My First Time as an AmeriCorps VISTA

My first job after graduation from college was working as an AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate with the South Carolina Campus Compact, which is based in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Through the South Carolina Campus Compact (SCCC), I worked on the campus of Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina.

My first day as an AmeriCorps VISTA started out with an orientation about the position that I would be serving in. We had a conference call that consisted of the director of the South Carolina Campus Compact, the other AmeriCorps VISTA summer associates (and a few year-long associates), Mrs. Tondaleya Jackson (the director of the Service-Learning & Leadership Development program at Benedict College), and the two VISTAs that were assigned to work at Benedict College that summer: Christopher Daughtry and myself.

The orientation lasted for a week and consisted of a series of workshops that taught us how to be effective teachers during that summer. We were given a curriculum book entitled "Health Rocks!", which is the same curriculum that is used in the 4-K Summer Camp programs around America. The focus of the class that we taught was centered around healthy eating and leadership development.

My favorite part of serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA was being able to give back to the college that I graduated from. During that summer, I, along with Chris, were selected to serve as tour guides for the new incoming freshman class at Benedict College. We engaged in several activities with new incoming class of students. One of those activities was the R.E.A.L. Talk Panel, in which the students asked us questions about our experiences as students at Benedict College, and about life after Benedict College. It was so refreshing for me to be able to impart to these future students about how life at Benedict College has shaped my life holistically.

From left to right: Christopher Daughtry (former AmeriCorps VISTA and Benedict College graduate, May 2015), Tim Bowers (guest speaker and former Benedict College graduate), Darris Thomas (former AmeriCorps VISTA and Benedict College graduate, May 2015), Taylor Logan (Benedict College graduate, December 2015), Tonisha Johnson (Benedict College graduate, May 2015), and Davante Poindexter (Benedict College graduate, December 2014).

Note: Christopher was a music major at Benedict College, and was known for serving as "Mr. Benedict College" during his senior year. After serving as anAmeriCorps VISTA summer associate after graduation, Chris then went on to become a year-long AmeriCorps VISTA at Benedict College for the 2015-2016 school year. He is interested in studying for his Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration at the University of New Orleans.