Amy Pouliot '04 has been accepted into Americorps for a prestigious post-graduation opportunity.

Pouliot To Explore New Ground in Americorps Program

March, 2004—With graduation quickly approaching, Assumption College seniors are debating over what to do with the next phase of their lives. While most have been putting the finishing touches on resumes, searching for jobs, or applying to graduate school, Amy Pouliot ’04, of North Providence, RI, will be embarking on a unique experience with the prestigious Americorps program.

Pouliot will be a part of Americorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a 10-month, full-time residential program for men and women between the ages of 18-24. Americorps teams focus on completing service projects to help people in need and to better America. Projects include working with the Special Olympics, constructing homes for low-income families, coordinating after-school activities for teenagers, tutoring and mentoring, as well as providing long-term recovery for families in need of disaster relief.

Her volunteering experiences at Assumption’s Reach Out Center sparked her interest in applying to Americorps. Micki Davis, a mentor at the Reach Out Center, has been a part of the Americorps VISTA program. Their conversations influenced Pouliot’s decision.

“Micki told me all about the program, and to me it sounded like it catered to everything I was looking for. I knew it was exactly what I wanted to be involved in,” Pouliot says.

Pouliot was honored to have been chosen for this Americorps project, and is excited to learn that she will be stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, her top choice. Other Americorps sites include Denver, CO; Sacramento, CA; Perry Point, MD; and Washington, D.C.

In May 2004, Pouliot expects to graduate with a major in English, a concentration in writing and mass communication, and a minor in community service learning. Currently, her coursework is coupled with her involvement in campus activities. Pouliot is a service director for the Reach Out Center and volunteers at the local Boys and Girls Club. In addition to her Reach Out Center duties, Amy also takes an active part in the school newspaper, Le Provocateur, and Campus Ministry.

Pouliot’s Americorps adventure will begin on September 4, 2004, when she will travel to South Carolina for an orientation with the team members that she will be living with for 10 months. There, she will receive both the physical and mental training she needs to begin her experience. As part of the Americorps requirements, she must commit to 1,700 hours of community service in an assigned role, 80 of which are spent volunteering independently. She would like to base her independent project on mentoring. After completing all required hours, members are granted the Education Award, which consists of $4,725 to put towards student loans or graduate school. Since members are not allowed to hold outside jobs while in the program, they will receive $90 a week to help pay for basic living expenses.

Overall, Pouliot wants to do all that she can for Americorps. Despite a few fears about living so far from home with new people, she is anxious to experience her independence.

“I am looking forward to continuing a commitment to helping others, traveling, and personally growing to find out who I truly am,” says Pouliot.

For more information on the Americorps program, visit www.americorps.org