Why Vista?

I had always wanted to do something like Peace Corps. I really just like helping people in need. And, to be totally honest, I had no idea what I wanted to do after I graduated college. It wasn’t that I didn’t have any options—the problem was that I had too many.

So, it was last semester of senior year that I decided I would be going to grad school to get a Master’s in Social Work (MSW), but the thought of going directly after undergrad was exhausting. I was ready for a break, so I decided to take a gap year (not to mention it was too late for grad in the fall). But what would I do? I looked into Peace Corps, but it’s a two-year program and I am also more interested in serving domestically.

That’s when I found AmeriCorps. I knew some people who have served with them and thought I would do some research. I discovered that the VISTA program was more along the lines of what I wanted to be doing and began exploring opportunities. The stipend was minimal, but the education award after a year of service looked very attractive. After filling out the intense application, I applied for 5 programs over the course of my last semester. Most of them included working with youth. After a several weeks, I was contacted by several organizations; one of them was the Boys Home. After a few phone interviews and some anxious time of waiting, I was finally hired by the Boys Home in July.

For more information about AmeriCorps programs, check out the RESOURCES section.