Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
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Campus Corps Connections A Montana Campus Compact publication
Volume 5, Issue 3
Summer 2009
A SUMMER OF SERVICE
Participating Campuses: •Blackfeet Community College •Carroll College •Dawson Community College •Flathead Valley Community College •Fort Belknap College •Fort Peck Community College •Little Big Horn College •Miles Community College •MSU-Billings •MSU-Bozeman •MSU-Great Falls College of Tech •MSU-Northern •Montana Tech •Rocky Mountain College •Salish Kootenai College •UM-Helena College of Tech •UM-Missoula •UM-Western •University of Great Falls
Our Mission: Montana Campus Corps is an AmeriCorps program that engages college students in meeting community identified needs through meaningful service.
Inside this Issue: AmeriCorps/Volunteer Week...2 Seussville University….………..3 Spring Summit…….……...…….4 Donate Life Challenge…….…...4 Funding/Loan Forgiveness……..5 Farewell, Team Leaders…....….6
Campus Corps is a proud member of the AmeriCorps family of National Service Programs in Montana.
Recovery Corps is a new Campus Corps initiative this year, made possible by the stimulus funds granted via The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Though typically Campus Corps members serve during the academic year, this new emphasis on summer positions will address the concern of many community agencies being left without the necessary human resources during the summer months.
Campus Corps Recovery members are serving some of the most economically-troubled counties in Montana, and the nation. Blaine, Glacier, Big Horn and Roosevelt counties are experiencing poverty rates well over 20 percent, and this Recovery initiative will primarily target these high-needs areas of our state. Altogether, forty-eight Recovery Corps members will be placed in 2009 in these, and other high-needs communities throughout Montana. Members will recruit volunteers for and serve at local not-for-profit organizations dealing with issues related to the current the economic crisis. The members kicked off their service at New Member Orientation in Billings on June 1-2, where the were taught the key elements of their service, set service goals, and served the community of Billings from the Food Bank and Family Services. In line with the President Obama’s “United We Serve” initiative, members’ service will address problems caused by the economic downturn. The United We Serve campaign encourages greater civic participation from all Americans this summer. There are four key areas to this campaign including “providing community renewal to the areas hardest hit by the economic crisis.” In a recent address, the President asked all citizens to make service a part of their daily lives this summer, and Campus Corps Recovery members are doing just that. The President’s Summer of Service initiative officially begins June 22. To learn more, visit http://serve.gov/
Interested in spending a year of your life leading a group of college student AmeriCorps members? We've got a position for you! Each year, non-student leaders support the efforts of hundreds of Campus Corps members throughout Montana. Under the supervision of local campus-based program coordinators, leaders organize weekly team meetings with members, serve as campus-community liaisons, help coordinate service-learning activities, and offer assistance in developing and implementing service projects on national service days. Think you're up to the challenge? Go to http://my.americorps.gov and apply today!
Page 2
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
A WEEK IN THE LIFE: National Volunteer Week and AmeriCorps Week in Montana MSU-Bozeman
UM-Missoula
During National Volunteer Week the MSUBozeman team attended three different After School Programs. They worked with over 80 elementary students on an Earth Day project. Each student painted their individual pot, and then planted a sunflower seed with potting soil, and watered it for the first time. The biggest challenge, but also the biggest success was making sure the students involved in the activity were engaged in making their project unique. Since the project was completed, the MSU Campus Corps members have received huge thank you banners from the students and have been asked to come back and serve again next year. The presence of the MSU-Bozeman team during National Volunteer Week really meant a lot to them and there was a definite impact made on the students.
FVCC AmeriCorps Week at FVCC consisted of a weeklong information table and video station in our Main Foyer. The Campus Corps Team manned the table and offered refreshments to the students during the week, which was also finals week on our campus. We handed out lots of goodies and applications to interested people. We also created a sign up list of interested folks. We put up signs all over campus as well as crafted table tents for the cafeteria. We posted brief position descriptions and did our best to convey the benefits of joining the program!
Missoula AmeriCorps members conducted recruitment on the University of Montana’s campus during AmeriCorps Week, explaining AmeriCorps and all of the outlets for serving in and around Missoula to those passing by. Many students were delighted to have the opportunity to hear first-hand service stories. Representatives from Campus Corps, Conservation Corps, Montana Making $ense, and all three VISTA projects in the state were present at the table each day, each with a different perspective of the meaning of National Service. At the end of the week, over 100 current AmeriCorps members and alumni gathered for food, music and fun at Greenough Park for a barbeque and pot luck. Participants represented an array of AmeriCorps State Programs: Campus Corps, Montana Making $ense, Literacy Support Corps, and Montana Conservation Corps; National AmeriCorps programs were represented by: AmeriCorps VISTA and Senior Corps.
Page 3
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
WELCOME TO SUESSVILLE UNIVERSITY! Third-graders explore their creative side, learn about music, art and math By Tracy Lost-Bear, FVCC Campus Corps member Seussville University was a great success this year thanks to the group effort of Campus Corps members at Flathead Valley Community College and many wonderful students and staff members who volunteered their talents and time to plan, set up, and entertain during the event. This year’s celebration, in the spirit of Dr. Seuss, promoted literacy, math, music, and art skills to over 250 third-grade students from around Flathead Valley. To kick the event off, each school bus that arrived filled with excited students was greeted by the smiling faces, waving hands, and cheers of enthusiastic volunteers. It was an enriching experience for everyone who attended. Students participated in activities that encouraged group participation, creativity, and body movement— Children and adults alike had the opportunity to let go of their everyday routines, loosen up and have as much fun as possible.
dance, and sign language. The highlight of the day was when the theatre group put on a special play. FVCC’s theatre members presented a short play about the Star-bellied Sneetches.
Some of the volunteers dressed as their favorite characters from Dr. Seuss books. They helped guide the elementary school children through different learning stations filled with fun activities. The stations included reading, mathematics, music, and art.
A clear message was presented during the play, “. . . until neither the Plain-bellied nor the Star-bellied Sneetches knew whether this one was that one or that one was this one or which one was what one . . . or what one was who,” so, both the audience and the Sneetches learned from this experience that everyone is capable of getting along and becoming friends.
In the reading area, children listened to, and were encouraged to participate in the reading of an original rendition of a Dr. Seuss book. In the math area, children worked with tangrams to create different shapes such as boats, foxes, and rabbits. In the art area, children decorated clay pots and planted pine trees in them before taking them home. In the music area, theatre members entertained the children with singing,
The play was an excellent lesson in the importance of recognizing and accepting our differences, and doing away with the ideals of discrimination, prejudice, and superiority.
To close the celebration, FVCC’s very own Cat-in-theHat, with the help of the Grinch, presented awards to children who entered an art and poetry contest. Each winner was announced and then invited on stage so the Cat-in-the-Hat could give them their special prizes. The Cat-in-the-Hat encouraged the audience to applaud each winner’s hard work and accomplishment. At one point, the Cat-in-the-Hat explained to the audience that the Grinch was really misunderstood and not such a bad guy. The audience responded with a round of applause for the Grinch. Every student and teacher present also received an Honorary Degree from Seussville University. Students also received a special treat as the Cat-in-the-Hat signed autographs as they were leaving for the day. We tip our hats off to every volunteer who helped make this year one of the most, if not the most successful Seussville University in FVCC’s history!
Page 4
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
CELEBRATING A TERM OF SERVICE
Sharing their stories of service, learning from the peers and engaging with the Bozeman community are just a few of the activities Campus Corps members were part of on April 17th-19th at this year’s Spring Summit. Most Campus Corps members had not seen one another since the building Engaged Citizens Conference in September, when most were new to the program and just getting a feel for what their year would entail. With almost eight months of experience behind them, members were able to connect with one another on a different level. Many of the individuals who attended Spring Summit were very grateful to take part in the peer training sessions. Different workshops were offered by current Campus Corps members and members of the Montana Campus Compact July VISTA class. The workshop topics ranged in content from Building Organic Partnerships to Promoting Physical Activity in Youth, Event Planning to Community Resourcing. As with all Campus Corps trainings, members took some time out of training to serve the Bozeman community. They served at the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter, and with the Vandalism Task Force. Along with peer trainings and service, members were recognized for their achievements throughout their terms of service. Although not everyone can win an award, all of the individuals involved with Campus Corps made substantial contributions to their respective communities through service. Award recipients are listed below. • • • • •
Award for Exceptional Leadership Liz Dellwo, MSU-Bozeman Team Leader Outstanding Service Project Seussville University, FVCC Campus Corps Team Campus Corps Citizenship Award Lindsay Stocker, Second-year member at MSU-Billings Excellence in Service-Learning Nikole Disney, MSU-Bozeman service-learning member Special Recognition Charles Kennedy, Second-year member at BFCC
Final Numbers for the Donate Life Today 2009 MTCC Challenge April was Donate Life Today month and Campus Corps members across the state mobilized friends and family to become organ, eye and tissue donors. The campuses in bold (below) are the winners of this year’s MTCC challenge. • • • • • • •
Carroll College: 10 Dawson Community College: 1
Flathead Valley Community College: 84 Fort Belknap College: 1 Fort Peck Community College: 1 Montana State University-Billings 1 Montana State University-Bozeman: 38
• • • • • • •
Montana State University-Northern: 26 Montana Tech of UM: 7
Rocky Mountain College: 119 Salish Kootenai College: 2 The University of Montana-Helena COT: 1
The University of Montana-Missoula: 74 The University of Montana-Western: 1
QUICK FACTS: Of the 372 total participants in the Challenge, 126 (34%) were first-time donors. Another 201 participants (54%) were already donors who took the opportunity to register their wishes.
Page 5
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
NEW FUNDING FOR CAMPUS CORPS
The Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) recently received notice that its 15 year-old Campus Corps program will get a funding boost in 2009, to the tune of $750,000 in federal funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service via two competitive grant awards. “This is a great honor for our organization—a testament to the great service students in Montana have done and will continue to do,” said Dean McGovern, Montana Campus Compact executive director, “this funding will help more students serve their communities and afford higher education.”
Once students enroll as Campus Corps members, they serve on community projects through local organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, local school districts and healthcare facilities. These engaged students serve in the neediest areas of the state to mentor at-risk youth, assist the elderly, build community gardens, implement fundraising events, clean up river beds and parks, provide wellness education, build houses, conduct food, blood, and organ drives, and most importantly help nonprofits to recruit more volunteers to meet their goals. Eric Cardella, Campus Corps Program Manager, is encouraged by this opportunity to expand the program. “Our student members are tackling critical needs in many underserved areas of our state,” Cardella said. “We will now be able to put more hands on deck over the next three years.” The new funds—awarded competitively via the Montana Commission on Community Service —will allow MTCC to support the service efforts of nearly 1,000 college students in the 2009-2010 academic year.
LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR CAMPUS CORPS ALUMS IN PUBLIC SERVICE PROFESSIONS!
MTCC staff recently attended the National Conference on Volunteerism and Service. Among our take -aways was information on the College Cost Reduction Act of 2009, and specifically the Public Service Loan Forgiveness associated with it. In short, those who pursue “public service” careers will be eligible to have their federal student loan debt forgiven after ten years of regular payments. For example, if you enter a career in health care, nonprofit, education, or government service, and if you have federal student loan debt, for which you make equal monthly payments at or “Income-Based Repayment,” your remaining student loan debt will be forgiven after a period ten years’ worth of regular payments. Full-time AmeriCorps members who make income-based payments may count their year of service as one of the ten years necessary to have public loan debt forgiven. An income-based monthly payment for a full-time AmeriCorps member works out to $0/month. (NOTE: The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program applies only to payments made after Oct. 2007). More information can be found at http://www.ibrinfo.org. Click the What are These Programs? link and read on.
Page 6
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
LIFE AFTER AMERICORPS:
What’s next for 08/09 Campus Corps Leaders?
Liz Dellwo, MSU
Ruth Moore, FPCC
Liz will be attending Montana State University in the fall of 2009, studying in the Public Administration and Political Science Graduate Program. She plans to stay very much involved with America Reads America Counts, for which she currently serves as a volunteer tutor.
Ruth may continue working with the Wellness Center in Poplar. She would still be a personal trainer, teaching various exercise classes and promoting in the communities to live healthy lifestyles. She also still has two active teenage boys at home that help keep her personal life busy.
Megan Jung, MSU-B
Roe Erin, UM-Missoula
Still weighing her options, Megan is either moving back to MN for a job or heading to Washington to establish residency for grad school, where she plans to enroll in the Student Affairs Administration Masters program at Western Washington University
Following her Campus Corps term, Roe will be serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the YWCAGUTS! (Girls Using Their Strengths) program. She is looking forward to another year of fun in Missoula!
Sue Crowe, MSU-N
Heather Corcoran, MT Tech
Sue will be serving with Opportunity Link in Havre as an AmeriCorps*VISTA and hopes to establish certification courses for renewable energy technology at the various colleges on the Hi-Line
Heather plans to continue working on her degree in Elementary Ed. through University of Montana -Western. She plans to start substitute teaching in the Butte Elementary schools. Her goal is to live in Kitsap County in WA state.
Janel Evans, MT Tech
JJ Bessette, FVCC
Janel will take on the role of Campus Corps leader for Montana Tech again next year. She also plans to pursue her educational goals, though she is still unsure what field of study. She eventually plans to make a move to Missoula to be closer to her sister.
JJ plans to return to her home town of Missoula to complete her education, after being away for over 11 years. She will be majoring in Elementary Education with the possibility of a second degree in social work.
Ashley Widtfeldt, MTCC Ashley will be taking on the role of Campus Corps leader at UM next year. She also plans on beginning a Master’s in Public Administration while she serves with Campus Corps.
THANK YOU to all of our 08/09 leaders
who have made meaningful service a reality for hundreds of Montana’s students this year! Your leadership and commitment are what make Campus Corps great!
Volume 5, Issue 3
Summer 2009
A SUMMER OF SERVICE
Participating Campuses: •Blackfeet Community College •Carroll College •Dawson Community College •Flathead Valley Community College •Fort Belknap College •Fort Peck Community College •Little Big Horn College •Miles Community College •MSU-Billings •MSU-Bozeman •MSU-Great Falls College of Tech •MSU-Northern •Montana Tech •Rocky Mountain College •Salish Kootenai College •UM-Helena College of Tech •UM-Missoula •UM-Western •University of Great Falls
Our Mission: Montana Campus Corps is an AmeriCorps program that engages college students in meeting community identified needs through meaningful service.
Inside this Issue: AmeriCorps/Volunteer Week...2 Seussville University….………..3 Spring Summit…….……...…….4 Donate Life Challenge…….…...4 Funding/Loan Forgiveness……..5 Farewell, Team Leaders…....….6
Campus Corps is a proud member of the AmeriCorps family of National Service Programs in Montana.
Recovery Corps is a new Campus Corps initiative this year, made possible by the stimulus funds granted via The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Though typically Campus Corps members serve during the academic year, this new emphasis on summer positions will address the concern of many community agencies being left without the necessary human resources during the summer months.
Campus Corps Recovery members are serving some of the most economically-troubled counties in Montana, and the nation. Blaine, Glacier, Big Horn and Roosevelt counties are experiencing poverty rates well over 20 percent, and this Recovery initiative will primarily target these high-needs areas of our state. Altogether, forty-eight Recovery Corps members will be placed in 2009 in these, and other high-needs communities throughout Montana. Members will recruit volunteers for and serve at local not-for-profit organizations dealing with issues related to the current the economic crisis. The members kicked off their service at New Member Orientation in Billings on June 1-2, where the were taught the key elements of their service, set service goals, and served the community of Billings from the Food Bank and Family Services. In line with the President Obama’s “United We Serve” initiative, members’ service will address problems caused by the economic downturn. The United We Serve campaign encourages greater civic participation from all Americans this summer. There are four key areas to this campaign including “providing community renewal to the areas hardest hit by the economic crisis.” In a recent address, the President asked all citizens to make service a part of their daily lives this summer, and Campus Corps Recovery members are doing just that. The President’s Summer of Service initiative officially begins June 22. To learn more, visit http://serve.gov/
Interested in spending a year of your life leading a group of college student AmeriCorps members? We've got a position for you! Each year, non-student leaders support the efforts of hundreds of Campus Corps members throughout Montana. Under the supervision of local campus-based program coordinators, leaders organize weekly team meetings with members, serve as campus-community liaisons, help coordinate service-learning activities, and offer assistance in developing and implementing service projects on national service days. Think you're up to the challenge? Go to http://my.americorps.gov and apply today!
Page 2
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
A WEEK IN THE LIFE: National Volunteer Week and AmeriCorps Week in Montana MSU-Bozeman
UM-Missoula
During National Volunteer Week the MSUBozeman team attended three different After School Programs. They worked with over 80 elementary students on an Earth Day project. Each student painted their individual pot, and then planted a sunflower seed with potting soil, and watered it for the first time. The biggest challenge, but also the biggest success was making sure the students involved in the activity were engaged in making their project unique. Since the project was completed, the MSU Campus Corps members have received huge thank you banners from the students and have been asked to come back and serve again next year. The presence of the MSU-Bozeman team during National Volunteer Week really meant a lot to them and there was a definite impact made on the students.
FVCC AmeriCorps Week at FVCC consisted of a weeklong information table and video station in our Main Foyer. The Campus Corps Team manned the table and offered refreshments to the students during the week, which was also finals week on our campus. We handed out lots of goodies and applications to interested people. We also created a sign up list of interested folks. We put up signs all over campus as well as crafted table tents for the cafeteria. We posted brief position descriptions and did our best to convey the benefits of joining the program!
Missoula AmeriCorps members conducted recruitment on the University of Montana’s campus during AmeriCorps Week, explaining AmeriCorps and all of the outlets for serving in and around Missoula to those passing by. Many students were delighted to have the opportunity to hear first-hand service stories. Representatives from Campus Corps, Conservation Corps, Montana Making $ense, and all three VISTA projects in the state were present at the table each day, each with a different perspective of the meaning of National Service. At the end of the week, over 100 current AmeriCorps members and alumni gathered for food, music and fun at Greenough Park for a barbeque and pot luck. Participants represented an array of AmeriCorps State Programs: Campus Corps, Montana Making $ense, Literacy Support Corps, and Montana Conservation Corps; National AmeriCorps programs were represented by: AmeriCorps VISTA and Senior Corps.
Page 3
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
WELCOME TO SUESSVILLE UNIVERSITY! Third-graders explore their creative side, learn about music, art and math By Tracy Lost-Bear, FVCC Campus Corps member Seussville University was a great success this year thanks to the group effort of Campus Corps members at Flathead Valley Community College and many wonderful students and staff members who volunteered their talents and time to plan, set up, and entertain during the event. This year’s celebration, in the spirit of Dr. Seuss, promoted literacy, math, music, and art skills to over 250 third-grade students from around Flathead Valley. To kick the event off, each school bus that arrived filled with excited students was greeted by the smiling faces, waving hands, and cheers of enthusiastic volunteers. It was an enriching experience for everyone who attended. Students participated in activities that encouraged group participation, creativity, and body movement— Children and adults alike had the opportunity to let go of their everyday routines, loosen up and have as much fun as possible.
dance, and sign language. The highlight of the day was when the theatre group put on a special play. FVCC’s theatre members presented a short play about the Star-bellied Sneetches.
Some of the volunteers dressed as their favorite characters from Dr. Seuss books. They helped guide the elementary school children through different learning stations filled with fun activities. The stations included reading, mathematics, music, and art.
A clear message was presented during the play, “. . . until neither the Plain-bellied nor the Star-bellied Sneetches knew whether this one was that one or that one was this one or which one was what one . . . or what one was who,” so, both the audience and the Sneetches learned from this experience that everyone is capable of getting along and becoming friends.
In the reading area, children listened to, and were encouraged to participate in the reading of an original rendition of a Dr. Seuss book. In the math area, children worked with tangrams to create different shapes such as boats, foxes, and rabbits. In the art area, children decorated clay pots and planted pine trees in them before taking them home. In the music area, theatre members entertained the children with singing,
The play was an excellent lesson in the importance of recognizing and accepting our differences, and doing away with the ideals of discrimination, prejudice, and superiority.
To close the celebration, FVCC’s very own Cat-in-theHat, with the help of the Grinch, presented awards to children who entered an art and poetry contest. Each winner was announced and then invited on stage so the Cat-in-the-Hat could give them their special prizes. The Cat-in-the-Hat encouraged the audience to applaud each winner’s hard work and accomplishment. At one point, the Cat-in-the-Hat explained to the audience that the Grinch was really misunderstood and not such a bad guy. The audience responded with a round of applause for the Grinch. Every student and teacher present also received an Honorary Degree from Seussville University. Students also received a special treat as the Cat-in-the-Hat signed autographs as they were leaving for the day. We tip our hats off to every volunteer who helped make this year one of the most, if not the most successful Seussville University in FVCC’s history!
Page 4
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
CELEBRATING A TERM OF SERVICE
Sharing their stories of service, learning from the peers and engaging with the Bozeman community are just a few of the activities Campus Corps members were part of on April 17th-19th at this year’s Spring Summit. Most Campus Corps members had not seen one another since the building Engaged Citizens Conference in September, when most were new to the program and just getting a feel for what their year would entail. With almost eight months of experience behind them, members were able to connect with one another on a different level. Many of the individuals who attended Spring Summit were very grateful to take part in the peer training sessions. Different workshops were offered by current Campus Corps members and members of the Montana Campus Compact July VISTA class. The workshop topics ranged in content from Building Organic Partnerships to Promoting Physical Activity in Youth, Event Planning to Community Resourcing. As with all Campus Corps trainings, members took some time out of training to serve the Bozeman community. They served at the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter, and with the Vandalism Task Force. Along with peer trainings and service, members were recognized for their achievements throughout their terms of service. Although not everyone can win an award, all of the individuals involved with Campus Corps made substantial contributions to their respective communities through service. Award recipients are listed below. • • • • •
Award for Exceptional Leadership Liz Dellwo, MSU-Bozeman Team Leader Outstanding Service Project Seussville University, FVCC Campus Corps Team Campus Corps Citizenship Award Lindsay Stocker, Second-year member at MSU-Billings Excellence in Service-Learning Nikole Disney, MSU-Bozeman service-learning member Special Recognition Charles Kennedy, Second-year member at BFCC
Final Numbers for the Donate Life Today 2009 MTCC Challenge April was Donate Life Today month and Campus Corps members across the state mobilized friends and family to become organ, eye and tissue donors. The campuses in bold (below) are the winners of this year’s MTCC challenge. • • • • • • •
Carroll College: 10 Dawson Community College: 1
Flathead Valley Community College: 84 Fort Belknap College: 1 Fort Peck Community College: 1 Montana State University-Billings 1 Montana State University-Bozeman: 38
• • • • • • •
Montana State University-Northern: 26 Montana Tech of UM: 7
Rocky Mountain College: 119 Salish Kootenai College: 2 The University of Montana-Helena COT: 1
The University of Montana-Missoula: 74 The University of Montana-Western: 1
QUICK FACTS: Of the 372 total participants in the Challenge, 126 (34%) were first-time donors. Another 201 participants (54%) were already donors who took the opportunity to register their wishes.
Page 5
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
NEW FUNDING FOR CAMPUS CORPS
The Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) recently received notice that its 15 year-old Campus Corps program will get a funding boost in 2009, to the tune of $750,000 in federal funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service via two competitive grant awards. “This is a great honor for our organization—a testament to the great service students in Montana have done and will continue to do,” said Dean McGovern, Montana Campus Compact executive director, “this funding will help more students serve their communities and afford higher education.”
Once students enroll as Campus Corps members, they serve on community projects through local organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, local school districts and healthcare facilities. These engaged students serve in the neediest areas of the state to mentor at-risk youth, assist the elderly, build community gardens, implement fundraising events, clean up river beds and parks, provide wellness education, build houses, conduct food, blood, and organ drives, and most importantly help nonprofits to recruit more volunteers to meet their goals. Eric Cardella, Campus Corps Program Manager, is encouraged by this opportunity to expand the program. “Our student members are tackling critical needs in many underserved areas of our state,” Cardella said. “We will now be able to put more hands on deck over the next three years.” The new funds—awarded competitively via the Montana Commission on Community Service —will allow MTCC to support the service efforts of nearly 1,000 college students in the 2009-2010 academic year.
LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR CAMPUS CORPS ALUMS IN PUBLIC SERVICE PROFESSIONS!
MTCC staff recently attended the National Conference on Volunteerism and Service. Among our take -aways was information on the College Cost Reduction Act of 2009, and specifically the Public Service Loan Forgiveness associated with it. In short, those who pursue “public service” careers will be eligible to have their federal student loan debt forgiven after ten years of regular payments. For example, if you enter a career in health care, nonprofit, education, or government service, and if you have federal student loan debt, for which you make equal monthly payments at or “Income-Based Repayment,” your remaining student loan debt will be forgiven after a period ten years’ worth of regular payments. Full-time AmeriCorps members who make income-based payments may count their year of service as one of the ten years necessary to have public loan debt forgiven. An income-based monthly payment for a full-time AmeriCorps member works out to $0/month. (NOTE: The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program applies only to payments made after Oct. 2007). More information can be found at http://www.ibrinfo.org. Click the What are These Programs? link and read on.
Page 6
Campus Corps Connections, Volume 5, Issue 3
LIFE AFTER AMERICORPS:
What’s next for 08/09 Campus Corps Leaders?
Liz Dellwo, MSU
Ruth Moore, FPCC
Liz will be attending Montana State University in the fall of 2009, studying in the Public Administration and Political Science Graduate Program. She plans to stay very much involved with America Reads America Counts, for which she currently serves as a volunteer tutor.
Ruth may continue working with the Wellness Center in Poplar. She would still be a personal trainer, teaching various exercise classes and promoting in the communities to live healthy lifestyles. She also still has two active teenage boys at home that help keep her personal life busy.
Megan Jung, MSU-B
Roe Erin, UM-Missoula
Still weighing her options, Megan is either moving back to MN for a job or heading to Washington to establish residency for grad school, where she plans to enroll in the Student Affairs Administration Masters program at Western Washington University
Following her Campus Corps term, Roe will be serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the YWCAGUTS! (Girls Using Their Strengths) program. She is looking forward to another year of fun in Missoula!
Sue Crowe, MSU-N
Heather Corcoran, MT Tech
Sue will be serving with Opportunity Link in Havre as an AmeriCorps*VISTA and hopes to establish certification courses for renewable energy technology at the various colleges on the Hi-Line
Heather plans to continue working on her degree in Elementary Ed. through University of Montana -Western. She plans to start substitute teaching in the Butte Elementary schools. Her goal is to live in Kitsap County in WA state.
Janel Evans, MT Tech
JJ Bessette, FVCC
Janel will take on the role of Campus Corps leader for Montana Tech again next year. She also plans to pursue her educational goals, though she is still unsure what field of study. She eventually plans to make a move to Missoula to be closer to her sister.
JJ plans to return to her home town of Missoula to complete her education, after being away for over 11 years. She will be majoring in Elementary Education with the possibility of a second degree in social work.
Ashley Widtfeldt, MTCC Ashley will be taking on the role of Campus Corps leader at UM next year. She also plans on beginning a Master’s in Public Administration while she serves with Campus Corps.
THANK YOU to all of our 08/09 leaders
who have made meaningful service a reality for hundreds of Montana’s students this year! Your leadership and commitment are what make Campus Corps great!
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