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VISTA Capstone
Sara Acosta
AmeriCorps
• What is AmeriCorps?– Federal program focused on civilian
service in specific geographic areas with specific needs• Harnett County: rural food insecurity; migrant
farm worker food insecurity
– AmeriCorps is made up of three main programs: AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).
VISTA
• What is VISTA?– AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service
program designed specifically to fight poverty.
– Founded in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993
– AmeriCorps VISTA offers 6,500 opportunities to fight poverty at more than 1,200 projects across the country.
VISTA
• “What exactly do you do?”– VISTA members commit to serve full-
time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency
– A VISTA creates or expands programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty.
VISTA“Your pay will be low; the conditions of your labor often will be
difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man.”
- President LBJ upon inducting the first 20 members in 1964
Campus Compact
• What is Campus Compact?– Campus Compact was founded in 1985 by the presidents
of Brown, Georgetown and Stanford Universities and the president of the Education Commission of the States.
– National coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents in 35 states committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.
– These institutions put into practice the ideal of civic engagement by sharing knowledge and resources with their communities, creating local development initiatives, and supporting service and service-learning efforts.
Campus Compact
• What is Campus Compact? – Through the Campus Compact VISTA
program, we alleviate poverty by strengthening communities and developing leaders. Our state programs:
• Improve college access and success• Bring community voice to campus• Empower students to be community advocates• Improve service-learning courses that address local,
national, and global community issues• Build the capacity of higher education institutions to
strengthen communities
Your VISTA• How I became a VISTA
– 2010 Campbell graduate, magna cum laud, Communication Studies major, minor in Spanish
– Pursued career in local journalism to be a voice for the marginalized
– Faithe talked me into considering the position, and I soon realized it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up!
Questions?
• Communications– Promoted Campus Ministry and
community service through social media
Progress
CUservice 66 followers
Service at Campbell Up to 330 views per post
whereserviceexcels.blogspot.com 3,000 hits
NC Campus Compact ran blog series, “The doc, the rev, the rebel” on its Facebook page
Progress
Progress
• Programs– Caring Camels
• Tutor and mentor placement in the community• Pilot run: 5 tutors in 2010 – 2011 school year
– Abrazo• Farm worker care program• Partner with NC Farmworkers Project in
Benson• Cultural exchange and aid to farm workers• Fall 2011 launch
Progress
• Programs – Trash 2 Treasure
• Recycle students’ unwanted spring move-out items
• Donate to local shelters, give away at community yard sale
• Launch Spring 2012
Progress
• Community service– 9/11 Day of Service– Caring Camels– Abrazo– MLK Day of Service ($500 grant)– President’s Community Service Honor Roll– President’s Interfaith Service Campus
Challenge– Connected students to volunteer
opportunities
9/11 Day of Service
75 volunteers
First ever at Campbell
Food drive, cards for soldiers, painting at local church and shelter
MLK Day of Service
150 volunteers
$500 grant from NC Campus Compact
Blood drive, cards for soldiers, health fair, park clean up
Progress
• Service learning– Worked with Honors 100 classes to
integrate service learning with NC Farmworkers Project partnership
– Biology service learning pathway– Partnered with Communication Studies
Capstone service learning project– Instructor training for CUFS 100
Progress
• Food insecurity– AmeriCorps foundation year– 9/11 Day of Service food drive– Interviews with community stake
holders– Survey of area food banks– Partnering with Baptist Fellowship of
Angier
Progress
• Farm workers– Partnership with NC Farmworkers
Project and their AmeriCorps member– Abrazo will provide spiritual, emotional,
limited material support– Working with NCFWP to build bridges
with local growers
Travels
• Washington, D.C.– Bread for the World National Gathering– Food security and nutrition advocacy– Facebook brought us together
• Charleston, WV– Spring break mission trip with to the Union
Mission of Charleston– Volunteered at the mission doing odd jobs,
spending time with the residents
Numbers
• 821 volunteers supported or recruited
• 1,375 hours volunteered directly through the VISTA position
• Not including activity after March
2011 – 2012
• Focus on relationship between poverty and education
• Strengthen existing programs• Continue to build service learning
through CUFS 100 and faculty support
• Goal: culture of service
I will get things done for America–to make our people safer,smarter, and healthier.I will bring Americans togetherto strengthen our communities.Faced with apathy,I will take action.Faced with conflict,I will seek common ground.Faced with adversity,I will persevere.I will carry this commitmentwith me this year and beyond.I am an AmeriCorps member,and I will get things done.
The AmeriCorps Pledge
Questions?
Attitude of Gratitude
• Big thanks to Faithe!
• To Campbell for hosting my position and making service a priority
• To the staff at Campus Compact for their support and enthusiasm
For more information…
• AmeriCorps: Americorps.gov• Campus Compact: Compact.org• Service at Campbell blog• My Outlook alias is Sara McCarthy
