Princeton Internships in Civic Service Achieves Holy Grail

Recently, President Eisgruber announced in a recorded message accompanying a University statement that: “Princeton will provide funding that will allow all undergraduates to spend a summer focused on service and social impact work that engages with communities beyond campus.”

University EVP Treby Williams commented, “We know that summer service experiences inform students’ educational pathways through Princeton, their post-graduation goals, and how they can make an impact on the world that reflects the University’s informal motto, ‘Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity’.”

THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL!

When Jim Gregoire (left) put together a small board for the Class of 1969 Community Service Fund (‘69CSF’) after our 25^th Reunion, in response to the challenge from the Board of Project 55 to do something honorable with our Memorial Fund Drive money, no one could have predicted what a success it would become.  Jim then negotiated with the University to have the organization’s funds invested with the Princeton endowment, and selected Seva Kramer (right) as its first Executive Director.  From inception, Jim’s Board included both Classmates and Class spouses, including my wife Judy.

Seva designed the program, with bells and whistles that were unique and attracted students, community partners and donors.  In fact, they were so good that the program has been cloned several times and now operates under different names at a number of top universities across the country, thanks to classmates Leonard Schaeffer and Bob Loveman.

When the CSF was born, service opportunities were a rarity on the Princeton campus.  That was a strong motivating factor to Jim and his board.  It was a ‘build it and they will come’ initiative.  Come they did! Starting from 2 interns the first year to 200 a year by the time we turned the program over to the University on July 1, 2020 after several years of difficult negotiations—difficult because we insisted that alumni remain at the core of the program.

We changed the name to Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS) as the Board expanded over the years to include representatives of more than a dozen Classes.  Alumni and Community Partners had provided all the funding for PICS and the living wage stipends we paid to every intern ensured that all Princeton undergraduates were able to participate in the program, regardless of financial considerations.  Alumni sourced all the internship opportunities from Community Partners they were involved with or knew; and alumni served as Alumni Partners  (or mentors) to every PICS Intern, sharing their time and experience with these talented young people.

Over the 25 years that the program was a separate 501(c)(3), we were blessed with two extraordinary Executive Directors, Seva Kramer who designed the program, and Jeri Schaeffer (left) whose fundraising and networking talents led to its dramatic growth.  Both are now our honorary classmates.  Since the University took over, we have continued to be blessed with amazingly talented Class of 1969 Program Directors—Caroline Savage and Emily Sharples—and an increasingly supportive team where they work in the Pace Center.  PICS survived COVID, even placing almost 100 interns in virtual experiences during summer 2020, and in 2022 fielding a record of well over 200 interns.

Throughout the arc of CSF/PICS, those of us in leadership have always had a single goal—our ‘Holy Grail” so to speak.  It was getting the University to understand the critical value to Princeton, the nation and the world of giving every Princeton undergraduate who wanted one a service internship experience before they graduate.  CSF/PICS has proven time and time again over the years the impact that one of our internships can have on a young person.  Some choose service as an initial career.  Others serve non-profits in one capacity or another along side their careers, but none emerge from their internship experience unchanged by the rewards of service to others.

Everyone in the Class of 1969, and particularly each of you who have served on the CSF/PICS Board, sourced a PICS internship, served as a PICS Alumni Partner, or donated to PICS on your dues cards, have played an important role in this collective achievement that will continue to change lives of Princeton students into the future, and improve the lives of all the people across the US and the world that they touch and help.  So, pat yourself on the back, and be proud of our Class.  I have always described PICS as the Legacy of the Class of 1969.  That Legacy just expanded exponentially in size and duration. BE PROUND OF THE CLASS OF 1969!

 Chuck Freyer

Chuck Freyer, ‘69

Chairman, Friends of PICS