VISTA Testimonials
2018 - 2019 CCNYPA*VISTA Cohort
"My whole life, I've known that I want to empower individuals through service. Since I was in high school, I've had my sight set on joining AmeriCorps. My position as an AmeriCorps VISTA and Program Coordinator of the Mav Market at Mercy College helped me realize that I want to focus my efforts and continue serving higher education institutions to help fill the needs gap that so many students fall into as a result of these disparities. I have found a way to connect with students through my work at Mercy College in both the academic field and day-to-day interactions at the pantry. I have truly begun to understand the importance of this work, and I am dedicated to alleviating the stress that is brought on by the lack of basic needs.
Serving as a VISTA through the CCNYPA cohort was a transformative experience for my personal and professional development. The cohort is full of incredibly driven and inspiring individuals, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve alongside them. I always look forward to being able to meet up at the retreats, especially since the VISTAs in my region are quite scattered! I am proud to be a VISTA, and I look forward to committing to another year of service at Mercy College!"
-Mary Sherman- Mercy College, 2018-2019 & 2019-2020 VISTA, 2020-2021 VISTA Leader
"Serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA was a decision that just made sense to me. I knew that I wanted to dive into meaningful, community-oriented work and service had always been a constant part of my life. Being exposed to a variety of service programs throughout my college career, in the city where I went to school, allowed me to recognize the wealth of opportunity and community that existed around me, quickly becoming a quality that I knew I could learn from and simultaneously impact. Growing up as the son of a grocer in a large metropolitan city, I was able to witness and experience the type of social interaction and connectedness that comes from the simple act of buying food, and by taking a critical look at the abundance that we produce as a society, I gained the conviction that food is an essential human right as I grew older. So, it came as no surprise when this position through CCNYPA immediately caught my attention, offering me the opportunity to engage with issues of food access and food insecurity in a community that I had already come to know and love. My experience as a VISTA, thus far, has been one of transformational growth and development. It hasn't always been easy, but it has given me the tools necessary to consider and implement ways in which communities can come together to address their own social disparities. Through this experience, I've learned more about my abilities as a leader, a listener, and a critical thinker. I continue to learn how to improve my capacity in order to effectively empower those around me, providing me with the resources to become a better professional, but more importantly, a better person."
-Kevin Collado- Hobart & William Smith College, 2018-2019 & 2019-2020 VISTA
“Over the course of this year, I have learned so much about the nonprofit world, about the cycle of poverty, and about myself. Specifically related to my role, I have learned how to recruit and manage volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, how to encourage systemic changes among my fellow staff members, and how to find creative collaborations in order to solve deeply-rooted issues. On a societal level, I have learned SO much about what the cycle of poverty is, reasons why people can easily get stuck in it, and the difficult decisions that those faced with poverty must make. Finally, on a personal level, I have learned how to cook (thanks to food stamp monies), how to manage a budget, and how to be comfortable in a completely unfamiliar place. Overall, moving from New Haven, CT to Lancaster, PA for a year of service is the best choice I could have ever made, and I am so thankful for Campus Compact and everyone I have met along the way!”
–Meaghan Tetro– Franklin and Marshall College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“During my time as an AmeriCorps VISTA, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of amazing individuals from all over my community. I was able to observe that my time had been spent making a difference in the lives of children, college students, and my own colleagues. Starting out, I was doubtful that I would be able to make a lasting impact in my role, but through my experience at Wilson College, I proved that I am capable of much more than I give myself credit for. Approaching the end of my year, I have realized how valuable Learning Campus is and that I could not pass on the opportunity to spend one more year, the final year, working to ensure the sustainability of such an important program. It is my hope that the dedication I have developed for my students, program, and community will be strong enough to guarantee that the Learning Campus after-school tutoring program will continue to grow and improve for many years to come.”
–Jamie Burnett– Wilson College, 2017-2018 & 2018-2019 VISTA
“After graduating from college, I was ready to take a year off to prepare for graduate school. I wanted to make the most of my year, but I didn’t know what it was that I wanted to do until the AmeriCorps*VISTA program was introduced to me from one of my professors. I thought, ‘What better way to spend the year than to serve in my own hometown?’ I learned a lot about the Reading area in my undergrad and internship experiences that I decided I truly wanted to stay close to home and continue to help build a prosperous community.
Thanks to CCNYPA, I’ve had an invaluable year of service. Although the cohort is scattered across the Pennsylvania region, the CCNYPA staff and cohort supported me throughout all my endeavors. I learned more about building communities, networking, supervising, public speaking, collaborating, and so much more thanks to the monthly webinars, retreats, and regional meetings. It is an amazing feeling to know you are never alone and have nearly 30 members ready to help you out!”
– Gina Nguyen– Penn State Berks, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve as a CCNYPA* VISTA because I am passionate about community service, volunteerism, and being of service toward the greater good. More specifically, the opportunity to serve with AmeriCorps as a VISTA presented through a local college, and I saw it as access to assist with a professional transition from human services into higher education while still doing purposeful work. My initial goal was to gain the experience and hopefully land a full-time career role with the college at the end of my service. Additionally, being a VISTA provided me with a year of service toward my education loans, which is another valuable aspect of serving with AmeriCorps.
Throughout my year of service, I gained new perspectives on things that I will take forward into future endeavors. I successfully obtained a greater understanding of college life in a professional role outside of being a life-long student myself. I accomplished the goals of the project and simultaneously developed new and lasting relationships with students and other campus faculty and staff. In all, I feel that the experience was valuable and will serve as a complement my near future goals.”
–Monda Williams– Washington and Jefferson College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“In May of 2017, my college graduation was quickly approaching and I was stressing about what was next. After my opportunity serving as a mentor at the elementary school, across the street from Albright College, is when I inquired about what role the current VISTA served. The process of applying, interviewing, and accepting the position was extremely fast, but I do not at all regret my “impulse” decision to serve. During my year of service, I served as the VISTA for the 13th Street Educational Partnership which recently expanded from the elementary school to Northeast Middle School, on the same street. I had immense opportunities to grow professionally and personally in this short year. I was able to shadow current school counselors and gain an understanding and confirmation for what my future career aspirations are in becoming a school counselor. In serving my community and the students at Northeast, I was able to make a difference in a number of their lives academically and socially by implementing different programming. I would highly recommend serving a year with AmeriCorps. This is an ideal position for anyone looking to have a “gap” year in order to help establish their future endeavors.”
–Rachel Lillo– Albright College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to take the “untraditional” route of serving with AmeriCorps VISTA after my college graduation because this next step seemed like a unique way to serve a community in need and an invaluable year of professional development. I gained so much during this year, such as the experience of working in higher education and having an amazing cohort of fellow CCNYPA*VISTAS. I also learned to take the small failures in my project and view them as positives, which has led to my own personal growth. This also taught me to appreciate and value my project’s achievements that much more! I know the strengths of my project and the potential it has to be sustainable. If I had to do it all over again, I would absolutely choose AmeriCorps VISTA, especially the opportunity to serve with CCNYPA.”
–Katie Downing– Northampton Community College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve within AmeriCorps because my focuses in school and early adulthood did not align with the community service and engagement vision I had for myself. I have gained immense knowledge on how to best serve your community, how to best teach, how to best learn, and how to be the best version of yourself each passing day. I have been able to bring a student’s artistic vision to life through a collaborative arts mentorship program, provide higher education knowledge and opportunities for local youth, and enliven the passions of college students in order to empower local youth in literacy tutoring. I am very grateful for my time, experiences, and spiritual growth with PACC and AmeriCorps.”
–Al Mullins– University of Pittsburgh, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve to continue to give back to a community that I have grown apart of during my four years of college in hopes to spark the interest of those around me. Even though STEM has not been a big part of my life prior to this year, I view it now in a total different lens. STEM is a learning ground, a foundation, an umbrella of opportunities for latinx girls not only a part of the HOLA! Science program but in in Allentown as a whole. I have gained so much from something I was once very closed minded to; my year of service not only helped others, but it brought back the spark to my life as well.”
– Desiree Ventureira– Cedar Crest College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I chose to complete a year of service as an opportunity to explore my passions, build my skill set, and give back to my university community. The last several months have been full of both opportunities and challenges, and each has allowed me to grow as a leader. Not only was I able to develop a substantial professional network, but being a CCNYPA*VISTA also introduced me to a community of lifelong friends. As my service year concludes, I have a better understanding of my career path and I’m confident that I have the skills to take the next step.”
–Ciara Stehley– University of Pittsburgh, 2017-2018 VISTA
Serving as a VISTA through the CCNYPA cohort was a transformative experience for my personal and professional development. The cohort is full of incredibly driven and inspiring individuals, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve alongside them. I always look forward to being able to meet up at the retreats, especially since the VISTAs in my region are quite scattered! I am proud to be a VISTA, and I look forward to committing to another year of service at Mercy College!"
-Mary Sherman- Mercy College, 2018-2019 & 2019-2020 VISTA, 2020-2021 VISTA Leader
"Serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA was a decision that just made sense to me. I knew that I wanted to dive into meaningful, community-oriented work and service had always been a constant part of my life. Being exposed to a variety of service programs throughout my college career, in the city where I went to school, allowed me to recognize the wealth of opportunity and community that existed around me, quickly becoming a quality that I knew I could learn from and simultaneously impact. Growing up as the son of a grocer in a large metropolitan city, I was able to witness and experience the type of social interaction and connectedness that comes from the simple act of buying food, and by taking a critical look at the abundance that we produce as a society, I gained the conviction that food is an essential human right as I grew older. So, it came as no surprise when this position through CCNYPA immediately caught my attention, offering me the opportunity to engage with issues of food access and food insecurity in a community that I had already come to know and love. My experience as a VISTA, thus far, has been one of transformational growth and development. It hasn't always been easy, but it has given me the tools necessary to consider and implement ways in which communities can come together to address their own social disparities. Through this experience, I've learned more about my abilities as a leader, a listener, and a critical thinker. I continue to learn how to improve my capacity in order to effectively empower those around me, providing me with the resources to become a better professional, but more importantly, a better person."
-Kevin Collado- Hobart & William Smith College, 2018-2019 & 2019-2020 VISTA
“Over the course of this year, I have learned so much about the nonprofit world, about the cycle of poverty, and about myself. Specifically related to my role, I have learned how to recruit and manage volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, how to encourage systemic changes among my fellow staff members, and how to find creative collaborations in order to solve deeply-rooted issues. On a societal level, I have learned SO much about what the cycle of poverty is, reasons why people can easily get stuck in it, and the difficult decisions that those faced with poverty must make. Finally, on a personal level, I have learned how to cook (thanks to food stamp monies), how to manage a budget, and how to be comfortable in a completely unfamiliar place. Overall, moving from New Haven, CT to Lancaster, PA for a year of service is the best choice I could have ever made, and I am so thankful for Campus Compact and everyone I have met along the way!”
–Meaghan Tetro– Franklin and Marshall College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“During my time as an AmeriCorps VISTA, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of amazing individuals from all over my community. I was able to observe that my time had been spent making a difference in the lives of children, college students, and my own colleagues. Starting out, I was doubtful that I would be able to make a lasting impact in my role, but through my experience at Wilson College, I proved that I am capable of much more than I give myself credit for. Approaching the end of my year, I have realized how valuable Learning Campus is and that I could not pass on the opportunity to spend one more year, the final year, working to ensure the sustainability of such an important program. It is my hope that the dedication I have developed for my students, program, and community will be strong enough to guarantee that the Learning Campus after-school tutoring program will continue to grow and improve for many years to come.”
–Jamie Burnett– Wilson College, 2017-2018 & 2018-2019 VISTA
“After graduating from college, I was ready to take a year off to prepare for graduate school. I wanted to make the most of my year, but I didn’t know what it was that I wanted to do until the AmeriCorps*VISTA program was introduced to me from one of my professors. I thought, ‘What better way to spend the year than to serve in my own hometown?’ I learned a lot about the Reading area in my undergrad and internship experiences that I decided I truly wanted to stay close to home and continue to help build a prosperous community.
Thanks to CCNYPA, I’ve had an invaluable year of service. Although the cohort is scattered across the Pennsylvania region, the CCNYPA staff and cohort supported me throughout all my endeavors. I learned more about building communities, networking, supervising, public speaking, collaborating, and so much more thanks to the monthly webinars, retreats, and regional meetings. It is an amazing feeling to know you are never alone and have nearly 30 members ready to help you out!”
– Gina Nguyen– Penn State Berks, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve as a CCNYPA* VISTA because I am passionate about community service, volunteerism, and being of service toward the greater good. More specifically, the opportunity to serve with AmeriCorps as a VISTA presented through a local college, and I saw it as access to assist with a professional transition from human services into higher education while still doing purposeful work. My initial goal was to gain the experience and hopefully land a full-time career role with the college at the end of my service. Additionally, being a VISTA provided me with a year of service toward my education loans, which is another valuable aspect of serving with AmeriCorps.
Throughout my year of service, I gained new perspectives on things that I will take forward into future endeavors. I successfully obtained a greater understanding of college life in a professional role outside of being a life-long student myself. I accomplished the goals of the project and simultaneously developed new and lasting relationships with students and other campus faculty and staff. In all, I feel that the experience was valuable and will serve as a complement my near future goals.”
–Monda Williams– Washington and Jefferson College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“In May of 2017, my college graduation was quickly approaching and I was stressing about what was next. After my opportunity serving as a mentor at the elementary school, across the street from Albright College, is when I inquired about what role the current VISTA served. The process of applying, interviewing, and accepting the position was extremely fast, but I do not at all regret my “impulse” decision to serve. During my year of service, I served as the VISTA for the 13th Street Educational Partnership which recently expanded from the elementary school to Northeast Middle School, on the same street. I had immense opportunities to grow professionally and personally in this short year. I was able to shadow current school counselors and gain an understanding and confirmation for what my future career aspirations are in becoming a school counselor. In serving my community and the students at Northeast, I was able to make a difference in a number of their lives academically and socially by implementing different programming. I would highly recommend serving a year with AmeriCorps. This is an ideal position for anyone looking to have a “gap” year in order to help establish their future endeavors.”
–Rachel Lillo– Albright College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to take the “untraditional” route of serving with AmeriCorps VISTA after my college graduation because this next step seemed like a unique way to serve a community in need and an invaluable year of professional development. I gained so much during this year, such as the experience of working in higher education and having an amazing cohort of fellow CCNYPA*VISTAS. I also learned to take the small failures in my project and view them as positives, which has led to my own personal growth. This also taught me to appreciate and value my project’s achievements that much more! I know the strengths of my project and the potential it has to be sustainable. If I had to do it all over again, I would absolutely choose AmeriCorps VISTA, especially the opportunity to serve with CCNYPA.”
–Katie Downing– Northampton Community College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve within AmeriCorps because my focuses in school and early adulthood did not align with the community service and engagement vision I had for myself. I have gained immense knowledge on how to best serve your community, how to best teach, how to best learn, and how to be the best version of yourself each passing day. I have been able to bring a student’s artistic vision to life through a collaborative arts mentorship program, provide higher education knowledge and opportunities for local youth, and enliven the passions of college students in order to empower local youth in literacy tutoring. I am very grateful for my time, experiences, and spiritual growth with PACC and AmeriCorps.”
–Al Mullins– University of Pittsburgh, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I decided to serve to continue to give back to a community that I have grown apart of during my four years of college in hopes to spark the interest of those around me. Even though STEM has not been a big part of my life prior to this year, I view it now in a total different lens. STEM is a learning ground, a foundation, an umbrella of opportunities for latinx girls not only a part of the HOLA! Science program but in in Allentown as a whole. I have gained so much from something I was once very closed minded to; my year of service not only helped others, but it brought back the spark to my life as well.”
– Desiree Ventureira– Cedar Crest College, 2017-2018 VISTA
“I chose to complete a year of service as an opportunity to explore my passions, build my skill set, and give back to my university community. The last several months have been full of both opportunities and challenges, and each has allowed me to grow as a leader. Not only was I able to develop a substantial professional network, but being a CCNYPA*VISTA also introduced me to a community of lifelong friends. As my service year concludes, I have a better understanding of my career path and I’m confident that I have the skills to take the next step.”
–Ciara Stehley– University of Pittsburgh, 2017-2018 VISTA