St. Lawrence University Public Interest Corps (SLU PIC)

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The mission of the St. Lawrence University Public Interest Corps (SLU PIC) is to link talented and passionate St. Lawrence University students and recent graduates with North Country public interest and non-profit organizations to improve their ability to provide services to their constituencies and to help develop the next generation of leaders in this sector.

Coordinated by St. Lawrence University Career Connections and Student Activities & Leadership Offices, this program supports organizations and positively influences relationships between the college and the community.  SLU PIC, which also involves St. Lawrence University nonprofit sector alumni in an advisory capacity, provides a tangible mechanism for Corps Members to put academic theory into practice and gain valuable professional skills, knowledge, and contacts while contributing to the mission of North Country nonprofits.  

All SLU students and class years (including graduating seniors) are eligible to apply.  Internship descriptions and applications will be available on Handshake in December 2022/January 2023.  Please read the project descriptions carefully when considering which project(s) fit your interest and experience best.  The student application deadline is 11:59 pm, FEBRUARY 24, 2023.

Prospective partner organizations are invited to download the SLU PIC proposal form and apply by November 4, 2022.  

For more information on the program or to apply as an Organizational Nonprofit Partner, please contact:

Geoff Falen, Director of Career Connections, 315-229-5768 OR
Ashlee Downing-Duke, Associate Director of Student Activities & Leadership, 315-229-5135

SUMMER 2023 North Country Partner Organizations 
Birdsfoot Farm
Birdsfoot Farm has been growing certified organic vegetables, flowers, and herbs for over 40 years. In addition to its lively CSA, Birdsfoot also sells at the Canton Farmers Market, the Potsdam Food Coop, Natures Storehouse and North Country Grown Cooperative. Birdsfoot Farm is an intentional community of eight adults and three children. The Veggie Business is set up as a partnership with seasonal workers that grow the freshest, high quality local food for you.

Church & Community Program
Since 1974, Church & Community Program has provided a way for neighbors to help neighbors in the Northern New York towns of Canton, Hermon, Clare, DeKalb, Lisbon and Russell, and the villages of Rensselaer Falls, Richville and Heuvelton.
The mission of the Church and Community Program is to provide food, clothing and other essentials to those in need, to offer referrals for additional assistance, and to do so with respect for those it serves. 

Frederic Remington Art Museum
The Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, New York, houses a comprehensive collection of original Remington paintings, sketches and sculptures, as well as a broad array of personal effects and correspondence that serve to bring the artist and his vision to life.  Many of Remington's best-known sculptures and oil paintings can be found in the Albert Priest Newell Gallery. Changing exhibits of his North Country and Canadian watercolors, sketches, and illustrations hang in the Addie Priest Newell Gallery. Personal possessions, studio equipment, and memorabilia are displayed throughout the museum.

The Friends of Higley Flow State Park
The Friends of Higley Flow State Park is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to:

  • Providing a higher level of public awareness, understanding, appreciation, and respect for Higley Flow State Park's natural resources and activities.
  • Encourage protection, preservation, and improvement of Park facilities and natural environment.
  • Seek and administer grants, gifts, donations, and in-kind support for the Friends projects including outdoor interpretive programs, park projects, and trail development & maintenance.
  • Provide support of activities for the benefit of the Park through volunteers & membership and encourage public participation in these activities.
  • Expand and implement educational programs.

GardenShare
GardenShare's vision is (in part): "Healthy Food, Healthy Farms, Everybody Eats". Our intention is to raise awareness and promote the existence and success of our local food system by introducing St. Lawrence County to some of the individuals and groups who work tirelessly to provide healthy local food, and to provide access to food options. To do so, GardenShare seeks to launch a storytelling initiative (akin to "Humans of New York"), to create profiles and narratives of the people who work and volunteer at farmers' markets, on farms, in food pantries, and for local school nutrition programs. It is GardenShare's strong belief that a thriving food system is one where those who enjoy the food have a relationship with those who grow and make the food.

St. Lawrence County Arts Council
SLC Arts creates and supports multi-disciplinary arts initiatives in the North Country to encourage community and economic development, tourism, and entrepreneurship within the arts industry.  Our mission at SLC Arts is to enrich the vibrancy of the North Country by cultivating art appreciation and inspiring creative expression

St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce is to cultivate, develop and support Chamber members and other businesses by creating a vibrant business climate that encourages growth and enhances the unique quality of life in St. Lawrence County. The Chamber and associate members have been interested in strategically organizing the business community with a Buy Local Campaign. Additionally, tourism marketing, with the use of social media tools continues to be a priority for the Chamber and the tourism industry.

St. Lawrence County Historical Association
The SLCHA is a not-for-profit membership organization and museum which serves as an educational resource for the use and benefit of the citizens of St Lawrence County and others interested in the County's history and traditions. The Association collects and preserves archival material and artifacts pertinent to the County's history. In cooperation and collaboration with other local organizations, the Association promotes an understanding of and appreciation for the County's rich history through publications, exhibits, and programs. The SLCHA operates within museum standards established by the American Alliance of Museums.

St. Lawrence County Planning Office
The Planning Office provides a variety of services, including: special studies for the Board of Legislators and other departments; grant writing and administration, especially in housing and local infrastructure; technical assistance to local governments and citizens on planning, zoning and environmental issues.  In addition, the office monitors and responds to state and federal project proposals and offers comments on applicable draft legislation.  Other duties include providing staff resources to the County Planning Board and Environmental Management Council; staffing the Fair Housing Task Force and the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board; providing training to planning and zoning boards; serving as a liaison with regional and statewide agencies and organizations; assisting with the maintenance and acquisition of spatial data (GIS data management); managing the County’s rural public transit system.

St. Lawrence Land Trust
The St. Lawrence Land Trust’s mission is to work with landowners to conserve the ecological, recreational, historical, and cultural values of their property, for benefit of the landowner and the community.

United Helpers
United Helpers has been serving the North Country and helping those in need for more than 125 years. As one of the largest health care providers and one of the largest employers in St. Lawrence County, United Helpers provides a variety of services to our community including rehabilitation treatment such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. We offer a variety of senior services and housing options, including independent senior living, home care, senior/disabled housing, assisted living, and skilled nursing, along with an extensive selection of programs and resources to help people manage chronic health conditions, mental illness, and developmental disabilities.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton was founded in 1825 as a Universalist congregation. Its first building, a brick structure with a wooden tower, was dedicated in 1829 and used until 1897, when the present Canton gray marble church was dedicated....Our 200-member congregation is organized democratically, and membership is open to all. The congregation, by majority vote, chooses its own ministers and has final authority over all aspects of church life.  Programs are planned and coordinated by a variety of committees that oversee worship, religious education, outreach to newcomers, social action, care of our building and grounds, our Memorial Garden, and many other areas. Ours is a diverse and inclusive religious community, welcoming the full participation of all without regard to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or physical challenge.