Representatives and participants of national and international service programs shared experiences and answered UW-Madison student questions during an informational panel Monday.
The Morgridge Center for Public Service of UW-Madison sponsored the panel as a part of its series Jobs and nonprofit and social entrepreneurship.""
Organizations on the panel included AmeriCorps State/National, AmeriCorps VISTA, Peace Corps, Teach for America, Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Cross-Cultural Solutions.
According to Megan Schultz, a devoted Teach for America participant, graduate schools look highly on Teach for America alumni.
However, all of the organizations offer long-term volunteer programs both in the United States and abroad, focusing on areas from agriculture and community work to teaching.
""[Volunteering] gives [students] a better chance to get to know themselves and gives them a better sense of community,"" said Dan Colleran, National and International Service-Learning and Volunteer Coordinator for the Morgridge Center.
According to Autumn Hensel, AmeriCorps VISTA leader and past participant in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, AmeriCorps provided her with important professional development in the nonprofit sector.
""The Jesuit Volunteer Corps challenged me to face the things I didn't like about myself,"" she said.
Francesca Smith, AmeriCorps State participant and manager of an AmeriCorps VISTA program said AmeriCorps State allows participants to try something without an extremely long-term commitment.
""I am hooked on national service '¦ AmeriCorps provided me with direct service experience and hands-on work,"" Smith said.
Andrew Trembley, Peace Corps participant and UW-Madison graduate student said what participants experience in the Peace Corps stays with them for a lifetime.
""Peace Corps is a means of realizing your own dreams and the dreams of the people in the community,"" he said.
Alexis Cariello, Cross-Cultural Solutions participant and UW-Madison senior designed an independent study program through the school of social work. She also traveled to Tanzania for a semester working with male prisoners and a special-needs class.
""Service is about community and relationships,"" she said. ""The most tangible things I took away from my experience were the relationships.
