I joined the Civically Engaged Scholars because, during my first semester at SLCC, I took a CES course and volunteered at the Youth Resource Center ran by Volunteers of America and had an amazing experience. Later in the year when I was looking for a new job I remembered how much I appreciated VOA's mission and I ended up applying to work at the Women's Resource Center. I've been with VOA now for nearly 5 years and I have grown so much as a person through the work I've done with some of the most vulnerable in our community.
I'm really excited to learn more about the Community Engaged Learning and Research Pathway as well as Community Organizing and Activism. I have a lot of experience in direct service through my job, so I'm eager to learn more about how to combine my academic pursuits within my activism.