Sarah Litwiller is the Middlebury CCE’s 2018-19 AmeriCorps VISTA member. She grew up in Northern California and graduated from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois with a B.A. in Religion and Global Studies. Since then, she has lived in India and worked within their foster care system, and, for the last two years, lived on a ranch in the Colorado Rockies as a director of a youth summer camp. Outside of work, Sarah likes to play outside and travel.
Are you interested in becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA member? Or learning more about the program in general? Then attend the National AmeriCorps Week Panel on Tuesday, March 12th from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in the CCE Living Room. Come have all your questions and more answered by our panel of AmeriCorps members currently serving in Vermont. You will learn about the types of AmeriCorps service, how to apply, what AmeriCorps life is like, and opportunities both on campus and throughout the country. To learn more about working at the CCE next year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, visit go/ccevista.
In the meantime, learn more about the job from Sarah, below:
1. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your experience?
My favorite and most rewarding part of my position is the advising I do with college students. I love meeting one-on-one with my advisees and working together to think creatively and to problem solve. I end up learning just as much from those experiences as I’m sure they do.
2. What is one thing that has surprised you?
While I wasn’t necessarily surprised, I was not sure what to expect in terms of office culture and my integration into the CCE staff. The CCE staff has fully embraced and respected me as if I were a regular full-time employee. I am constantly empowered and encouraged in my role, making this VISTA experience even more fruitful than I had expected.
3. When was a time you were challenged and grew from that challenge?
When I stepped into this position I was faced with the challenge of advising organizations I knew little about. This made for a very steep learning curve that I had to navigate pretty quickly. I grew from this opportunity in many ways; I had to learn to trust myself a lot more, as well as how to be humble enough to ask questions.
4. Why should others consider applying for a role similar to yours?
The VISTA role in the CCE is an incredible opportunity. I have developed invaluable professional skills around leadership, advising, facilitating, decision-making, content and material development, and project management. I have a lot of autonomy, which has allowed me to grow in an extremely supported and well-resourced environment. If you’re looking to be a part of an amazing team of people who care about civic engagement, while also having the opportunity for professional development in areas of personal interest then this is the position for you!