UC Berkeley Public Service Center

What UC Berkeley Public Service Center does

The UC Berkeley Public Service Center (PSC) is a university department within the University of California, Berkeley system that operates as the central hub for civic engagement and public service programs on campus. Founded in 1967 as the Community Projects Office (later known as Cal Corps), the center connects UC Berkeley students with volunteer and internship opportunities across the Bay Area, Oakland, Sacramento, and Washington D.C. It runs 17 distinct programs including BUILD (K-5th grade literacy mentoring), Alternative Breaks (service-learning trips), Cal in the Capital (Washington D.C. internships), Cal in Local Government (municipal internships), College Corps (450-hour fellowships with up to $10,000 in funding), Peter E. Haas Public Service Leaders (need-based scholarships up to $7,000), VITA (free tax preparation for low-income families), and the Mario Savio Social Justice Program. The center supports approximately 5,000 students annually, who contribute over 140,000 hours of service to roughly 184-200 community partner organizations each year.

The PSC operates as a non-commercial entity funded through a combination of university budget allocations, private foundation grants (Shinnyo-en Foundation, Rogers Family Foundation, Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund), alumni donations via the UC Berkeley giving portal, and reimbursements through the Federal Work-Study Program. Community partner organizations include Berkeley Unified School District, Berkeley Food and Housing Project, East Oakland Youth Development Center, the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, and Suitcase Clinic, among 200+ others. Graduate-level partnerships extend across multiple UC Berkeley professional schools, including the Goldman School of Public Policy, Haas School of Business, School of Public Health, School of Social Welfare, Berkeley Law, and the School of Information. Outcomes data indicate 75% of student leaders continued public service work or pursued community-serving careers, 94% of BUILD mentors reported increased awareness of educational equity issues, and 100% of Alternative Breaks leaders reported confidence in taking intentional action against injustice.

The center is led by Sandra Bass, Assistant Dean of Students and Director, with a staff of 176 employees. It is governed under the administrative oversight of UC Berkeley's student affairs infrastructure, with student leaders playing significant roles in program management. The PSC's go-to-market is community-led: students apply to specific programs and are matched with community organizations or government offices for service placements, while the center recruits community partners to host student volunteers and interns. Marketing relies on UC Berkeley institutional channels, monthly e-newsletters, social media, word-of-mouth referrals, and information sessions. The center has received multiple recognitions including the Chancellor's Award for Public Service, selection as a Clinton Global Initiative University host site (2015-2016), and the Mather Good Citizen Award.

Name

UC Berkeley Public Service Center

Legal name

UC Berkeley Public Service Center

Website

https://publicservice.berkeley.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The UC Berkeley Public Service Center is a university civic engagement hub that connects approximately 5,000 UC Berkeley students annually with volunteer and internship opportunities across 17 programs serving 200+ community partner organizations in the Bay Area and Washington D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Community Service Programs

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Civic engagement programs
• Community service fellowships
• Service-learning programs
• Student volunteer programs
• Public service internships

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Foundation Support: The PSC relies on donations from alumni, individual supporters, and foundation grants. Donors can contribute through the UC Berkeley giving portal (give.berkeley.edu). Key foundation donors include Shinnyo-en Foundation and Rogers Family Foundation.
2. Federal Work-Study Program: Community partners can offer stipends paid through the Federal Work-Study Program, which reimburses nonprofit, school, or government employers 50% of a student's wages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The UC Berkeley Public Service Center is a university-based civic engagement hub that connects UC Berkeley students with community organizations through a portfolio of service programs. It operates structured offerings including literacy mentoring (BUILD), alternative break service trips, Washington D.C. internships (Cal in the Capital), local government placements, fellowships with financial awards (College Corps, Peter E. Haas Leaders, Shinnyo), and community-based research opportunities. The Center recruits, trains, and places students with nonprofit, school, and government partners across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Product overview

The UC Berkeley Public Service Center is a central hub for civic engagement at UC Berkeley, offering a diverse portfolio of 17 distinct service programs that connect students with opportunities for public service, social justice work, and community engagement. The programs range from literacy mentorship (BUILD), alternative break service trips, Washington D.C. internships (Cal in the Capital), local government internships, voter registration initiatives, and financial literacy/tax assistance (VITA). The Center acts as a coordinator bringing together students, faculty, and community organizations to promote transformative social change. Programs serve students at all levels (undergraduate, graduate) and include leadership development, fellowships with financial awards, and community partnership facilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BUILD (Berkeley United in Literacy Development) A K-5th reading mentorship program that matches UC Berkeley students as literacy mentors with elementary school students, providing one-to-one mentoring twice weekly for at least a semester. Targets UC Berkeley students seeking experiential service work with K-5 youth in partner schools.
• Alternative Breaks Service-learning trips for UC Berkeley students exploring social justice issues through hands-on service, education, and reflection during winter and spring breaks, covering topics like immigration, environmental justice, public health, and poverty.
• Cal in the Capital (CITC) A program founded in 1965 that trains and prepares UC Berkeley students for summer internships in Washington, D.C., placing them in over 400 professional settings including congressional offices, federal agencies, think tanks, and nonprofits. Since 1965, has trained 3,808 interns who contributed 1,633,689 hours of service.
• Cal in Local Government Internship Internship program placing UC Berkeley students with local government offices in Berkeley and surrounding areas to gain hands-on public service experience at the municipal level.
• College Corps Fellowship A fellowship program where students commit to serving 450 hours with a community partner and can earn up to $10,000 in funding. Targets UC Berkeley students seeking paid, intensive service commitments.
• Peter E. Haas Public Service Leaders A leadership program where UC Berkeley students serve in a self-designed public service project and receive a need-based scholarship of up to $7,000.
• Shinnyo College Access Fellowship A fellowship program supported by the Shinnyo-en Foundation focused on college access, allowing students to serve without financial burden.
• Lingnan W.T. Chan Fellowship A fellowship program hosting college student interns from China, with placements made in spring and interns serving from August through December.
• American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) A partnership of the Public Service Center and the American Cultures Center that provides space for graduate and undergraduate students to explore community-engaged scholarship and collaborative projects with community partners.
• Public Service Internship Program Internship program placing UC Berkeley students with local nonprofit organizations or government offices, with need-based scholarships and stipends available.
• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program providing financial education and free tax filing assistance to low-income families, including a DeCal course component for UC Berkeley student volunteers.
• Student-Initiated Community Projects Program supporting UC Berkeley student groups in developing and implementing their own community service projects and initiatives.
• CREATE A program under the Public Service Center focused on community engagement and social justice initiatives.
• The Mario Savio Social Justice Program A program honoring Mario Savio's legacy, focused on social justice education and activism for UC Berkeley students.
• Residential Service Initiative Program connecting UC Berkeley residential communities with service opportunities and organizing one-time service days with student volunteers.
• Bridging Berkeley Program connecting UC Berkeley students with community service opportunities in the Berkeley area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,231 student participants and 194 student leaders contributed 141,238 hours of service to 184 projects, with estimated service value exceeding $1.7 million for one program alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Goldman School of Public PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate students from the Goldman School of Public Policy are placed with community organizations to conduct policy analysis through the Policy Analysis program.
• Haas School of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaas School of Business offers the Board Fellows Program and Social Sector Solutions, placing graduate business students with community organizations for consulting projects.
• UC Berkeley School of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool of Public Health interns are placed with community organizations for public health-related field work and research.
• UC Berkeley School of Social WelfareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool of Social Welfare students complete field placements with community organizations through this partnership.
• Berkeley LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerkeley Law students participate in Student-Initiated Legal Service Projects (SLPS), providing pro bono legal services through community partnerships.
• UC Berkeley School of InformationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster of Information Management & Systems students complete summer internships with community organizations.
• American Cultures CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACES (American Cultures Engaged Scholarship) is a partnership between the Public Service Center and the American Cultures Center, providing space for community-engaged scholarship and collaborative projects with community partners.
• Career CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Career Center distributes internship and job openings from community organizations to students for free through their employer recruiting platform.
• VolunteerMatchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity organizations can post volunteer and internship opportunities to the VolunteerMatch database, which is searchable by students looking for service opportunities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• VolunteerMatch: National volunteer-opportunity marketplace used by the PSC as a placement channel. Adjacent infrastructure provider rather than a competing civic engagement center.

Emerging players

• City Year: National nonprofit deploying young adults into K-12 service roles such as literacy mentoring (close to BUILD) and other civic engagement roles. Comparable activity but operates as a separate non-university organization.

Direct peers

• Princeton PACE Center for Civic Engagement: Princeton's hub for civic engagement, service, and community-engaged learning. Comparable as a centralized university center coordinating service programs, fellowships, and community partnerships.
• Georgetown Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching, and Service: Georgetown's center integrating community-based learning and service with Jesuit mission-driven education. Comparable in combining courses, fellowships, and community placements through a single university center.
• University of Pennsylvania Netter Center for Community Partnerships: UPenn's academically-based community service center operating K-12 tutoring, community partnership, and faculty-led engaged scholarship programs. Highly comparable given its embedded university-center model and strong K-12 focus akin to BUILD.
• Harvard Phillips Brooks House: Harvard's student-led public service center coordinating tutoring, alternative breaks, and community programs. Comparable as a long-running Ivy League civic engagement hub serving a large student body.
• Cornell Public Service Center: Cornell's university-level hub for student volunteerism, service-learning, and civic engagement. Directly comparable to UC Berkeley's PSC in mission and operational scope.
• Northwestern Center for Civic Engagement: Northwestern's office coordinating community service, service-learning courses, and student-led initiatives. Direct peer in scale and structure at a major research university.
• Stanford University Haas Center for Public Service: Stanford's central hub for civic engagement that connects students with community-based service, fellowships, and public service leadership programs. Directly comparable to the PSC in mission, structure, and university-center model.
• Duke Center for Civic Engagement: Duke's university office supporting service-learning, fellowships, and community partnerships. Comparable institutional model anchoring student civic engagement within Duke.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/public_service
• Facebookfacebook.com/publicservicecenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cal-corps-public-service-center-at-university-of-california-berkeley
• Instagraminstagram.com/publicservicecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UC Berkeley Public Service Center