Wallace State celebrating AmeriCorps Vista volunteers
HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College’s AmeriCorps Vista members are being celebrated this week as part of AmeriCorps Week.
“This is the perfect time to say “thank you” to our own AmeriCorps members: Mandy-Shea Riggins, Hali Marran, Heather McAfee, Hannah Kren, and Jo Johnson,” said Kristi Barnett, coordinator for the program through the Wallace State Advancement Office. “These five AmeriCorps VISTA members have been volunteering their service at Wallace State all year long, starting new support programs, building capacity, and getting things done!”
Below are the projects the AmeriCorp Vista volunteers are currently working on this year.
The Planting Seeds Community Garden
Heather McAfee and Hannah Kren are dedicating their year of service to establish the Planting Seeds Community Garden for all Wallace State students and employees and Hanceville residents. The Garden will open this Spring with 20 beds to rent at the low-cost of $10.00 or two volunteer hours a month. It will also offer monthly educational sessions on gardening, food preservation, and much more. To learn more about the Garden or to sign up to garden your own bed, contact Heather @ heather.mcafee@wallacestate.edu or Hannah @ Hannah.kren@wallacestate.edu
The Future Foundation and Kenya Relief
Mandy Shea-Riggins is making a lot of things happens for Wallace State during her year of service. Shea-Riggins is strengthening the partnership between WSCC and Kenya Relief by finding funding to enable more students to have clinical experiences in Kenya. She’s also created a new computer recycling program linking the College to Cullman Parks and Recreation, developed new methods for alumni connection, designed professional development opportunities for our k-12 partners, and shares her spare time helping other colleges establish AmeriCorps Vista programs.
Career Services
Jo Johnson joined us August of last year to assist in the development of the new Career Services office. Johnson’s service has included developing the Promoting the Pride system with Purple Briefcase to provide placement opportunities for our students and graduates; partnering with the Diversity Committee for Martin Luther King Day activities; and assisting with the preparation of policies, procedures, and all of the other paperwork needed to get the new Career Services program off the ground.
WaLLi
Hali Marran is the College’s newest VISTA and a current student. She began her year of service in February and plans to expand the WaLLi program. You can find her in the coliseum most days, building relationships with the WaLLi members, conducting research, and serving as their connection point to WSCC. Marran will also be developing social media calendars and protocols for WaLLi and Future Foundation networks.
“We are so thankful to our AmeriCorps VISTA members for sharing their year of service with Wallace State, for providing their expertise to our students and our community, and for getting things done,” Barnett said.
If you are interested in becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA, contact Kristi Barnett in the Advancement Office at Kristi.barnett@wallacestate.edu.