Indigenous language and culture
Deborah Sanchez ‘82 is committed to saving her ancestors' language.“I’m just one person in the…
October 21, 2025
The first-gen Beach grad, runner who helped shape Nike for 50-plus years
As a young cross-country runner, L. Nelson Farris ‘69 grew up within jogging distance of Cal State…
September 17, 2025
CSULB alumni — from Netflix to law — carry on Ukleja Center's legacy of ethical leadership
At the outset of her legal career, Celeste Ahl ‘11 thought she had found her dream job, but then…
July 14, 2025
Meet four CSULB grads on the frontlines of America’s aging boom
By 2030, for the first time in U.S. history, adults age 65 and older will outnumber children — a…
July 8, 2025
Beach Voices: Summer Bridge and EOP opened doors 'I never even knew existed'
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