Brown University AmeriCorps VISTA fellows Kristine Pearson and Maxwell LeMay are spending the year developing skills and supporting the Swearer Center's partnerships in placements at Beat the Streets Providence and Social Enterprise Greenhouse.

As the cohort continues to navigate the shift to remote working, they took a moment to share their experiences working to build capacity in education and social innovation in Providence.

Kristine Pearson

AmeriCorps VISTA fellow at Social Enterprise Greenhouse

How did you decide that this was the perfect VISTA program for you?

I started my VISTA service with Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG) in September 2018. SEG was a great match for me because I’ve gotten to do a lot of different things, including planning events, been a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) administrator, and interviewing job applicants.

What has been the most rewarding part of your VISTA experience so far?

The most rewarding part has been managing the Talent Matchmaking program, which is SEG’s internship program. It has been challenging but I’ve learned a lot. I’ve enjoyed the process of matching interns with our ventures.

Has your VISTA experience helped to define your career plans?

I think it has. It’s made me want to focus more on workforce development.

Maxwell LeMay

AmeriCorps VISTA fellow at Beat the Streets Providence

How did you decide that this was the perfect VISTA program for you?

As a Providence native, it always made sense to involve myself in the community to which I belong. The AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship through the Swearer Center seemed like the perfect opportunity to do just that. Not only did its local mission resonate with me, but the VISTA assignment description did, too. It was one that aimed to help fill academic and extracurricular gaps in Providence by blending community engagement with scholarship, sport, and competition. 

What has been the most rewarding part of your VISTA experience so far?

The most rewarding part of my VISTA experience has been the opportunity to empower local youth. Being able to elevate under-supported and many times overlooked junior high schoolers to positions where they are visible and heard is a pretty wonderful thing. 

Has your VISTA experience helped to define your career plans?

It dynamically and undoubtedly continues to. I find myself becoming much more adaptable in situations that might have otherwise seemed insurmountable. I feel as though I’m at a place of development and growth. Broadly speaking, I aim to be a more well-rounded and overall employable professional, and I believe my VISTA experience has provided me the opportunity to be that. I feel I’m becoming more savvy in many disciplines, including but not limited to navigating and transforming data, event coordination, and logistics management. 

What’s next for you?

I might very well extend my VISTA service term for several additional months because I find a deep sense of value in the work that I do. As I’m transitioning to my next steps, I hope to concentrate on grad school and enroll in the fall of 2021. I think the VISTA mission has stoked my affinity for improving community wellbeing. I hope to build on this interest in increasing access to public health systems with a master’s degree at a local university; maybe even Brown! 

The Brown University AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship is a full-time, post-graduate service and fellowship opportunity through the Swearer Center at Brown University. VISTA fellows are matched with a local organization, state agency, or a Swearer Center department to build capacity in organizations fighting poverty. To find out more, visit the Brown University AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship page on our website.