Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service
Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service

Postgraduate Service Opportunities

What is Postgraduate Service?

Postgraduate service is similar to having a full-time job at a non-profit organization. Volunteers typically make one- to two-year commitments to serve individuals and communities in need, and receive a small stipend and additional benefits in exchange for this work. Postgraduate service organizations may be domestic or internationally focused, may ask volunteers to live in community with other volunteers (referred to as intentional-community), and may also be faith-based (grounded in a particular faith tradition). The breadth and depth of postgraduate service organizations vary widely, and there are many factors to consider when discerning postgraduate service. 

The Center for Social Justice provides opportunities for students to explore their options through personal reflection, conversation and dialogue with recruiters and alumni, and one-on-one consultation with CSJ staff members. Read below to learn more about postgraduate service and how CSJ can support you as you explore your options.

Personal Discernment and Exploration

Do you want to serve domestically or abroad? Do you want to commit to one, two or more years of service? What does it mean to live in community? What happens to my student loans if I commit to a year or more of service? What will future employers think when they see a term of service on my resume?

In order to know if a term of service is right for you, you need to know what questions to ask of alumni, recruiters and yourself. Click below to read examples of questions to consider while discerning post-graduate service.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Questions to Ask a Service Organization 

Explore your Options

Options Series

The Options Series allows undergraduates the oppportunity to explore the option of service after graduation by creating opportunities for students to engage with recruiters from service organizations and reflect with alumni who are currently serving or have completed a term of service. This multi-event series takes place annually in the Fall semester. Click here to learn more!

Where GU Graduates Have Served

Click here to see some of the organizations Georgetown graduates have chosen to volunteer with and work for after graduation.

What service organizations are out there?

As a first stop, check out this quick spreadsheet of nearly 80 post-graduate service organizations with websites and deadlines.

Browse Stanford University’s comprehensive Fellowships, Internships and Service Programs (FISP) database. With access to approximately 500 programs, this database is a great place to start exploring postgraduate service options.

Utilize the Catholic Volunteer Network, a nonprofit organization of 200 domestic and international volunteer and lay mission programs. Since 1963, CVN has assisted more than 19,000 find a service match in the US and 112 other countries.

Advising

Speak with a CSJ team member

Want to talk with someone? CSJ staff members are available to meet with students to help them explore and discern postgraduate service. Contact Melissa Bernard, CSJ’s DC Mission Integration Coordinator, dcmission@georgetown.edu to set up a meeting.

Speak with an Alum

Do you want to talk with a Georgetown alum or graduate student or staff member who is currently serving or who has completed a term of service? Are you interested in speaking with an alum who is working or worked with a particular service organization? CSJ can connect you with alumni who have served or are currently serving. Contact CSJ’s DC Mission Integration Coordinator, dcmission@georgetown.edu to connect with alumni.