For those of you who don’t know, and there are probably at least few of you who don’t, the term VISTA is an acronym standing for Volunteer in Service to America. VISTA is a National Service program designed by President Kennedy to alleviate poverty in America. What happens is you sign up for a year-long term of service and you work in some of the poorest urban and rural areas in the United States for a stipend that is equal to the current poverty rate. It’s not even considered a salary, it’s a living stipend. And choosing to do this is one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made.

I learned what it was to be part of something bigger than myself.

Back in November, I attended Michigan’s AmeriCorps celebration, and the keynote speaker during the luncheon was a man named Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the CEO and Co-Founder of an AmeriCorps program called City Year. Now, this celebration was only a few weeks into my term of service, but what he said has stayed with me for the last 9 months, and I have a feeling that it will stay with me for a while longer. I’m paraphrasing here, but he said he wanted the way that America thinks about life after high school graduation to change. He stated instead of asking the common question of high school graduates nowadays “Where do you want to go to college?” I want students to ask, “What are you doing for your year of service?” This idea has really stuck with me because, as an AmeriCorps member, you learn to appreciate the perspectives of other people, and like Michael Brown, I believe that National Service is something that everyone needs to experience. It’s like working a job in customer service – if you can put that type of experience on your resume, you learn to treat people who work in retail or the food service industry with a little respect and kindness because you know what the job is like. The same thing is true with being an AmeriCorps VISTA. If you can appreciate what it is like to live in poverty, and adapt that style of life for a year, your views on the world change. And they change for the better.

I learned what it is like to live on a stipend equivalent to the poverty level.

This humbles you like no other. Realizing that, in a lot of instances, you’re living in the same state as the people you’re helping, makes you appreciate the work you’re doing that much more. You learn to make sacrifices that you otherwise would not have to make and it helps you enjoy all that you have in life. You learn to empathize with the specific experiences of people who live in poverty, but at the same time, you’re trying to help break the cycle. VISTAs do a variety of jobs, from setting up transitional housing to help the homeless, to expanding programs to help low-income families access affordable health insurance, to working with college access programs and helping first-generation college students get degrees. Living on a limited budget is only one facet of poverty that VISTAs experience, because a lot of people have it much worse – many don’t have a place to call home. This job is not only about helping break that circle of poverty, it’s about growing and learning about yourself; learning what you can do to improve the world too.

I realized what it was that I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

Working as a National Service member, you learn so much about yourself. You learn what you’re capable of accomplishing. You add new skills to your repertoire that you’re able to craft and foster into some pretty impressive outcomes. You also learn about the opportunity of a variety of career choices that you had never even fathomed. Before I became a VISTA, I had never considered the possibility of working in college access or financial aid. But this experience has opened so many new and exciting doors for me and I’m excited that this is just the beginning. Before I graduated college, I was terrified of what was next because I didn’t have a plan. And now the thought of not having a plan is, kind of, exhilarating. There are so many different opportunities out there for me and so many different avenues I can explore. I’m excited to start the journey!

You meet some pretty amazing people.

You could probably say this of any position, but as a VISTA, when I got to work with other VISTAs, it felt like we had this silent bond. It’s similar to when you’re in another state and you run into someone who went to the same university as you. You both have similar experiences and you know that you have something in common. It was amazing to be able to work with people that were doing the same work. We are all working to end poverty and we’re all pooling our individual talents into the same cause.

I feel like I wouldn’t be where I am today without having been a part of AmeriCorps. It has opened my eyes to so many different circumstances I wouldn’t have gotten to experience otherwise. I’ve met some pretty incredible people who have turned into amazing friends; I’ve gotten to test my own limits and my own strength; and I’ve been able to figure out the career path that I want to travel. This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning.