VISTA of the Month/July 2010

June 2010:  Megan Brown/City Year Columbia (CY)

1.    Where are you from?  Louisville, KY.  

2.    What were you doing before becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA?   I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Beloit College (Beloit, WI) in May 2009 and worked as an intern in the Office of Admissions there last summer prior to beginning my term of service.                    

3.     Why did you join AmeriCorps VISTA?   My liberal arts background and experience abroad made me eager to put my interests in education and social stratification to work. I wanted to build upon my service and leadership skills in a way that would allow me to see tangible results in the community in which I served.

4.     What are your duties as a VISTA?  As a VISTA, I’m responsible for recruiting and maintaining volunteers for the Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC). I work closely with our volunteers and the administration at Arden and Pine Grove Elementary schools, helping to ensure that both students and tutors are benefitting from the experience.      

5.     What are your goals from your two years of service?  From my VISTA experience I hope to gain a better understanding of how to build connections and gather resources for a common purpose within a community. I’m passionate about addressing educational inequalities, and my year of service has afforded me a very valuable experience working closely within school communities.    

6.     What are your plans after your years of service?  I intend to serve a second year with AmeriCorps, and am looking to pursue graduate work in school counseling.   

7.       Any special accomplishments?  My fellow VISTA and I are currently managing the MRC program at six Richland One Elementary Schools, an increase from the previous year. We’ve participated in several family literacy nights, career events and PTO meetings that allow us to connect and share with entire school communities. 

Megan is currently planning for MRC's 4th year.  Anyone interested in Megan's project or interested in volunteering for MRC should contact her @ (803)254-3349 or mbrown@cityyear.org.