Name: Beth Gowitzke (she/her)

Where is home to you? Gales Ferry, CT

Placement Site: Inspiring Minds

Education: B.A. in Social Work with a minor in Anthropology, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT

Biography: Beth is the Leader of Volunteer Engagement VISTA serving at Inspiring Minds. Prior to her Americorps service she graduated in May of 2020 with a bachelors in Social Work and minor in Anthropology. During college she enjoyed doing community service with the Center for Community Engagement at Eastern. She has a passion for working with people in the LGBT+ population and was able to serve on the executive board of her college's Pride Alliance club during her sophomore and junior year and work in the Pride Center during her senior year. During her free time she enjoys drawing, crafting and hanging out with friends and family. 

Why I Serve: I want to be able to build my confidence in working with more people. I want to be able to work and become more comfortable working with a diverse population. I want to be able to build my professional skills and form professional relationships with other VISTAs and the staff that I’ll be working with that can aid me in my career as a social worker. 

Why Brown University AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship? I wanted to do something that was close to my home, but also gave me some new independence by going to another state.