Frequently Asked Questions

Please see below for frequently asked questions (FAQs) about our CLEC AmeriCorps program.

Program Overview

  • AmeriCorps is a federal agency for national service and volunteerism that provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities.

    For more information, check out the Programs and Institutions infographic.

  • WACC

    WACC (short for Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good) is a community of higher education institutions committed to advancing the public purpose of colleges and universities, educating students for the workforce and civic leadership, and working in partnership to cultivate vital and sustainable communities.

    Note that WACC is a grantee of AmeriCorps and not the agency itself.

    For more information, check out the Programs and Institutions infographic.

  • CLEC

    CLEC (short for Civic Leadership & Engagement Corps) is an AmeriCorps program administered through WACC that fosters student leadership, campus-community partnerships, civic and community engagement, and knowledge networks focused on improving the retention and success of underserved students, and building sustainable campus/community partnerships and resilient communities.

    For more information, check out the Programs and Institutions infographic.

  • When we get new open AmeriCorps positions or other opportunities within our organization, you can find them on our opportunities page.

  • For information about enrolling as an AmeriCorps member in our program, please reach out to our program specialist, Lainie Juhl - juhll@wwu.edu.

Member Service

  • Only hours served at your project site(s) or approved sites away from your primary project site (for example: for events, National Days of Service, or approved teleservice) may be recorded on your timesheet. Time completing timesheets and meeting with WACC staff count as direct service as well.

    Hours served outside of the duties described in the member's Position Description or spent completing National Days of Service cannot to be counted as direct service hours without prior written approval from the member's site supervisor and WACC. 

  • Supervisor

    Your supervisor oversees your CLEC AmeriCorps project and day-to-day service activities.

    They will orient you to your campus or organization, project, and any community partners.

    They also approve your timesheets, progress reports, member evaluation, and any leave requests.

    WACC Staff

    Our role is to provide grant oversite, oversee member enrollment, and provide CLEC orientations, training & support.

    We also monitor sites for compliance, coordinate or host professional development opportunities, and oversee all policies and procedures.

    We are also here to troubleshoot issues with Canvas or America Learns, answer policy and procedures questions, or any questions about AmeriCorps or the CLEC program.

    For more information, check out our Supervisor and WACC Staff Roles infographic.

  • Yes, there are activities that AmeriCorps members are not allowed to participate in. These are known as prohibited activities.

    Since AmeriCorps is an independent federal agency, members may not engage in any partisan political activities during their service terms.

    Here’s a quick list of the prohibited activities:

    • Influencing legislation

    • Boycotts/Protests/Petitions

    • Union organizing

    • Partisan political activities

    • Religious activities

    • Benefiting for profit entities

    • Provide abortion services or referrals

    • Voter registration drives/census

    Does that mean I can't do those activities at all?

    No, that doesn’t mean you can’t participate in these activities at all.

    Members are allowed to participate in prohibited activities on their own time (“afterhours,” so to speak) but may not identify themselves as an AmeriCorps member or wear the logo while doing so.

    For a more in-depth look at the prohibited activities, please see page 13 of the Member Service Agreement.

  • Yes, this is known as teleservice. Teleservice is serving remotely from a computer at home, not serving virtually from your site.

    However, your supervisor is the one who decides if you can do teleservice or not. Please discuss with your supervisor to see if teleservice is allowed during your term.

    For more information, please view the Teleservice Policy.

Time Keeping

  • Members must track their hours served (both direct service and professional development) in America Learns.

  • America Learns is the timekeeping system we use for our members to track their hours. This is also where we have members perform data tracking and complete progress reports.

    Members may also use the America Learns app to complete timesheets. Download here:

    Note: The app is only available to members at this time to complete timesheets, not progress reports. Timesheet management for supervisors will still happen from the website.

    If you need help activating your America Learns account, please contact our program specialist, Lainie Juhl - juhll@wwu.edu.

  • Watch this training video or view these slides to learn how members submit timesheets in America Learns.

    Members may also use the America Learns app to complete timesheets. Download here:

    Watch this video to learn how the app works.

    Note: The app is only available to members at this time to complete timesheets, not progress reports. Timesheet management for supervisors will still happen from the website.

  • Members who fall behind on time must serve extra direct service at their sites or participate in professional development in addition to their direct service hours.

    Members should work with their supervisor and meet with the CLEC AmeriCorps Team Leader, Emma Magnuson - magnuse3@wwu.edu, to come up with a professional development plan.

  • Yes, even if a member is already recording their hours through a different system with their host site, we still require them to record hours using America Learns.

  • Timesheets must be submitted by the 1st and 16th of each month. Data tracking reports are due, as well, for designated reporters.

    Site supervisors must approve member timesheets within four days on the 5th and 20th of each month. 

Data Tracking

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award

  • The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is one of the key benefits that CLEC AmeriCorps members are eligible to receive after they complete their service term and are enrolled in the National Service Trust (also known as the Trust).

    The award is not a cash award and cannot be cashed out.

  • The award is not a cash award and cannot be cashed out. The award will be deposited your My AmeriCorps account.

  • The award amount for a full-time member is equal to the maximum value of a Pell Grant.

    Here's a break-down of the award amounts for CLEC AmeriCorps positions enrolled between 8/1/2023 and 7/31/2024 after successful service term completion:

    • Stipend Members

      • 1700 hours: $6,895.00

      • 900 hours: $3,447.50

    • Student Fellows

      • 450 hours: $1,824.07

      • 300 hours: $1,459.26

    For more information about the award amount, visit this AmeriCorps page.

  • The education award can only be used at Title IV schools. Check the list of Title IV schools here. Members can also use the award to pay for current educational expenses and repay qualified loans.

    Eligible Education Expenses

    • Title IV courses

      • Including many universities, colleges, trade schools, outdoor education programs, schools overseas, and international programs

    • Cost of attendance not covered by other financial aid (determined by your financial aid office at the school)

    Qualified Student Loans

    • Loans backed by the federal government under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (except PLUS Loans to parents of students)

      • Examples include: Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Wm. D. Ford Federal Direct Loans, Federal Consolidated Loans, Supplement Loans to Students, & Guaranteed Student Loans

    • Loans under Titles VII or VIII of the Public Service Health Act

      • Examples include: HEAL, HPSL, Nursing Student Loans, Primary Care Loans, & Loans for Disadvantaged Students

    • Loans made by a state agency, including state institutions of higher education

    For more ideas, watch this video by America Learns and Do Good, Be Good called How I Used My Education Award.

  • CLEC AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for loan forbearance on qualified student loans based on their national service. Forbearance puts a pause on loan payments.

    After the member has successfully completed their service term and earned an education award, the Trust will pay all or a portion of the interest accrued during the member’s service but only on loans placed in forbearance during the member’s service term.

    Interest payments are not subtracted from the education award amount but are made in addition to education award payments. The portion of the accrued interest that the Trust pays is determined by the type (full or part-time) and length of the member’s service term.

  • Upon successful service completion, members can expect the education award to be deposited into their My AmeriCorps account a few weeks (in rare cases longer) after exiting and must access and use this award within seven years.

    The award is not a cash award and cannot be cashed out.

  • All payments made using the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award are subject to federal tax in the year each payment is made. It is considered taxable income regardless of whether it is used to pay current educational costs or to repay qualified student loans.

    Payments made for interest accrued during the term of service are also subject to income taxes in the year the payment is made. Interest payments are made on your behalf for the interest that accrued during your service term. These payments are made in addition to your education award and are not subtracted from your award balance.

    AmeriCorps does not withhold taxes from the award. By the end of January each year, AmeriCorps sends a 1099 MISC Form to all AmeriCorps members for whom payments have been made totaling $600.00 or more during the previous year. These include both payments from education awards and payments of interest that accrued while the person was serving. The 1099 MISC Form reflects the total amount that AmeriCorps reports as taxable miscellaneous income to the IRS.

  • Use My AmeriCorps to:

    • Check your award balance and value

    • Request payments to educational institution and loan holder

    • Request forbearance on qualified student loans

    • Update contact information

    • Check living allowance and tax statements

    For any other questions about how to access and use the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, please contact the National Service Hotline at 1-800-942-2677.

Professional Development

  • Professional development is any reflection, elective classes, symposiums, workshops, or presentations that will support the member’s service to their community.

    WACC provides professional development opportunities for AmeriCorps members, but members may choose to participate in professional development they find on their own or is provided by their supervisors.

    Professional development must be pre-approved by site supervisors and must not interfere with the member's ability to complete direct service.

    Examples of professional development include but are not limited to:

    • Earning a certificate (e.g. CPR, first aid, forklift operator) as long as it is not for college credit

    • Researching and applying for jobs or graduate school and working on application materials including resumes and cover letters

    • Expanding the member’s network and developing networking skills while working with local non-profits and/or government agencies 

    • Development, implementation, and/or involvement with peer training

    • Professional conference workshops and presentations

    • New language acquisition to better serve the community

    NOTE: Classes taken as part of an academic program do not count as professional development.

  • Members may only count a maximum of 20% of their service hours as professional development.

    Max professional development hours for each of our service terms:

    • Stipend Members

      • 1700 hours: 340 hours max

      • 900 hours: 180 hours max

    • Student Fellows

      • 450 hours: 90 hours max

      • 300 hours: 60 hours max

    NOTE: Members who go over the maximum amount of professional development hours must serve extra direct service hours to make up the difference.

  • Yes, all professional development must be pre-approved by your site supervisor.

  • No, professional development hours are optional but highly encouraged for members to participate in.

  • Information can be found on our professional development page.

    You can also watch this recorded workshop, Creating Your Own Professional Development Plan (slide deck for reference), and use this template to help you stay organized.

  • Please reach out to the AmeriCorps Member Engagement Coordinator, Emma Magnuson - magnuse3@wwu.edu, if you have any questions about professional development.

National Days of Service

  • National Days of Service present AmeriCorps programs and host sites with a special opportunity to address unmet community needs, collaborate with other AmeriCorps programs, build AmeriCorps member morale and teamwork, promote volunteerism and service in local communities, and highlight the difference AmeriCorps members make across the nation.

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - Third Monday in January

    Random Acts of Kindness Day - February 17

    AmeriCorps Week - Second Full Week of March

    Cesar Chavez Day - March 31

    National Volunteer Week - Third Full Week of April

    Earth Day - April 22

    9/11 Remembrance Day - September 11

    Make a Difference Day - Fourth Saturday in October

    Family Volunteer Day - Third Thursday in November

    Giving Tuesday - Tuesday after Thanksgiving

  • National Days of Service are optional but highly encouraged for members to participate in.

    Stipend members who participate will be asked to report their participation in mid-term and end-of-term evaluations. Student fellows only need to report participation in end-of-term evaluations.