VISTA ALUMNI NETWORK
there's a seat for you in the VAN!
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
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HEAR THE THUNDER!
Join us and celebrate AmeriCorps' 20th  

Even though the VISTA program is older than AmeriCorps by 30 years, we still celebrate the young whipper-snapper. On September 12, we invite VISTA alums young and old (?) to help AmeriCorps ring in its 20th Birthday with resounding support! Follow this link and share your "Thunderclap" on social media! And please give us a shout-out @NCCampusCompact!
Learn more at the 20th Anniversary AmeriCorps website
In This Issue
Blasts From the Past!

Each issue, we'll pull some of our favorite photos from the NC Campus Compact VISTA archive. Above, our 2013-14 VISTA cohort celebrated their end of service by working together at a the Greensboro Children's Museum's Edible Schoolyard. At right, VISTA Brittany Johnson shows off one of the museum's famous chickens.  View more photos
The power of the VISTA experience is baked in the cake.
The VISTA reflection series is a treat.
VISTA bloggers reflect on a year of service 
members look back on surviving and thriving

This summer, our VISTA VIEW blog published a series of member reflections. This project was the brainchild of our VISTA Leader Carla Davis, who solicited and edited the pieces. Each member's voice and story is distinct, but reading these reflections together reveals how much VISTA can be a year of challenge and growth.

Whether they are sharing the proud but fraught history of a southeast Raleigh neighborhood, investigating the affordable housing crisis in Orange County, or meditating on race and AmeriCorps, our VISTA bloggers are wrestling with their role and their impact. Often they find, as VISTA Devin Corrigan did, "At the end of the day, 'doing good' happens even if it doesn't look like what you anticipated."
Read the series here
Alumni Spotlight: Neil Hoefs (Duke University VISTA, 2010-12)
Ohio native found a way to stay in Durham and at Duke

Neil Hoefs came to Durham as an NC Campus Compact VISTA in 2010. By the time he'd finished his second VISTA term at Duke's Community Service Center, Neil knew he wanted to stay. "I love Durham," Neil explains. "It's an incredibly friendly community, and it has a small town feel.... I felt that sense of community, and I was coming in at an interesting time: a lot of growth, energy, social entrepreneurs, and lots of innovation." As a program coordinator at the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, Neil helps others make those community connections to build a better Durham. In a recent conversation, Neil explains the power of "funfetti" cupcakes, why he loves meeting new Duke VISTAs, and how VISTA taught him to listen. Read more
Naila Faizi is one of 2 new VISTAs serving at Wake Forest.
New VISTA Naijla Faizi is serving at Wake Forest.
Welcome the 2014-15 VISTA Cohort!

The selection process for our VISTA program is becoming more competitive every year. This spring, we received 157 applications for 15 available positions. Happily, we also welcomed back five of the 2013-14 cohort who chose to re-enroll for a second year of service with their host sites, completing our new 20-member group. They have some great experience and passion to fight poverty with the power of higher education. 

Read their mini-bios here 


Your VISTA network is now LINKED IN

Our LinkedIn group gives you a new way to connect with NC Campus Compact. We are already sharing community engagement jobs and other news, and you can post news, jobs, and events to the group. We hope you join!


Our group is a "closed group" for those closely affiliated with North Carolina Campus Compact, including:

* current and past Compact staff

* VISTA members and supervisors

* others who closely support our VISTA program

To join, log into your LinkedIn account, type "North Carolina Campus Compact" in the search bar, then request to join! Feel free to invite others in your network as they comply with these affiliations. 

Make a VISTA Connection...
For the past two years through our alumni "mentoring" program, we've matched current members and local NC Campus Compact VISTA alums with varying degrees of success. Some of these relationships made for great professional and community contacts; some never got off the ground. We still believe in the value of this idea, so we are inviting current and former VISTAs to be part of "Alumni Connections." For current members who are new to the area, knowing just one additional person in the community can be valuable. Plus, even a new alum can be a connection. If you'd like to be involved in supporting current members this way, please contact Chad Fogleman.Thanks to our current Connectors!
  • Chelsey Bennett (ECU, 11-12)
  • Neil Hoefs (Duke, 10-12)
  • Jonathan Romm (NC Campus Compact, 2008-11)
  • Jodi Lassiter (Peace, 2004-05)
  • Neil Hoefs (Duke, 10-12)
  • Rachel Rogers (NC Campus Compact, 12-13)
  • Sara Brown (UNCA, 12-13)
     

 

Thanks to Sara Acosta for her November 2013 online presentation to VISTAs "Social Media as a Tool for Nonprofits."   

Farewell Dr. Keyne!
Where are they now?

Lisa Keyne (Exec. Director, 2006-2014) left NC Campus Compact this spring to become the Chief Strategy Officer at TreeTop Commons, a software company, and a Senior Scholar at UNCG. Read more.

Anya Piotrowski (UNCG, 2012-13) recently became the Community Development Coordinator in the Bonner Center at Carson-Newman University.

Bridget Ferrigan (Pfeiffer, 2009-10) shared: "I moved up to Michigan earlier this summer and am now the AmeriCorps Program Manager with Habitat for Humanity of Michigan; I manage 25 AmeriCorps*State members placed with Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Michigan."

Christina D'Aulerio Hunter (Queens University, 2012-14) got married this spring and, upon completing her second VISTA term in August, became the new Associate Director at Queens' Center for Active Citizenship. Read where other 2013-14 cohort members are now.

Chelsey Bennett (ECU, 2011-12) is still in Greenville and just changed jobs. She is now a homeowner's association manager at a local property management group.

Jonathan Romm (Program Coordinator, 2008-2011) shared this news: "Daniel Emerson Romm was born January 11th. He's a healthly active baby who is looking forward to a life of servant leadership. I'm currently working at Newfangled, a web development firm in Chapel Hill, NC. I spend weekends on the family farm and volunteer on a local school board. I wish all the current and former VISTAs the warmest regards! If you'd like to check in with me, my personal email is jsromm@gmail.com."

Jennifer Evans (Wake Tech, 2012-13) received a certificate in business/executive coaching from NC State this spring and is now working with clients. She is especially interested in applying coaching strategies to help foster college student and staff success.

Saarah Abdul-Rauf (Lenoir Rhyne University, 2011-12 and UNC Chapel Hill, 2012-13) writes: "I'm currently working for the City of Rockville in Maryland just outside of Washington DC. I am one of three Teen Program Directors housed at each of our three community centers. The bulk of my work is running an after school program for middle and high school students that partners with the city's parks and recreation department, the county school system and our new initiative which involves the local community college."

VISTAs in the News...

The grand opening of the Welcome Home Thriftique, a project led by VISTA Brittany Johnson that will provide revenue and job training opportunities for the Hospitality House of Boone, was covered by the Watuaga Democrat.

VISTA Elizabeth McIntosh's site, the Partnership for Appalachian Girls Education, was featured on WUNC.

VISTA Willie Jones was featured in a local newspaper about his gleaning project at Western Carolina University.

VISTA Jacob Lerner started an initiative to bring UNC Chapel Hill students in off-campus housing closer to their Northside neighbors, the Daily Tarheel reported.


Do you have an update for us or news to share? Reply and share.
Civic Engagement Jobs
Looking for a new challenge?

NC Campus Compact is now seeking candidates to fill 2 planned VISTA Leader positions! If you have served as a VISTA within the last 4 years and you're interested, please review the position descriptions and contact Chad Fogleman for more info!

You can learn about many other non-profit and higher education jobs by following the NC Campus Compact Jobs Blog. As an AmeriCorps VISTA alum, you can also check out the VISTA Campus Jobs Board and the AmeriCorps Alums Career Center (log-in required).

More ways to stay connected...

Email Leslie Garvin to receive our bi-monthly Digest!

Bookmark our VISTA VIEW Blog to get your VISTA fix.

Visit our website for campus-community engagement news, resources, and upcoming events!

Join AmeriCorps Alums. It's free! 
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