Member Professional Development

Professional Development

Campus Compact’s goal is to build the civic capacity of VISTA members through both their service experience and member development initiatives.

VISTA members (and host sites) are considered members of the Campus Compact network. VISTA members are invited and encouraged to participate in Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact virtual and in-person network gatherings, and other professional development opportunities including webinars, Communities of Practice, and conferences. 

You can learn about these opportunities by subscribing to our email updates. 

Communities of Practice

CoPs bring together professionals who share a common concern or passion and want to learn how to advance that passion together through regular shared interaction. The members of a community of practice share a domain of interest, engage in joint activities and have an ongoing, sustained interaction over time contributing to their shared practice. CoPs can serve varied functions, including solving problems, sharing information, providing experience, utilizing shared assets, coordinating and strategizing, building a case for action, documenting projects, mapping knowledge, gaining confidence, and more. (Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner, 2015) 

IAMNCC VISTA Communities of Practice begin in the fall of each service year and continue through the spring, culminating in an end-of-the year event where we can share the resources and insights our groups have gathered. Our CoPs are designed to help VISTAs develop leadership and facilitation skills while also diving into subject areas of interest. 

IAMNCC Community of Practice Facilitation Guide

Mock Interviews and Resume Support

Members are encouraged to submit resumes for suggestions or schedule a mock interview with the Campus Compact team. This can be done anytime throughout the year of service.

If you would like one of us to help you develop your resume, including on how to best share your AmeriCorps service, simply email us your resume. We will reach out with edits, suggestions, and an offer for time to meet to discuss our suggestions.

You are also welcome to reach out to Adia (azemantheis@compact.org) or Riah (mcoley@compact.org) to schedule a time for a mock interview. Plan for one hour, which be enough for the interview and will provide some time for discussion on how it went. Identify the following when emailing to scheduling your mock interview:

We will do our best to accommodate all requests regardless of timing, but please try to schedule a time at least two weeks in advance to ensure availability.