I had my six-month performance evaluation the other day.
My supervisor and I sat down for a couple of hours to talk about my progress. Progress? I guess I wasn't aware that progress was a part of my position. I thought I did all of my progressing as a VISTA last year...
So, maybe this is just me, but whenever you advance in your life, whether that's going from 9th to 10th grade, getting a new job, getting married--looking back on those events, you find yourself feeling awfully wise, don't you? I definitely felt that way coming off of my first Americorps*VISTA position with Wisconsin Campus Compact and into my VISTA leader position at Michigan Campus Compact. Now that I've done it once, I know what to do, who to connect with, and how not to screw it up--all I have to do is tell people how to do that. Next year will be a piece of cake, I thought.
Well...no.
Actually, from a workload standpoint, I have found that being a VISTA leader is actually much easier than being a VISTA out in the field. Most of a VISTA leader's tasks are scheduled, where as VISTAs in the field are working with complex issues managing a million moving parts. As someone who loves a good routine, being a leader is where it's at for me. However, every so often, in apropos of nothing, something happens that breaks the routine--something big, something strange--that makes you wonder, how could I have been prepared for this?!
Wise? Yeah, maybe not so much.
During my six-month evaluation, it because apparent to me that interpersonal communication is one of those areas that requires some more of my attention. In my seven months as a VISTA leader, I've been in a handful of positions in which I've had to "put out fires" for whatever reason, which is a strange spot to be in when you've had little training in conflict resolution. But that's what is so great about AmeriCorps. It's a great opportunity to observe and experiment so that you can reflect on what you've done and improve in the future. You never stop improving, and AmeriCorps host sites really recognize that.
I've had the honor of working with two wonderful supervisors that have guided me through each of the tough situations that I've had to help VISTAs work through, and they have helped to resolve those issues with a degree of grace that I'm convinced I will never attain (forgive me for being cynical, but as of right now, my approach is about as graceful as a blind buffalo). I've been getting kind of down on myself about it, and we addressed it yesterday. Mel, my supervisor, explained that conflict resolution is a practice-makes-perfect kind of thing--you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who innately possesses the skills to mediate or just knows the right questions to ask. Obviously, they're things that you can work on, but until you've been in the middle of a few "fires", they won't really mean that much to you.
That makes sense, and as simple as the concept was, I think that was something that I really needed to hear. I'm keeping interpersonal communication and conflict resolution on my radar, seeking opportunities for improvement as I progress through my term. But for the time being, I'm making a promise to myself--as conflict arises, I will replace my hesitance with confidence, approach situations with a level head and recognize that while I may not have all of the answers, I will listen well and navigate through it to the best of my ability. After all, that's all I can really ask of myself, right?
Until next time,
-Liz-
P.S. Right now, I'm working on our new display for career fairs! I'll post pictures of it when it's done--right now it's more of a collection of papers scattered around my cube...
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
How to Apply To AmeriCorps--Like A Boss
If you've read my previous entries, you know that I'm a fan of waxing philosophical about AmeriCorps, volunteerism, and in general, just being an awesome citizen. But today, I'm going to give you something that you can really use...I'm going to give you some insider information on how to apply to an AmeriCorps program.
- Do some soul-searching
So, you've decided you want to be a national service volunteer. Good for you. Now you need to figure out what how you want to serve. What kind of experience do you have? What are your interests? Make sure that you are genuinely excited about what you would hypothetically be doing. I can tell you right now, if you don't have a passion for the issue area that the position concerns, you're going to get burned out quickly, possibly making your AmeriCorps experience a negative one. Your interest and genuine investment in a project is going to drive you when things get rough. Also, you're going to want to figure out which branch of AmeriCorps you would like to be involved in. If you like working with the population you serve, State and National is the program for you. If you like working with a team and seeing immediate impact (and you like camping), you might want to look into NCCC (the National Civilian Community Corps). If you are more of a liaison or a coordinator type and you like being in an office environment, VISTA is probably right up your alley.
Not only are you going to want to think about what you want to do, but also, where you want to be. Some people are adventurous and adaptable, finding it easy to enter and integrate themselves into a new community socially. If you aren't that kind of person, you are going to want to take this into consideration when deciding where to serve. This is kind of odd, but you also might want to take...weather patterns...into account. I've found that weather can really get people down if they aren't used to it. So, if you are coming from the South to say...Michigan, you're going to want to mentally prepare yourself for 4 months of terrible, sad weather in the winter (oh, no--I'm not a bitter Michigander at all...). - Search Through My AmeriCorps
Now that you've decided what you want to do and where you'd like to be, it's time to see what's out there. If you already have a program or issue area in mind, use the advanced opportunity search on the right side of the screen. When you search, try and use synonyms if you can because the search engine can be difficult to work with sometimes. If you're having a hard time refining your interests, browse service opportunities by category--that's the default search. Remember, if you want to stick close to home, be sure to mention which state(s) you would like to serve in when you search.
When you are searching through the various opportunities out there, take note of the ones you like, note who the contact person is and jot down their name and email in case you want to ask any questions about the position. When you've exhausted your list, divide your list of projects based on issue area and rank them--This will be important for the next step. If you were specific in your searching to begin with, you probably won't have to do this. - Write Your Application
If you have seen all that you need to see, it's time to write that application. The AmeriCorps application is kind of the bane of my existence because it is so general, but it really couldn't be any other way. So, the reason you divided up your list of projects is so that you can combat the vagueness of the application. Those of us who read applications really value it when people get really specific and frame their experience in a way that shows that their experience is applicable to the project they are applying for.
So, let me give you an example of what I mean by this. Say that you are passionate about education. How have you demonstrated that passion? What volunteer experience do you have that relates to education? What is it about education that motivates you? These are questions that you're going to want to ask yourself as you are writing your application.
Now I also told you to rank your preferences--this is because you are allowed two applications in your My AmeriCorps portal. That means two issue areas. Pick and choose based on what your highest ranked projects are and write each application accordingly. When you're done writing your application, go back to each program page and apply for the positions, being careful to select the proper application.
This is important--DON'T SKIP ANY SECTIONS. What does leaving your "Why I Volunteer" section or your motivational statement blank say about you? Well, as a reviewer, it tells me that you weren't really serious about finishing the application. I read those, you know--I make sure that you've made a coherent thought and I make sure you spell-checked and edited your statement too. These two paragraphs are essential for me as I'm trying to understand who you are--don't deny me that! - Follow Up
When you send your AmeriCorps application off, it can seem like you sent it into outer space. Some programs contact applicants quickly, some don't contact applicants at all if they aren't interested (MCC follows up every Thursday or Friday, depending on my schedule so people don't get that my-application-went-into-a-black-hole feeling). If you want to learn more about the program or you want to make sure that your application was received, get a hold of the contact that was listed on the program page in the AmeriCorps portal. They will be able to determine if your application was received and they will be able to answer any questions and give you more information about their AmeriCorps projects(s), their agency, etc. Personally, I like it when people follow up--it shows to me that they are really excited about the position.
From there, it's anyone's guess. If someone's interested in you, they'll contact you. If not, then they'll call you after all of the positions have been filled. That can take a long time so you might want to ask project contacts what their timeline is. Regarding the MCC*VISTA program, applicants that we do not place won't know until...probably late May, since I likely won't be interviewing until mid to late April. In the meantime, for all of you MCC*VISTA applicants, ***shameless plug*** you can get involved with us via Facebook and Twitter!
-Liz-
Monday, February 6, 2012
What Makes A Great VISTA?
AmeriCorps is facing some tough times right now--At best, we're looking to dodge budget cuts left and right, but there is still a very real worst-case-scenario of it getting zeroed out in the budget. However, there's another problem that we have that is a little more uplifting, if that makes any sense. Since today's job market has proven difficult for recent college graduates to navigate, more and more of them are considering national service as a way to gain real-world experience and become more marketable when they search for jobs somewhere down the road. I still have a lot of friends that are in college, so I try to encourage them to spread the word about the opportunities that AmeriCorps has to offer, using that professional experience bit as the biggest focus. So, for those of you who want that sort of experience, great. You've come to the right place. But before you apply or sign on, I want you to know exactly what you're getting into. National service, much like any other major decision in your life, is not to be taken lightly--In fact, I think it's even more serious than a job with the one-year term functioning as your commitment to the betterment of your community. You could quit I suppose, but by doing so, you would effectively be leaving that community high and dry since AmeriCorps positions left vacant are rarely filled. So, before you sign that year of your life away, I want you to read the following to see if you really have what it takes to be a great VISTA.
The way I see it, being a great VISTA can be boiled down into four C's: Compassion, Creativity, Commitment, and Character.
...But that's just how I see it. What do YOU think makes a great VISTA? Leave me a comment--I'd love to hear from you!
-Liz-
The way I see it, being a great VISTA can be boiled down into four C's: Compassion, Creativity, Commitment, and Character.
- Compassion: Compassion is the capacity to feel empathy or sympathy for others. The mission of AmeriCorps*VISTA is to end poverty in America. In order to serve that goal, you need to have a deep understanding of those who are in poverty in our country. You need to know what low-income individuals face on a daily basis: the stigma, the oppression, the hunger, the need. Beyond that, you need to be able to internalize those hardships; see through their eyes, walk in their shoes, feel what they feel. If that's not something you feel comfortable doing, the road to the end of your term will likely be a rocky one, since that's what we deal with every day. It's not so much being a "bleeding heart" as it is having the drive that you need to do this work.
- Creativity: Sometimes when I reflect on my first year of VISTA, I think of it as some sort of survivalist scenario. When you become a VISTA, many members are placed in an unfamiliar environment with nothing but a VISTA assignment description, and that's about it. Often times, it can be helpful, but just as often it will likely be vague, so you can't rely on the assignment description alone. You need to be able to come up with creative solutions to the complex societal problems that you will face as a VISTA in order to both be successful and to gain anything from the experience. That being said though, we aren't expecting you to be able to create those solutions off the bat--it takes some time being immersed in your new environment and understanding it before you can decide how to best serve your community, but the important thing is to have that ability to think out of the box, because clearly, whatever's in the box isn't working for us.
- Commitment: Great VISTAs are committed both personally and professionally to what they do. On the personal side of things, they are drawn to a cause that each position hopes to aid, whether that's affordable housing, education attainment, financial literacy, whatever. That passion is what drives VISTAs to achieve and what keeps them from becoming overwhelmed. Professionally, great VISTAs feel a bond with their community, the organization they serve, the population they serve, and strive to do anything they can to strengthen those relationships. Even in the most dire situations, one's commitment can be that ember that keeps burning when the rest of the fire has died out.
- Character: The strength of one's character is the greatest indicator for a successful service term in more ways than one. I know that character is one of those sort of catch-all terms, so let me explain...They need conduct themselves in a manner that is both professional and accessible, they need to be comfortable enough with themselves to be able to go outside of their comfort zone in order to change their community for the better. They need to be able to shine through adversity they face and be resilient enough to bounce back and power though, and when they're done, they need to recognize that as much as they did for the community, the community gave back to them ten-fold.
...But that's just how I see it. What do YOU think makes a great VISTA? Leave me a comment--I'd love to hear from you!
-Liz-
Friday, January 13, 2012
Reflection: The Drum Major Instinct
Today was a pretty slow day so cracked open The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse Collection of Short Provocative Readings on Civic Activity. It's a collection of essays and speeches from biblical times to the present that inspire and encourage people to get involved with their community, one way or another. There's a section on service in the book, which is why, I'm sure, that it wound up on the VISTA Leader bookshelf in the first place. I thumbed through the table of contents--I didn't recognize anything in the section except for Martin Luther King's "The Drum Major Instinct", a sermon that I feel is under-appreciated, except among us cool kids who have devoted our lives to volunteerism. It's the one in which Dr. King proclaims that, "everybody can be great because everybody can serve." However, no one really seems to hit on what that "drum major instinct" is.
Dr. King explains the drum major instinct as that desire for attention, the need to feed our egos. While he felt that the drum major instinct wasn't necessarily a bad thing, he noted that it could become dangerous when our sense of pride gets out of control.
I'm very familiar with the concept of the drum major--I was in marching band for throughout high school and college. Throughout high school, I always thought that it would be really cool to be the one up front--the one in white with a cape that conducts the band and does the cool salute. I even tried out for the position a few times, but to no avail--I was convinced that my directors couldn't recognize talent if it punched them in the face. But what for? To improve my leadership skills? To do something that I thought I would enjoy? To be of service to my fellow band members? Nope. It was so that all eyes would be on me and everyone could think, "oh, look at Liz. Isn't she talented," or at least that's what was rattling around in my head at age 15. Really, that's a downright stupid thing to think because when there are 120 people playing music and making giant shapes on a football field, the crowd doesn't look at the person in the white pants waving their arms around like a maniac for more than a few seconds. Really, that desire to be up front or to stand out is completely irrelevant.
The drum major instinct is something that many VISTAs tend to struggle with, especially early on in their term. In many cases, some things would just not work if it weren't for a VISTA being there to do that extra work that no one else has the time or ability to do and its easy to feel under-appreciated if people don't go out of their way to acknowledge it. It's that drum major instinct that can get in the way of enjoying the experience of your service term when you get upset that you didn't get that pat on the back you thought you deserved. That's a true testament of our lack of real-world experience and that college student sense of entitlement. After all, does life give you a medal when you do what you're supposed to? VISTA service, or rather service in general isn't about being recognized or being that one, stand-out individual. It takes more than just one VISTA to make a change for the better--it takes community members to come together and put in the time and money to make an effort not only successful, but sustainable as well. And can we truly accomplish something for the good of the whole when we enter into it with self-serving attitudes? I don't think that's how it works.
Let's go back to Dr. King. He said, "he who is greatest among you shall be your servant." The truly great are the ones who engage in service. This being a sermon, you can be sure that he meant humble servant. The humble servant doesn't care if they're recognized--they don't need to feel important in order to feel fulfilled. They are so willing to help because they feel it is their duty. Their only concern is that everyone around them is safe, comfortable, and happy. They are great because they are able to let go of that drum major instinct that is so deeply rooted in the human psyche.
I said all that because I want to talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on the 16th. I don't know if you plan on volunteering next Monday, but if you do, I want you to be sure to not only model Martin Luther King in action, but also in spirit. Think about that humble servant mentality. Can you imagine what a community of humble servants can do? After all, in the 1960s, a movement of humble servants changed American society forever...
-Liz-
Dr. King explains the drum major instinct as that desire for attention, the need to feed our egos. While he felt that the drum major instinct wasn't necessarily a bad thing, he noted that it could become dangerous when our sense of pride gets out of control.
I'm very familiar with the concept of the drum major--I was in marching band for throughout high school and college. Throughout high school, I always thought that it would be really cool to be the one up front--the one in white with a cape that conducts the band and does the cool salute. I even tried out for the position a few times, but to no avail--I was convinced that my directors couldn't recognize talent if it punched them in the face. But what for? To improve my leadership skills? To do something that I thought I would enjoy? To be of service to my fellow band members? Nope. It was so that all eyes would be on me and everyone could think, "oh, look at Liz. Isn't she talented," or at least that's what was rattling around in my head at age 15. Really, that's a downright stupid thing to think because when there are 120 people playing music and making giant shapes on a football field, the crowd doesn't look at the person in the white pants waving their arms around like a maniac for more than a few seconds. Really, that desire to be up front or to stand out is completely irrelevant.
The drum major instinct is something that many VISTAs tend to struggle with, especially early on in their term. In many cases, some things would just not work if it weren't for a VISTA being there to do that extra work that no one else has the time or ability to do and its easy to feel under-appreciated if people don't go out of their way to acknowledge it. It's that drum major instinct that can get in the way of enjoying the experience of your service term when you get upset that you didn't get that pat on the back you thought you deserved. That's a true testament of our lack of real-world experience and that college student sense of entitlement. After all, does life give you a medal when you do what you're supposed to? VISTA service, or rather service in general isn't about being recognized or being that one, stand-out individual. It takes more than just one VISTA to make a change for the better--it takes community members to come together and put in the time and money to make an effort not only successful, but sustainable as well. And can we truly accomplish something for the good of the whole when we enter into it with self-serving attitudes? I don't think that's how it works.
Let's go back to Dr. King. He said, "he who is greatest among you shall be your servant." The truly great are the ones who engage in service. This being a sermon, you can be sure that he meant humble servant. The humble servant doesn't care if they're recognized--they don't need to feel important in order to feel fulfilled. They are so willing to help because they feel it is their duty. Their only concern is that everyone around them is safe, comfortable, and happy. They are great because they are able to let go of that drum major instinct that is so deeply rooted in the human psyche.
I said all that because I want to talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on the 16th. I don't know if you plan on volunteering next Monday, but if you do, I want you to be sure to not only model Martin Luther King in action, but also in spirit. Think about that humble servant mentality. Can you imagine what a community of humble servants can do? After all, in the 1960s, a movement of humble servants changed American society forever...
-Liz-
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Recruitment Season
When recruitment season gets brought up, I go into full song-and-dance mode.
Sometimes, I wonder if all the promotion sounds contrived. There never seems to be enough time to elaborate on what a great experience being a national service volunteer is--it's just Join AmeriCorps! Better yet, be a VISTA! It's great! You get to do this, this, and this...And you get to pay of your student loans and you meet great people and everything is awesome and...
Yippee. So what?
Recruitment always seems to come at a strange, fast-paced time that sometimes we forget to give people the big picture. Well, I'll tell you what--I have the time. I'm going to give you the big picture right now.
9,883,640 people live in the State of Michigan. Of those people 16.1% of them are in poverty. That's 1,591,266 people for those of you who don't want to do the math. These aren't lazy people--quite the contrary. If the recent economic recession has shown us anything, its that these 1,591,266 are largely our own friends and neighbors that have come on hard times. 1,591,266 people that have gotten caught by a vicious cycle that is incredibly difficult to break free from without access to the right resources and support from their friends and family.
As a result, community organizations around Michigan are under pressure to help these individuals. They are still covering the bases, but they are spread very thin. These organizations are only as strong as the community around them--they need community members to support what they do, whether its by volunteering their time to do things around the office, organizing a food drive, or by donating.
This is where Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA members come in. MCC*VISTAs serve in institutions of higher education across Michigan. They recruit and train student volunteers to go out and serve their community. Some work to support service-learning, a practice in which campuses and community organizations work together to address a need in the community while satisfying an academic goal. Some others work with college student mentors who help Michigan K-12 students understand that higher education, a proven pathway out of poverty, is an option, regardless of their circumstances or encourage collaboration between community organizations throughout the state. MCC*VISTAs, in short, help to strengthen communities by encouraging civic engagement.
There are plenty of benefits for VISTA members--a living stipend, health coverage, child care assistance, a year of noncompetitive eligibility for federal jobs, and some others that depend on your host site, on top of the professional development opportunities, the fabulous people you'll be able to network with, and real-world experience that VISTAs get. But really, the greatest benefit of all is knowing that you made a difference in the community you served. For those who are on the cusp of entering the workforce, that's HUGE.
So, that's what being a Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA is all about. If that's something you would like to get involved with, I encourage you to send me an email. Tell me why you're interested. Ask me questions. Let me know that you want to make a difference in Michigan!
-Liz-
-Liz-
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
What AmeriCorps Means to Me
I'm in the process of planning for the Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA Media Showcase right now. It's not until July 20th and being that I am in the proverbial calm before the storm, now seemed like as good a time as any to start asking myself all of those questions that I'll need to have answered eventually. If you've ever planned an event with about 80 moving parts, you probably know what I'm going through at the moment.
There are really only two things that I can see clearly with this event at the moment--the first will be displaying the VISTAs work--that's actually the easiest part in my mind. The trouble comes in when forming some sort of program around all that. I'll welcome everyone somehow, some other people will speak about...something. But the other thing that I know that I want to have happen during this showcase is for the VISTAs to explain their service; why they did what they did and what a year in AmeriCorps means in the grand scheme of things. In anticipation of that, I want to share with all of you what AmeriCorps means to me.
The best way to go about this would be to first tell you how I came to be in AmeriCorps*VISTA. When I was a senior in college two years ago, I had no idea where I was going. I was about to graduate with a B.A. in Communications Studies from the University of Michigan, meaning that I had a lot of options. As much clout as that degree afforded me, I still felt woefully unprepared for the real world. That same year, my best friend was serving a term in AmeriCorps in Washington D.C. She was the one who suggested that I serve in AmeriCorps. Knowing my style, she suggested that I look at positions with VISTA. In March, I started searching around the AmeriCorps site and applied for about ten different positions. I didn't really care at the time what I was applying for, I just wanted SOMETHING. My intentions weren't very pure going into the whole AmeriCorps endeavor--I wanted money, I wanted stability, I wanted job skills--the experience of it all I could take or leave. Yes, how shallow of me-- but when you've been raised by a single mother, those are the things that matter more than anything else.
My first AmeriCorps position seemed to fall into my lap--I interviewed for a position with Wisconsin Campus Compact in Menomonie, Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. It was the only position I was truly interested in, so naturally I was very happy. My project was "Bridging the Digital Divide in Dunn County", in which I was charged with getting nonprofits and their clients up to speed technologically, which spoke to my nerdy skill set. If I told you that I understood what I was in for though, I'd be lying to you. Being a VISTA forces you into thinking critically and creatively to solve problems, something that my education didn't really prepare me for; to this day, ideation isn't exactly my strong suit. It sounds kind of silly, but working on that project to develop methods of teaching computer skills really helped me to step up my thinking skills.
My AmeriCorps experience helped me to expand my horizons too. On a basic level, I had to relocate to Wisconsin to serve and while it doesn't seem that much different from Michigan on the surface, there is definitely a difference; not only that, moving to any new community requires a certain degree of coping and resilience. Being a VISTA also exposed me to the nonprofit world in a way that I had never been before. The nonprofit sector, from what I've noticed has its own way of thinking and doing--the combination of politics, realism, and humility creates a certain dynamic that was really foreign to me coming from a very conservative area of Michigan. And since I worked on a college campus, I became familiar with the struggles that institutions of higher education face today. Having both of those perspectives in my life gave me a new, enlightened point of view on things that, had I not had this experience, I wouldn't have cared much about at all. Once you get past all of the confusion of the gig, even if you had little to no emotional investment in what you're doing, you start to develop a deep, personal connection to your project. A year with VISTA is enough to turn even the most mild-mannered person into the fiercest advocate.
I was so inspired by my first year that I then applied to become a VISTA leader. I was pleasantly surprised when Michigan Campus Compact selected me for the job, but I was reassured of my tendencies for leadership. I've always seemed to rise to some sort of leadership role in one way or another, whether it was in marching band, in school plays, in my fraternity, or working on group projects. This year with Michigan Campus Compact has really given me a chance take on a real-person leadership position. I think I went into this position with the right attitude--I was in it for the experience of it all, not the money, the stability, or to say that I had experience in herding cats.
I guess if I had to sum it all up, VISTA has been the single-most influential experience that I've had in my life. It has not only benefited me from a professional standpoint, but a from a personal one as well. I am truly thankful that I have been afforded this opportunity not once, but twice and from this experience, I will be a champion of service for the rest of my life.
-Liz-
There are really only two things that I can see clearly with this event at the moment--the first will be displaying the VISTAs work--that's actually the easiest part in my mind. The trouble comes in when forming some sort of program around all that. I'll welcome everyone somehow, some other people will speak about...something. But the other thing that I know that I want to have happen during this showcase is for the VISTAs to explain their service; why they did what they did and what a year in AmeriCorps means in the grand scheme of things. In anticipation of that, I want to share with all of you what AmeriCorps means to me.
The best way to go about this would be to first tell you how I came to be in AmeriCorps*VISTA. When I was a senior in college two years ago, I had no idea where I was going. I was about to graduate with a B.A. in Communications Studies from the University of Michigan, meaning that I had a lot of options. As much clout as that degree afforded me, I still felt woefully unprepared for the real world. That same year, my best friend was serving a term in AmeriCorps in Washington D.C. She was the one who suggested that I serve in AmeriCorps. Knowing my style, she suggested that I look at positions with VISTA. In March, I started searching around the AmeriCorps site and applied for about ten different positions. I didn't really care at the time what I was applying for, I just wanted SOMETHING. My intentions weren't very pure going into the whole AmeriCorps endeavor--I wanted money, I wanted stability, I wanted job skills--the experience of it all I could take or leave. Yes, how shallow of me-- but when you've been raised by a single mother, those are the things that matter more than anything else.
My first AmeriCorps position seemed to fall into my lap--I interviewed for a position with Wisconsin Campus Compact in Menomonie, Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. It was the only position I was truly interested in, so naturally I was very happy. My project was "Bridging the Digital Divide in Dunn County", in which I was charged with getting nonprofits and their clients up to speed technologically, which spoke to my nerdy skill set. If I told you that I understood what I was in for though, I'd be lying to you. Being a VISTA forces you into thinking critically and creatively to solve problems, something that my education didn't really prepare me for; to this day, ideation isn't exactly my strong suit. It sounds kind of silly, but working on that project to develop methods of teaching computer skills really helped me to step up my thinking skills.
My AmeriCorps experience helped me to expand my horizons too. On a basic level, I had to relocate to Wisconsin to serve and while it doesn't seem that much different from Michigan on the surface, there is definitely a difference; not only that, moving to any new community requires a certain degree of coping and resilience. Being a VISTA also exposed me to the nonprofit world in a way that I had never been before. The nonprofit sector, from what I've noticed has its own way of thinking and doing--the combination of politics, realism, and humility creates a certain dynamic that was really foreign to me coming from a very conservative area of Michigan. And since I worked on a college campus, I became familiar with the struggles that institutions of higher education face today. Having both of those perspectives in my life gave me a new, enlightened point of view on things that, had I not had this experience, I wouldn't have cared much about at all. Once you get past all of the confusion of the gig, even if you had little to no emotional investment in what you're doing, you start to develop a deep, personal connection to your project. A year with VISTA is enough to turn even the most mild-mannered person into the fiercest advocate.
I was so inspired by my first year that I then applied to become a VISTA leader. I was pleasantly surprised when Michigan Campus Compact selected me for the job, but I was reassured of my tendencies for leadership. I've always seemed to rise to some sort of leadership role in one way or another, whether it was in marching band, in school plays, in my fraternity, or working on group projects. This year with Michigan Campus Compact has really given me a chance take on a real-person leadership position. I think I went into this position with the right attitude--I was in it for the experience of it all, not the money, the stability, or to say that I had experience in herding cats.
I guess if I had to sum it all up, VISTA has been the single-most influential experience that I've had in my life. It has not only benefited me from a professional standpoint, but a from a personal one as well. I am truly thankful that I have been afforded this opportunity not once, but twice and from this experience, I will be a champion of service for the rest of my life.
-Liz-
Friday, December 2, 2011
VISTA Leadering
Well, hello, all!
Welcome to the MCC*VISTA Leader blog. I'm Liz Bogner and I'm the Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCoprs*VISTA Leader for the 2011-2012. I've had my share of blogs before, but I've never made one to describe my service. I'm not entirely sure what this will turn out to be, but I think it will come to be a great reflection tool for my service, as well as a way to show off all of the cool things that the MCC*VISTA cohort is doing.
So perhaps some background information is in order...
So, like I said, I'm a VISTA Leader for Michigan Campus Compact (MCC). MCC is an agency within the Michigan Nonprofit Association which strives to promote a culture of service within its member campuses. We're all about civic-engagement and service-learning at MCC. I lead a group of 18 national service members to help campuses around the state of Michigan to build capacity and develop sustainable programming in order to build that culture of service on campuses. MCC*VISTAs work in student life and volunteer centers on 12 campuses, as well as at the MCC office in Lansing doing a myriad of things including planning and organizing Alternative Spring Breaks, liaising between student groups and faculty to develop service-learning opportunities, organizing large-scale volunteer efforts, and much more.
Not only that, but as AmeriCorps*VISTA members, each MCC*VISTA has an obligation to addressing the issue of poverty in their communities. The purpose of getting students, faculty, and staff involved in their community is so that they can become aware of the presence of poverty, hunger, homelessness and other similar issues, and use their skill set to address those issues. In short, this arrangement is a win-win for everybody--low-income individuals get a leg-up out of poverty and students become more well-rounded human beings. Cool, right?
So, what I'll be doing here is explaining what it's like to be on the administrative end of all of that--like a case study of "leadering" (not leading, leadering). I'll tell you the successes, the failures, the morals of the story, and all of that good stuff. For now though, I'm off.
-Liz-
Welcome to the MCC*VISTA Leader blog. I'm Liz Bogner and I'm the Michigan Campus Compact AmeriCoprs*VISTA Leader for the 2011-2012. I've had my share of blogs before, but I've never made one to describe my service. I'm not entirely sure what this will turn out to be, but I think it will come to be a great reflection tool for my service, as well as a way to show off all of the cool things that the MCC*VISTA cohort is doing.
So perhaps some background information is in order...
So, like I said, I'm a VISTA Leader for Michigan Campus Compact (MCC). MCC is an agency within the Michigan Nonprofit Association which strives to promote a culture of service within its member campuses. We're all about civic-engagement and service-learning at MCC. I lead a group of 18 national service members to help campuses around the state of Michigan to build capacity and develop sustainable programming in order to build that culture of service on campuses. MCC*VISTAs work in student life and volunteer centers on 12 campuses, as well as at the MCC office in Lansing doing a myriad of things including planning and organizing Alternative Spring Breaks, liaising between student groups and faculty to develop service-learning opportunities, organizing large-scale volunteer efforts, and much more.
Not only that, but as AmeriCorps*VISTA members, each MCC*VISTA has an obligation to addressing the issue of poverty in their communities. The purpose of getting students, faculty, and staff involved in their community is so that they can become aware of the presence of poverty, hunger, homelessness and other similar issues, and use their skill set to address those issues. In short, this arrangement is a win-win for everybody--low-income individuals get a leg-up out of poverty and students become more well-rounded human beings. Cool, right?
So, what I'll be doing here is explaining what it's like to be on the administrative end of all of that--like a case study of "leadering" (not leading, leadering). I'll tell you the successes, the failures, the morals of the story, and all of that good stuff. For now though, I'm off.
-Liz-
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