Top Reasons Why You’ll Love Living and Working In Memphis

Living and working in Memphis can be a great option for young people, from affordable housing and a vibrant culture to delicious food and outdoor adventures. It’s a big city with a small-town feel.

And as a City Year Memphis AmeriCorps member, you’ll be eligible for a range of unique benefits and opportunities—from ongoing professional development to support your mentoring and tutoring of students, to exclusive scholarships for undergraduate or graduate degrees, to a Segal Education Award, worth more than $7,000, that can be used for past student loans or future study.

Here are some of the best reasons why serving with City Year Memphis as a student success coach could be a great next step for you:

1. Affordable housing: Memphis is known for its relatively affordable cost of living compared to many other major cities in the United States, ranking the third most affordable U.S. city. Young adults can find a range of housing options, from apartments in downtown lofts to cozy homes in historic neighborhoods like Midtown or Cooper-Young.

2. Culture: Memphis is steeped in history and culture, particularly in relation to music. As the birthplace of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll, the city boasts a lively music scene with numerous venues for live performances. Additionally, Memphis is home to iconic cultural institutions like the National Civil Rights Museum and Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley.

3. Food: Memphis is a haven for food enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy barbecue. The city’s barbecue joints are legendary, serving up mouthwatering ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. Beyond barbecue, Memphis offers a diverse culinary landscape with influences ranging from Southern comfort food to international cuisine.

4. Outdoors: Despite being a bustling urban center, Memphis is surrounded by natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. Residents can enjoy activities like hiking, biking, and picnicking in Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. The Mississippi River also provides opportunities for boating, kayaking, and scenic riverfront walks.

5. Arts, entertainment and sports: In addition to its music scene, Memphis offers a thriving arts and entertainment scene. The city is home to numerous art galleries, theaters, and performance venues showcasing a variety of artistic talents. Events like the Memphis in May International Festival and the Indie Memphis Film Festival attract artists and visitors from around the world.

City Year Memphis also partners with the city’s pro basketball team, the Grizzlies, and corps members sometimes receive perks, like free tickets to games!

6. Pathways for future teachers: You don’t have to be interested in a career in education to serve with City Year—our 40,000 alums are currently working and leading across a wide range of professions—business, health, law, social services, and many more.

But nearly half of our alums currently work in the education sector, as classroom teachers, administrators, school social workers, or at education focused nonprofits. Their experience as student success coaches confirmed that education is the right career path for them.

And City Year is building robust partnerships with teacher training programs across the country, building teacher pathways to make it easier and more accessible for our AmeriCorps members and alums to train to become teachers.

It’s especially important to train and prepare more teachers of color, more male teachers and more male teachers of color—and City Year Memphis has a strong track record in supporting AmeriCorps members who aspire to become teachers and helping them enter teacher training programs.

Overall, living in Memphis offers young adults an affordable yet vibrant lifestyle with plenty of fun things to do and ample opportunities for outdoor adventure.

And serving with City Year Memphis offers young people unique opportunities to learn and grow, right along with the students they serve, and prepare for their next step—whether that’s additional education, career or more service.

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