Campus Corps blog

Leader Profile: Hazel Todd

2012-01-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hazel (right) at a Campus Corps event at MSU-B

This week's featured leader is Hazel Todd who has already had an impressively successful year leading her Campus Corps members serving at MSU-Billings. Hazel is a Montana native, born and raised in the town of Butte. She left her hometown for her college years which were spent in Bozeman, MT studying at MSU. Hazel is proud of her Montana roots and shares that "I like telling people I am from Montana; I feel really proud to be a part of such a beautiful place!” . This year she has made a new home for herself in Billings and has already, in these past few months, created for herself a strong sense of community in her new town. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and running. Hazel has big plans for next year, as she intends to move all the way to Austin, Texas!

In college Hazel focused her studies in the field of Family Sciences and foresees the pursuit of a masters degree in Social Work in her future. As a student at MSU Hazel was a member of Campus Corps and her experiences serving others seem to have had a lasting effect on her, as involvement in community service has become an important component of her life. Hazel's lifelong commitment to service is illustrated in her vision for her future; specifically, she explains that in 10 years she sees herself "working at an organization that values service as much as I do". Wherever that may be will certainly be lucky to have such a passionate, fun, and dedicated addition to their organization!

Campus Corps Helps Prepare Students for College with "Know How 2 Go"

2012-01-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

During the month of January, The University of Montana-Western and Montana Tech have been working together to bring the “Know How 2 Go” initiative to Southwestern Montana to the high schools in the Ruby Valley area. Montana Tech also brought the “Know How 2 Go” initiative to middle students from Butte, Anaconda, Deer Lodge and Helena.

Know How 2 Go is a national initiative that aims to help high school and middle school students successfully make the transition from high school to a post-secondary education. These visits comprise fun, educational, and interactive lessons on the steps for getting into college and adapting to college life. Schylar Canfield-Baber the Student Assistance Foundation based at Montana Tech gave presentations concerning applying for scholarships and other means of financial Aid. Campus Corps members facilitated games such as Jeopardy or “Double Dare” that intended to get the students engaged in learning about the college experience. One student from Harrison High School even said, “We should have assemblies like this more often”.

Along with going into the high schools, middle school students from Butte, Anaconda, Deer Lodge and Helena were able to visit Carroll College and the University of Montana-Helena to gain valuable first-hand experience from real world professionals. These students also attended workshops that were facilitated by Montana Tech Campus Corps members that pertained to the 4 Steps of the “Know How 2 Go” initiative.
Cheyanne Marcy, Campus Corps Team Leader at UM-Western, was one of the many representatives involved in the program. “Opening the doors to options beyond high school by educating students on the resources available to them is pertinent to their success. Many students do not have the access or support outside the classroom, bringing the KnowHow2Go college access program to the students opens their minds up to the possibilities that do exist for them to accomplish their dreams.”

Sean Cochrane, Campus Corps Team Leader at Montana Tech says, “It was great to see the students get involved and really take a vested interest in their futures. I feel that we were able to reach a lot of the kids, which is always great, and I look forward to seeing them continue their educations.”

For more information on the Know How 2 Go Initiative, visit their website at www.knowhow2go.org.

Sean Cochrane Wins MLK Day Photo Contest!

2012-01-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Montana AmeriCorps Connection challenged volunteers from all over the state to see who could capture the best photograph from their MLK Jr. Day service events. The award for top photo went to Campus Corps' very own Sean Cochrane whose submission was taken at the "Stop, Drop, & Read" event that M-Tech's Campus Corps program hosted in honor of MLK Jr. Day! Congratulations to Sean for a job well done!

Photo by Sean Cochrane, 1/16/12 “Butte children meet a firefighter in full bunker gear, so they won’t be scared by the man in the suit in the event they need to be rescued.”

Visit the Campus Corps Facebook Page to see more photos from this event and from other MLK Day projects that took place across the state and check out the other photo conenders on the Montana AmeriCorps Connection Website. Furthermore, the Governor's Office of Community Service featured an article about Sean's achievement on the Serve Montana Website.

Red Cross Campus Corps Member Steps Up to Provide Disaster Relief Services to Victims of Forest Fires

2012-01-18T16:58:00.001-07:00

Red Cross Campus Corps members and their leader Jill Washburn at this year's BEC Conference. Raina is in the center.

This year Campus Corps has joined forces with the Red Cross of Montana to help make communities throughout the state better prepared for potential disasters. Working in such a large state with a variety of geographic regions, the Red Cross of Montana has stepped up to help communities deal with everything from severe flash flooding to forest fires to blizzards. With 8 Campus Corps members stationed at campuses throughout the state, Red Cross of Montana has equipped each with thespecific knowledge and skills needed to best assist the particular region in which they are serving.

While efforts are for the most part focused on equipping local communities to better deal with potential disasters, when disaster does strike, members are called upon to step up, and are asked to put their knowledge and skills into action. Raina Witherite, Campus Corps member at MSU-Great Falls, truly embodied the mission of the Red Cross this winter break when she travelled across the state to respond to a Montana community's call for help. Specifically, Raina courageously offered to be a part of the emergency crew that travelled to Browning, MT to provide disaster relief to the communities of northwestern Montana that were being devastated by forest fires.

MSU-GF Campus Corps leader, T.C. Knutson interviewed Raina to learn more about her experience in Browning. T.C. speaks very highly of Reina and shared that: "I am proud to have her on my Campus Corps team; she really knows what service to her community is". See what Raina had to say about her recent Red Cross experience and about volunteering in general:

Why do you enjoy working with the Red Cross?

“I like helping people, and it makes me feel all fuzzy inside.”

What was the most memorable thing about the Browning fires?

“When I first saw the fire, I knew it was something really big and affecting a lot of people. I knew I would be helping a lot of people.”

Why did you join Campus Corps?

“Because I really enjoy volunteering, and I knew that I would have a lot of volunteering opportunities with Campus Corps.”

What’s been your favorite volunteering activity so far?

“Working at the Heisey Soup Kitchen.”

Why is that?

“Because I’ve met a lot of really nice people there, and I can see the people I’m helping first hand and interact with them.”

What has been your most rewarding experience with the Red Cross so far?

“Probably when we went to Browning.”

Why?

“Because it was such a large scale disaster and I got to see all the disaster components of the Red Cross come together.”

What do you mean by "components"?

“Like all the SOUs and shelter surveys, and all the work they’ve been trying to get me to do, I can see now how it all works together and how it is used.”

Will you continue volunteering with the Red Cross?

“YEP! I’m excited to help more people in disasters!”

What do you find so interesting about people in disasters?

“They are so thankful that you are there. Most of the time they are really nice and willing to ‘help you help them’”

MLK Jr. Day 2012 - A Successful "Day On"

2012-01-18T15:15:00.004-07:00

MLK Day was a great success for Campus Communities across the state with Campus Corps programs hosting a variety of events to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! An overwhelming number of volunteers came out to take part in the various events, embracing the idea that the holiday be viewed as a "day on" and an opportunity to be of service to one's community, rather than just another day out of the office. Congratulations to everyone involved in this year's MLK Day National Day of Service, for being a part of such a successful statewide initiative! And thank you to all volunteers who devoted a great deal of their time and effort to support an important cause!

Projects in Billings & Butte were both featured in their local news stations. Check out the coverage that Campus Corps at MSU-B & M-Tech received for their exceptional MLK Day projects:

MSU-B on local Billings station KTVQ. Story starts 9min30sec into the clip: http://www.ktvq.com/videos/q2-5-30pm-news-1-16-2012/

M-Tech's "Stop, Drop, & Read" Event was featured on local Butte news station, kxlf: http://www.kxlf.com/player/?video_id=11532
It was also written up in the Montana Standard Newspaper:

http://mtstandard.com/news/local/visiting-the-fire-station/article_fde133c0-40d6-11e1-bd37-0019bb2963f4.html

MSU-Northern's event was covered in the Daily Havre News. View it here!

Campus Corps Members Gear up for Tax Season with VITA

2012-01-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

January 31st marks the beginning of tax season: a time of year that many Americans dread as it entails either an attempt to navigate the confusing process of filing one's own taxes or spending excessive amounts of money to pay someone to complete the task for you. While the accurate completion of one's taxes is indeed a common struggle for many Americans, it is especially difficult for those living in isolated rural communities in which there are minimal services available to provide assistance and where most residents would not be able to afford such services even if they were present.

Having been identified as a pressing community need, the lack of affordable tax assistance available to those living in the more rural areas of the state is now being addressed by a few initiatives that have emerged in recent years to help rectify this problem. Campus Corps has joined efforts with one such program, having recognized this issue as something to which college students can contribute to by using their specialized skills to make a positive difference. Specifically, three of our member institutions, MSU-Northern, Stone Child College, and Aaniiih Nakoda College have placed volunteers to serve with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program: a statewide initiative that trains volunteers in the tax process then coordinates efforts to have them provide free tax assistance and preparation services to the members of their local communities.

The six Campus Corps members working with the VITA program have devoted a great deal of time over the past few months attending tax preparation classes and studying for their certification exam, which they are required to pass by January 31st. Through this rigorous training process, VITA ensures that volunteers are well equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to provide adequate tax guidance services to their local community. SCC member Michael explains that they are encouraged to first practice their newly mastered skills by offering their services to friends who may be in need of tax assistance. Once it's time to put their skills into action, volunteers are stationed at various locations throughout the state including libraries, community centers, schools, etc. where local residents can schedule appointments with them to receive their services completely free of charge. Grace Milanowski, Campus Corps leader at MSU-N and VITA volunteer, admits that the class was challenging, but shares that "the thing that I think is great is that I am learning a ton from the experience that will be useful to me personally". She goes on to explain that while it is difficult to see the payoff of her hard work at this point (as they have not yet started providing services) she is" looking forward to the opportunity to finally put my knowledge into action and to help the people in my community". Well said Grace and we are all looking forward to hearing how your experience unfolds!

Aaniiih Nakoda's Campus Corps Leader Ali Graham

2012-01-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

I am proud to introduce Campus Corps leader Alison Graham, better known as Ali, who has been paving the way in creating a culture of service within the community on the Fort Belknap Reservation. Ali serves as the college's first ever Campus Corps leader and was lucky enough to be a part of the campus community this past fall when it underwent its monumental name change from Fort Belknap College to the self-proclaimed traditional title of "Aaniiih Nakoda College". The renaming officially took place in September of 2011 and marked the culmination of the efforts of many to make this long awaited vision finally become a reality.

Ali seems to have acclimated to life in the small town of Chinook, MT with remarkable ease, which certainly serves as a testament to the adaptability of this “go-with-the-flow" southern girl. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ali left home for college and has spent the past four years living in the Midwest enrolled as a student at Saint Louis University where she majored in Psychology. Ali intends to incorporate the knowledge and wisdom gained from this field of study in her pursuit of a career as a licensed social worker.

When speaking with Ali about her college years, she cites that some of her fondest memories are from her involvement with the Campus Kitchen program: a non-profit food re-purposing program that utilizes excess food from grocery stores, catering services, and other organizations to create healthy meals for hungry individuals living nearby the campus. Ali especially enjoyed her role in involving the members of local youth groups in this admirable program.

Some fun facts about Ali are that she enjoys reading, cooking, taking pictures, and baking in her spare time. Her favorite holiday by far is Thanksgiving and fittingly enough her favorite food is mashed potatoes. She has embraced living amongst a community of people who so strongly identify with the rich cultural heritage that they have worked so hard to preserve. In fact, one of the projects she is most looking forward to this spring is organizing a series of cultural events in partnership with Aaniih Nakoda students that will celebrate and share their rich cultural heritage.

MLK Day of Service

2012-01-01T14:07:00.007-07:00

The Corporation for National & Community Service is urging community members across the nation on this MLK Day holiday to "Make it a day on, not a day off" by participating in service projects in honor of MLK Jr. Campus Corps programs throughout the state are on board with this national initiative to promote service and diversity in honor of our national hero. Check out the list of projects taking place on campuses across the state to see how you can be involved in your local community!

Aaniiih Nakoda College (Harlem, MT/ Fort Belknap Reservation)
Event: Read for Peace: Student Volunteers will be going into classrooms to read books about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as other peace-themed books to students who will then complete a corresponding art activity.
When: Friday January 13th, 2012
Where: Head Start of Harlem & the Immersion School
Contact: Alison Graham (agraham@mail.fbcc.edu/ 406-353-2607)

Dawson Community College (Glendive, MT)
Event: Community members will have their photos taken to be displayed in an exhibit along with an explanation of what diversity means to them. This exhibit will be on display both at the Glendive Boys & Girls Club as well as on the DCC campus.
When: TBD
Where: Glendive Boys & Girls Club/ DCC Campus
Contact: Jacob Kilgore (volunteer@dawson.edu/406-377-9460)

Fort Peck Community College (Poplar, MT/ Fort Peck Reservation)
Event: Read for Peace: On January 17th, the The Campus Corps program at FPCC will host a two part read for peace event intended to educate student's of Dr. King's legacy and will involve community members and parents in the process. There will be an afternoon reading project that will take place at the Ft. Peck Library, led by volunteers and aimed at pre-school aged head start children. This will be followed by an evening read-a-thon at Poplar Elementary Schools, during which teachers, volunteers and families will come together to enjoy a meal, read to the children, and work on art and written projects focusing on the theme of diversity.
When: January 17th, 2012 (12:00pm-5:00pm)
Where: Poplar Public Library (afternoon Read for Peace) & Poplar Public Schools (evening read-a-thon)
Contact: Katie Wise (kwise@fpcc.edu/406-768-6333)

Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell, MT)
Event: In collaboration with the Culinary Arts Program at FVCC, Campus Corps members have helped organize a free cooking class intended for community members currently receiving SNAP and Food Bank Benefits. The class will offer creative ways to stretch one's dollar in order to provide nutritious non processed meals for their family.
When: January 16th, 2012
Where: FVCC Campus (777 Grandview Dr.)
Contact: Carson Booth (campuscorps@fvcc.edu/ 406-756-3372)

Montana State University (Bozeman, MT)
Event: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Bozeman Celebration & March : The Bozeman community will host a march to the Emerson Cultural Center where there will be music, speeches, and a variety of local non profits set up at tables. The objective of the event is to promote diversity, raise awareness of volunteer opportunities, and to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King in the process.
When: January 16th, 2012 (1:00pm-3:30pm)
Where: Emerson Cultural Center (111 South Grand Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715)
Contact: Alex Black (teamleader@montana.edu/ 406-994-7571)

MSU-Billings (Billings, MT)
Event: MLK Power of One Week: On Monday morning the MSU-B Campus Corps program will host have a bell ringing ceremony in Peaks to Plains Park and then proceed to the Atrium in our SUB building for a program that will include, a reenactment of an excerpt from one of King’s speeches, songs from the MSUB choir, an opportunity to sign MLK pledge cards and quotes read aloud by campus corps team members. Ad
When: January 16th, 2012 (9:50am - 11:00am)
Where: MSU-Billings SUB 225, 1500 University Dr. Billings, MT 59101

Contact: Hazel Todd (hazel.todd@msubillings.edu/ 406-896-5817)

Event: MLK Service Saturday - Students that participate in this month's Service Saturday event will visit different group homes in the Billings area and work with the residents to do an art project, play games, and read books, all of which will focus on diversity. Additionally, they will purchase new games and books to donate to the group homes.
When: January 21st, 2012
Where: MSU Billings
Contact: Hazel Todd (hazel.todd@msubillings.edu/ 406-896-5817)

MSU- Great Falls (Great Falls, MT)

Event: MLK & Childhood Awareness The Boys’ and Girls’ Club and Campus Corps are going to work with children in their after-school programs to raise their awareness about Martin Luther King Jr. Kindergarten through 4^th graders will participate in Read for Peace, a program in which volunteers read age appropriate books about MLK to students and allows for those children to reflect on ideas generated from their reading through poems and pictures. 5-12^th graders will participate in a film on MLK that highlights his goals and ideas of equality. The film will be accompanied with a guest speaker.
When: January 13th, 2012 (4:00pm-6:00pm)

Where: Boys & Girls Club ( 600 1st Ave SW, Great Falls, MT 59404
Contact: T.C. Knutson (campuscorps@msugf.edu/ 406-771-4324)

MSU- Northern (Havre, MT)

Event: In an effort to honor this vision and the work and legacy of Dr. King and raise awareness about appreciating diversity in our community, MSU-Northern plans to host a free luncheon and art exhibit on campus. The lunch will be open to all students, faculty and the public, will include a presentation of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and will display local community members’ and students’ art pieces focused on diversity. After this event to celebrate diversity and Dr. King, the art will be on display on campus and open to the public for a week after. Artists will have the option to donate their piece for a silent auction and proceeds will go towards the Havre Food bank, an organization that fills the crucial need of providing food to community members in need.

When: Primarily 1/18/12 (and art exhibit open 1/18/12-1/27/12)
Where: UM Northern Student Union Building Ballroom

Contact: Grace Milanowski (campuscorps@msun.edu/ 406-265-3577)

MSU - Western (Dillon, MT)

Event: Read for Peace. Student volunteers at UM-W have expanded this program to apply to students enrolled in K-12, altering the projects to ensure that they are age appropriate for each audience. They will read stories to classrooms in elementary and middle school and complete an accompanying art project afterwards. The UM-W Campus Corps program has also organized a "freedom speech" writing competition with a local high school English class. The event will culminate on January 16th with a community event during which the top 3 speech writers will deliver their speeches for the local community and the art work created by students in local classrooms will be displayed.

When: TBD
Where: Dillon Elementary/Beaverhead County High School

Contact: Cheyanne Marcy (campuscorps@umwestern.edu/406-683-7202)

Montana Tech of the UM (Butte, MT)

Event: "Stop, Drop, & Read" Children will have a “day off” of school but a “day on” of learning. Stop Drop and Read will take place at two local fire stations, one in the uptown area and one in the downtown area. At each location, firefighters will read a story to the children, followed by a tour of the fire station. The firefighters will also give a short presentation on fire safety. Local veterans will present the children with and American flag and lead them through the pledge of allegiance. At the end of the event, McDonald’s will provide refreshments for the children, and each child will be able to choose a book of their very own to take home with them so they can start their own reading library.

When: January 16th, 2012

Where: Butte Fire Dept. (1:00pm-2:30pm)

Contact: Sean Cochrane (SCochrane@mtech.edu/406-496-4692)

Rocky Mountain College (Billings, MT)

Event: We will have a few activities going on between January 9th-31st to celebrate MLK day and community service. From 1/9-1/31 we will be doing a canned food drive that will be part of our April Canstruction event that will benefit the Billings Food Bank and Family Services Inc. On 1/17 in partnership with Rocky's Student Activities group we will be having students make cards that will be passed out to children at the local hospital, we also be using their activity promotion areas around campus to highlight the importance of community service. In partnership with our Physician's Assistants program we will be promoting and encouraging students, staff and faculty to sign up for the blood drive scheduled on February 9th. On 1/26 and 1/27 some Rocky students will volunteer to help out with the annual Billings Project Homeless Connect. Lastly we will also staff a table during the lunch hours on the Mondays in January to promote upcoming community service activities and MLK day information.

When: January 9th - January 31st
Where: Various Locations

Contact: Jill Washburn (campuscorps@rocky.edu/ 406-238-7394)

Stone Child College (Box Elder, MT/Rocky Boy Reservation)

Event: Read for PeaceIn the spirit of Martin Luther King, volunteers at SCC will come together to promote a more just and peaceful world, starting with education at the lowest levels. Volunteers will sign up to read to students at the local Head Start over a span of 5 days. They have selected to read 'The Peace Book' by Todd Parr which deals with simple and practical issues that the kids can grasp and put into practice even at their young age, laying a strong foundation for future growth.

When: January 16th-20th, 2012
Where: Head Start/Stone Child College (8294Box Elder Rd.)

Contact: Michael Yegerlehner (myegerlehner@stonechild.edu/ 573-822-6171)

University of Montana (Missoula, MT)

Event: The National Coalition Building Institute will be hosting a MLK Day rally and parade including speakers and live music. During the rally, representatives from the Missoula AIDS Council and Campus Corps volunteers from UM will be collecting clothes to benefit Project Homeless Connect(PHC). PHC is a one day event in late January that provides showers, food, legal advice, id help and other aid to the homeless population of Missoula. The clothes collected by volunteers at the rally will be given to community members in need during the PHC event.

When: January 16th, 2012 (10:00am-2:00pm)

Where: Caras Park, downtown Missoula

Contact: Shanna Ungate (shanna.ungate@mso.umt.edu/406-243-5531)

Baking to Build Community

2011-12-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

This holiday season the Campus Corps team at Fort Peck Community College, located in Poplar, MT on the Fort Peck Reservation, came together to brighten the holiday season for a local family in need. With the knowledge that many of their fellow FPCC students are burdened by the constant struggle to make ends meet, and are especially financially strained during the holiday season, they decided to participate in a Family Sponsorship for one such family. This was certainly no easy task for the group of already busy college students, as it entailed raising enough money to buy gifts for each of the family members and additionally providing them with a Christmas dinner.

In order to make this happen, Corps members directed their efforts to the kitchen and organized a campus bake sale to raise the funds needed for their sponsorship. They strategically set up a table in a centrally located area during finals, in hopes that they could entice students by offering them a much needed study break during this busy time in the semester. Their clever business plan worked and the bake sale ended up lasting for two entire weeks with a constant flow of baked goods arriving each day! The bake sale impressively raised a grand total of $277 and combined with donations from number of generous community members whom they reached out to, the Campus Corps team in total raised over $350 dollars! Furthermore, they contacted the local grocery store who agreed to provide a Christmas dinner for the family free of charge.

FPCC Campus Corps leader Katie Wise directed her team in this holiday initiative and was very impressed by the efforts of her team members as well as by the overwhelming generosity of the local community. She says that she attributes the success to "a lot of different baking recipes, a lot of fun, and A LOT of sugar"! With two weeks of non-stop baking I am sure Katie is right, but what better way to sweeten one's holiday season than with treats for a good cause?

Welcome Krissy!

2011-12-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the Campus Corps Community, I would like to give a warm welcome to Krissy Ferriter, the newest addition to the MTCC Network Office! Just last week Krissy stepped into the position of Campus Corps Program Manager and has been quickly learning the ropes of what her new role will entail. It has been a pleasure getting to know Krissy this past week and I look forward to working with her for the remainder of my service year!!

Kristine Mazur Ferriter grew up in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, and received her B.S., summa cum laude, in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. In June 2011, Krissy completed her M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington, with a specialization in human dimensions of wildlife management. Krissy brings to the Montana Campus Corps experience as an AmeriCorps Field Educator with the Southeast Alaska Guidance Association, as well as two years of coordinating the International Conservation Volunteer Exchange program at the Great Basin Institute in Reno, Nevada. She enjoys reading, knitting, and yoga, as well as traveling, cooking, and taking advantage of local recreational opportunities with her husband. In her new role as Campus Corps Program Manager, Krissy looks forward to promoting civic responsibility within higher education, networking with diverse people throughout Montana, and helping to expand regional opportunities with Campus Corps.

SKC Students Step Up to Meet the Needs of their Community

2011-12-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Campus Corps program at Salish Kootenai College has had a busy semester engaging in a wide variety of service initiatives to benefit their local community of Pablo, MT. As the campus does not have a Corps leader this year to serve as a resource for setting up projects and directing member efforts, students have impressively taken it upon themselves to step up as leaders working with their dedicated team of volunteers to best be of service to their community. The level of success that they have attained serves as a testament to the capable student members of SKC, as well as to the leadership provided by their devoted coordinator, Debbie Bell.

Affiliated with the college's Nursing Department, the Campus Corps program at SKC primarily focuses on meeting the local community's need for improved health services, and with a team of members currently pursuing degrees in the nursing profession they have been able to utilize their specialized knowledge and skills in their service work. Student volunteers have been a part of a number of valuable projects thus far this year, such as the YMCA Senior health fair during which volunteers met with local seniors and high school students to educate them about health issues as well as to share with them the mission of the Campus Corps program. Additionally, members served at the Pablo Thanksgiving Harvest Dinner where they helped carve a grand total of thirty turkeys to feed the local community members that attended the event! One member, Mark, shared that he especially enjoyed this project in that it succeeded in bringing together the local community and provided him an opportunity to interact with the local Native Kootenai population who maintain a strong cultural presence in the region. Furthermore, the SKC Campus Corps team honored World AIDS Day on December 1st by arranging to have all members attend the basic training for becoming certified as an HIV/AIDS counselor. Their team also participated in the campus wide event which aimed to raise community awareness about this epidemic as well as to promote HIV testing.

With things wrapping up for the fall semester, the Campus Corps team is already looking ahead to spring and have set some pretty ambitious goals for the remainder of their service year. Barrett Campbell, one of the students that has admirably stepped up as a leader amongst her peers, shared with me some of these initiatives which include helping organize a children's health fair, hosting a 5-K run to raise money and awareness for health promotion initiatives going on in Pablo, and advocating for healthier options in their campus cafeteria. Barrett shares that she has "been so proud to see the initiative that members have taken to go out into the community and use the skills that have been learned in the classroom for the ultimate purpose of working for the betterment of their local communities".

The Campus Corps program is lucky to have such a self-motivated and dedicated group of members present on the SKC campus and we have been so impressed by the strides that they have made thus far in providing meaningful service to their local community. I have personally been inspired by this passionate group of individuals and eagerly looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish in the following months!

Tis the Season to Serve

2011-12-07T16:14:00.004-07:00

With the Holiday Season upon us, we all know that this is the time of the year when we should be thankful for all that we have as well as when we should go out of our way to be generous to those who may not be as fortunate. Campuses throughout the state are embodying this holiday spirit and student volunteers are taking part in a variety of service projects with the hope that all members of their community can have the opportunity to enjoy a happy holiday season this year. Check out what some the projects that our campuses will be taking part in over the next few weeks:

Flathead Valley Community College - FVCC student volunteers have organized a Giving Tree program for which they have set up two Christmas Tree on campus that are decorated with ornaments, each contains the age, gender, and wish list for a local child in need. Members of the FVCC community are encouraged to take an ornament and purchase gifts for the child whose information is on the selected ornament. The project is in partnership with the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization whose mission is to advocate for the best interests of children that have been victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

UM - The Campus Corps program in Missoula has taken the lead in organizing a campus wide Adopt a Family & Adopt A Veteran initiative in which members of the UM community who choose to participate are assigned a family and/or veteran in need to purchase gifts for as well as a corresponding Holiday wish list for each. This project is in partnership with the local Salvation Army as well as with the Valor House, which serves Veterans and is run by the Poverello Center.

MSU - Campus Corps program in Bozeman is recruiting students to lend a hand at the Big Brothers Big Sisters gift wrapping booth at the Gallatin Valley mall to partake in wrapping

MSU-Billings - On Saturday December 10th student volunteers from MSU-Billings will be spending the afternoon at the Garfield Community Resource Center to help out with their Holiday Party to provide some Christmas Cheer to the local children of the South Side neighborhood. Volunteers will be lending a hand in arts and crafts, games, cookie decorating and more.

Fort Peck Community College - FPCC Campus Corps is sponsoring a family, providing them with gifts, a dinner, and an Alco gift card to cover various holiday expenses. In order to make this happen, the team of volunteers have been working hard to reach out to local businesses for donations, to host bake sales to raise funds, and to arrange for a Christmas dinner to be provided for the family.

UM- Western : Student volunteers at UM-W are participating in two different projects taking place in the Dillon community. First, they will be serving at the local Armory's "Christmas At Our House" event for which they will help prepare dinner and then help with crafts and greeting during the actual event. Additionally, students will be working as ushers for the Southwest Montana Arts Council's performance of "The Nutcracker".

MSU-Northern - Student volunteers in Havre, MT will be offering their service to the Salvation Army, taking part in their annual Christmas Charity fundraiser. Volunteers will be working shifts as bell ringers outside local stores where they will collect money from shoppers as they enter and exit the venue.

Aaniiih Nakoda College - The campus community up in Harlem, MT will be participating in a Giving Tree activity that has been organized by members of the college's basketball team. They have a tree set up with ornaments, each containing the information of a child enrolled in the Immersion school located on campus for whom they are expected to purchase gifts for. Additionally, student volunteers will be contributing to the coat drive which has been organized by Phi Theta Kappa this holiday season.

Alex Black - Leader of the Bobcats

2011-12-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

This week's featured Campus Corps leader is Montana State's very own Alex Black. Alex decided that four years at MSU was just not enough and after graduating in May of 2011made the decision to stick around Bozeman's beautiful university and spend her fifth year on campus rallying students to server their community as the Campus Corps leader. If you are a resident of Bozeman or the surrounding area, there is a good chance that you have heard a lot about Alex lately or at least about the wildly successful "Can the Griz" food drive that she spearheaded. In this year's competition the Cats crushed UM's Grizzlies raising a record 58,000 lbs. of food for their local food bank! Much of this success can be attributed to Alex's efforts, as she worked diligently all fall to prepare for the big event and successfully implemented many new innovative ways to expand the drive.

Alex is originally from Idaho Falls, ID and if you ask her about how she feels about living in Montana, she will answer you with a long list of things that she loves about the state that she now calls home. Most of all she is thrilled to live in a town that offers an overwhelming number of outdoor recreation activities nearby, providing her plenty of opportunities to ski, bike, camp, and hike whenever she's not busy with her duties as a leader.

Having studied graphic design at MSU, Alex hopes to pursue a career in this field while also incorporating her love of working with the youth population. Alex envisions these two passions coming together in her career aspirations to one day be a freelance graphic designer primarily focusing on children's books and youth illustrated magazines. Alex is indeed a Bobcat through and through and the impressive amount of service she has done for the Bozeman area attests to how much she truly cares about her local community, which is so lucky to have her!

Service Saturdays are a Hit on Montana Campuses!

2011-12-02T14:06:00.001-07:00

This semester Service Saturday programs seem to be popping up at more and more of our campuses throughout the state and with very good reason. What better way for college student to spend their weekend than by taking advantage of an opportunity to get off campus and into their local communities with the goal of making a positive difference and helping meet some of the most pressing needs in their areas? Furthermore, these events provide an opportunity for participants to meet a variety of new people, both other students and community members, while promising that all will have a lot of fun in the process!

Service Saturdays welcome all students, faculty, and staff to partake in various one-time service projects throughout the year, with the frequency at which they occur varying by campus. For instance, MSU & MSU-Billings both host one Service Saturday a month at which they offer a few different projects to choose from, while at UM's the program collaborates with just one site at a time and events occur on a weekly basis. This year projects have ranged from Habitat builds to spending time with seniors at an assisted living home to re-painting Bozeman's iconic "M" after it had been defaced by graffiti.

Shanna Ungate, Campus Corps leader at UM, has expressed how pleased she is with the success of Service Saturdays and how well they have really caught on amongst the campus community. She is happy to report that so far this year, every Service Saturday has been well attended and that the weekly email containing upcoming events now has a distribution list of over 400 students who have expressed interest in the program! She shares; "I think that Service Saturdays are a great in that they are a simple way for any student to get involved in service. And for those who are interested in the Campus Corps program, it allows them to get a taste of the various Missoula nonprofits which can then have an influence on which they decide to choose as their placement site." It certainly serves as a testament to the character of Montana students of higher education that they are increasingly choosing to spend their day off of class engaging in service work, and communities across the state are so grateful that they do!

Recognizing Student Athletes for Contributions Made Off of the Playing Field

2011-11-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Between a full class schedule, daily practices, and frequent out of town games, college athletes often find themselves spread thin when trying to fit everything into their busy schedules. It is certainly an impressive feat when they find time to partake in other extracurricular activities and their dedication to such additional commitments is certainly emphasized when they do. Each year the Montana Campus Compact makes a point to recognize four student athletes who, despite their busy practice schedules, have admirably still found time to be of service to their communities.

Announced during the always climactic annual MSU Cats vs. UM Griz football game, the Athletes in Service Awards recognize four such athletes who have demonstrated a commitment to serving their communities and in doing so have left a legacy inspiring others to do the same. We are proud to announce the 2011 recipients of the Montana Athletes in Service Award, who have been carefully selected by the Montana Campus Compact Board of Directors:

Montana State University

Name: Geoff Irwin
Year in School: Junior
Sport: MSU Alpine Skiing
Major: Business Finance

Name: Natasza Lorentz
Year in School: Junior
Sport: MSU Spirit Squad
Major: Cell Biology & Neuroscience

University of Montana

Name: Melissa Jenkins
Year in School: Senior
Sport: UM Track & Field
Major: Biology

Name: Alex Shaw
Year in School: Senior
Sport: UM Football
Major: Finance

Campus Corps Leader of the Week: Sean Cochrane

2011-11-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

Introducing Sean Cochrane, Campus Corps leader at Montana Tech of the UM (M-Tech) located in beautiful Butte, MT. Sean boldly made the move to western Montana all the way from Jacksonville, Florida where he recently received his undergraduate degree at Florida State University. The early winter has been quite a shock to this southerner, but Sean surprisingly seems to be adjusting to the Montana weather with relative ease. In fact, he has even cited the cooler climate as one of the things he was most looking forward in relocating to the Northwest. Adapting to new places is something that Sean has plenty of experience with; having grown up with a father in the Navy, his family grew accustomed to moving around rather frequently and found many different places to call home.

Although Sean ended up in Butte mostly by chance, the town seems to be a perfect fit for him. Sean is by nature a history buff and has found himself lucky to be in what many would consider Montana's most historically significant city. Sean has enjoyed having the opportunity to learn about the rich history of the town that was once referred to as "The Richest Hill on Earth" due to its abundance of copper deposits that drew people from all over the country and beyond. Furthermore, with Irish in his blood Sean's favorite holiday has always been St. Patrick’s Day, and fittingly enough, Butte just so happens to be home to Montana's biggest St. Patty's Day celebration. There's the luck of the Irish for you!

In his undergraduate studies Sean majored in History and plans to further his education next year by attending Law School at the University of Virginia. As you can probably guess from the photo above of Sean and his sister on the Dallas Cowboy's field, Sean is a big sports fan. During football season you can find him rooting for the Dallas Cowboys and in college ball for his alma mater, the Florida State Seminoles.

UM-Western Goes Green for America Recycles Day

2011-11-16T12:59:00.001-07:00

Campus Corps members serving in Dillon, MT rallied their campus and nearby community on Tuesday November 15th to celebrate of America Recycles Day. The team worked to inform students about the campus' recycling options and utilized many creative methods to achieve this including visiting classes and dumpster diving the room's garbage can from which participants sorted out the recyclable waste that had been wrongfully placed in the trash. Furthermore, members stationed themselves in the highly trafficked pathways in between classes to get the word out while giving away free pins and bookmarks.

The day of events continued with the plastic and can crushing competition during which students were challenged to see who could crush the most recyclables in a set amount of time, and in doing so prepared the items to begin the recycling process. At 6pm UM-W students, faculty, staff, as well as members of the Dillon community flocked to campus to view the screening of "Bag It": a documentary on the harmful effects that plastic bags have upon the environment. Before beginning the film, the audience had the opportunity hear from a Patagonia representatives who demonstrated how their company reuses plastic bags to make material for their clothing (as was used to make the shirt Cheyanne is wearing in the photo above!!).

The success of the day long event serves as a tribute to the effectiveness of the campus's recent efforts both to become more sustainable and to raise the community's awareness of important environmental issues. Just since the beginning of this school year, the campus has seen major advances in these initiatives and such can be attributed to the group of passionate and dedicated volunteers devoted to the cause!

Campus Corps member Mandy created a dress out of 500 plastic bags - the number of bags an average person uses over the course of one year. Check it out!

Campus Corps Members to Honor Veterans in Bozeman

2011-11-10T16:01:00.001-07:00

In honor of the national Veteran's Day holiday, the newly established Student Veteran's Club on the campus of MSU will be hosting several events throughout the Bozeman community to honor the men and women that have served in our country's armed forces. MSU's campus will be hosting an all day ceremony during which volunteers will read aloud the names of more than 6,200 veterans whose lives have been lost in the wars in Afganistan and Iraq since 2001. The event is part of a larger nationwide Remembrance Day National Roll Call in which 182 colleges from all 50 states are taking part.

Campus Corps leaders T.C. Knutson and Sean Cochrane , from MSU-GF and M-Tech respectively, will be making the trip out to Bozeman to take part in the event. The ceremony will be taking place from 9am to 5pm in the Leigh Lounge in the Strand Union Building on MSU's campus. The roll call will conclude at 4pm with a remembrance ceremony during which the audience will hear from keynote speaker U.S. Senator Jon Testor.

To learn more about the event and how you can be involved Click Here. And for all those who plan to attend, be sure to stop by to say hello to Sean and T.C. who will be stationed at the AmeriCorps table.

Warm Coats for Winter

2011-11-07T14:32:00.002-07:00

Much to my personal dismay, they are predicting that the state of Montana is gearing up for yet another harsh winter this year. With cold fronts already having moved into many parts of the state, it seems that they are here to stay leaving community members scrambling to adequately prepare for what's in store. For some Montana residents this can be quite a challenge, as the necessity of a warm winter coat is often an investment that financially unstable citizens are unable to make. In response to this pressing community need our Campus Corps programs have responded by organizing local coat drives to collect new and gently used coats to be distributed to those in need. Specifically, Campus Corps programs at Rocky Mountain College, Fort Peck Community College, & Stone Child College have rallied their student bodies as well as their neighboring communities to improve the well being of their communities one warm coat at a time.

If you would like to learn more about these initiatives, contact Campus Corps leaders Jill Washburn (campuscorps@rocky.edu) at Rocky Mountain College, Katie Wise (kwise@fpcc.edu) at Fort Peck Community College, or Michael Yegerlehner myegerlehner@stonechild.edu at Stone Child College. Furthermore, you can visit onewarmcoat.org to learn how to start your own coat drive!

New Kid on the Block - Carson Booth!

2011-11-07T11:44:00.001-07:00

The newest addition to the 2011-2012 team of Campus Corps leaders, Carson Booth has already made great strides in his role as leader at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, MT. Born and raised in the nearby town of Sommers, MT Carson finds himself right at home in the Flathead Valley. He is a true Montana native in that he enjoys spending his free time engaging in activities like hiking, fishing, hunting, and working on his truck. He also enjoys gardening and skiing in the nearby mountains come winter.

Carson attended Whitman College located in Walla Walla, Washington where he studied Political Theory & Philosophy. He has since switched gears and plans to pursue a degree in Architecture and in the future sees himself working to promote healthy civic and community life through his practice of both architecture and landscape architecture.

While enrolled as a student at Whitman, Carson illustrated his ability to "get things done" even when approached with some pretty discouraging challenges along the way. Specifically, Carson and a fellow student managed to successfully set up a program on campus that distributed leftover food from the dining halls to local shelters. Although they unexpectedly encountered many legal regulations in place that inhibited progress in such efforts, their continued dedication and hard work paid off and the program was a great success, providing meals to hundreds of hungry people living in the Walla Walla Valley. It is evident that Carson has brought this same admirable work ethic and credible leadership skills to the work that he is involved in at FVCC. He has already set some ambitious goals for his program this year and brings to the table many new and creative ideas to guide him in reaching them. Carson is committed to doing his best as a Campus Corps leader to meet his community's needs, and the Flathead Valley is so lucky to have him!

Can the Cats/Griz Food Drive: Let the Games Begin!

2011-11-03T13:07:00.001-06:00

November 5th marks the official start date of the 12th annual "Can the Cats/Griz" food drive: an off-field competition between UM and MSU to see which campus can collect the most food donations for their local food banks. Campuses work with their local communities to get as many people as possible to donate non-perishable food items in addition to monetary donations, which they are accepting for the first time this year.

The drive culminates with the November 19th match-up between the MSU Bobcats and the UM Grizzlies, as the winning school is announced during halftime. Last year's competition was a close one and the Cats just managed to come out on top at 27,000 pounds of non perishable foods with both campuses collectively gathering more than 40,000 pounds of food!! While UM has made it clear that they are hungry for a win this year, MSU promises to provide some tough competition and have ambitiously set their goal at 32,000 pounds of food! Good luck to both campuses - win or lose you will succeed in making huge strides in your community's efforts to eliminate hunger!

Contributions of non-perishable food items can be dropped off at several locations throughout the Missoula community (for the Griz - of course) as well as various sites within the Bozeman area in support of the Cats. Furthermore, both efforts are collecting monetary donations which will be converted to pounds at a rate of $1.60 equaling one pound of food. For further information, contact Campus Corps leaders Alex Black (MSU) at teamleader@montana.edu or Shanna Ungate (UM) at shanna.ungate@mso.umt.edu.

Make A Difference Day Featured Event: Glendive's Haunted Hallow

2011-10-26T09:03:00.000-06:00

Campus Corps volunteers from Dawson Community College, located in Glendive, MT decided to take full advantage of the most recent National Service Day's proximity to the Halloween holiday by constructing a "Haunted Hollow" for their Make a Difference Day service project. There was more to the event than just spooking the local community, however, (although I am sure there was a lot of that too!) as all of the proceeds from the event were donated to the local Relay for Life: one of the flagship fundraisers for the American Cancer Society.

About 20 volunteers came out to help and together they constructed several outdoor custom built scenes, each of which promised to instill fear into anyone that dared to pass through. Their many hours of hard work paid off, and the event attracted a large number of visitors to keep them busy with their scare tactics all day long. Raising an impressive $3,000 for a good cause, Glendive's Haunted Hollow was a great success and DCC’s Corps members have done a fine job of illustrating how we can make a difference in our communities while having a lot of fun in the process!

Meet Michael : Stone Child College's "Pioneer Leader"

2011-10-18T09:51:00.000-06:00

I think it's safe to say that Michael "the Yellow Dart" Yegerlehner is a Campus Corps "pioneer leader". Michael has taken on the role of leading a brand new Campus Corps program at the Montana Campus Compact's newest addition: Stone Child College. Having relocated to Box Elder, MT on the Rocky Boy reservation all the way from his hometown of Palmyra Missouri, Michael arrived fully energized (which can partially be attributed to his tendency to sometimes overdo his coffee consumption) and ready to hit the ground running! Faced with what many would consider the daunting challenge of establishing a new program from the ground up, Michael was not at all phased by the task at hand, and enthusiastically approached the job ready to put into action his many creative ideas as to how to engage the local community in Campus Corps. His progress and ability to work effectively was in no way hindered by the fact that he was without an office for the first few weeks on the job, and he impressed us all with his ability to "set up shop" wherever he found space at a moment's notice. In getting to know Michael, I have come to admire

his unfaltering optimism and "can do" attitude.

In addition to his role as Stone Child College's Corps leader, Michael is also taking the lead role in a partnership with non-profit organization Opportunity Link to initiate a program on the reservation that will provide financial literacy and tax preparation training to residents of the community. This program's initial success can be attributed to Michael's creativity and hard work.

When he's not running around the local community setting up new partnerships and promoting Campus Corps, Michael enjoys reading a variety of literature as well as utilizing his artistic talent in painting and drawing. He has been involved in youth ministry and has found this work especially rewarding. In the future Michael hopes to be a published author and artist in addition to teaching at the high school level and continuing his involvement in youth ministry. Certainly an ambitious career path, but I am more than confident that Michael will be successful at whatever he puts his mind to!

Make A Difference Day 2011

2011-10-14T12:14:00.015-06:00

Taking place every year on the 4th Saturday of October, National Make A Difference Day rallies Americans to take action to serve their communities and to make a positive change in the world. Sponsored by USA WEEKEND & the HandsOn Network this annual event engages millions of people throughout the nation in meaningful community service. Check out the events that our Campus Corps programs throughout the state have organized to see how you too can be a part of Make A Difference Day 2011!

Aaniih Nakoda College (Harlem, MT/Fort Belknap Reservation)

Contact: Alison Graham - agraham@mail.fbcc.edu (406-353-2607)

When: October 24th, 2011

Where: Head Start, Fort Belknap Agency
Event: In honor of National Art & Humanities month and Make a Difference Day members of the Early Educations program, Campus Corps, and other volunteers will be partnering with the local Head Start Program. Specifically, participants will be assigned classrooms for which they will read a book, plan an activity around the book, and give the students a tour of the library.

When: October 26th, 2011 Where: Head Start, Fort Belknap Agency
Event: Volunteers will be working with Head Start students to paint pumpkins in celebration of Halloween. Pumpkins have been donated by the local USDA extension.

Dawson Community College (Glendive, MT)

Contact: Jacob Kilgore - volunteer@dawson.edu (406-377-9460)

When: October 22nd, 2011

Where:Cow Patty Links, Glendive, MT

Event: Campus Corps volunteers will be constructing a "Haunted Hollow": an outdoor haunted house with several different "scenes" that participants can walk through and can expect to be spooked when they do. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Cancer Society's local Relay For Life Event.

Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell, MT)

Contact: Carson Booth - campuscorps@fvcc.edu (406-756-3372)

When: October 22nd, 2011

Where: the old Gateway West Mall site in Kalispell, MT

Event: Flathead Food Bank and Second Helpings are located within the old Gateway West Mall in Kalispell. Both organizations have worked with the current mall owners, Teletech inc, to lease space out to service, volunteer, and NGO organizations within the valley. However, having sat unused for close to 15 years, the lease sites need cleaning, new paint, lighting, and other light maintenance work. Flathead Food Bank and Second Helpings are coordinating volunteers

in conjunction with the FVCC service office to help with renovations so agencies can move into the building before the end of the year.

Fort Peck Community College (Poplar, MT & Wolf Point, MT)

Contact:Katie Wise - kwise@fpcc.edu (406)768-6333

When: October 22nd, 2011

Where The Lord's Table; Wolf Point, MT

Event: Campus Corps volunteers from Fort Peck Community College will be organizing a coat drive to better equip the community for the quickly approaching cold Montana winter. They will be setting up donation locations where community members can drop off new and gently used winter coats from October 14 through the 22nd, at which date the group of volunteers will be collecting, sorting through, and delivering all of the coats to local assistance program, The Lord’s Table.

MSU (Bozeman, MT)
Contact: Alexandra Black - teamleader@montana.edu (406-994-6902)
When:October 18th, 2011 (5:00pm-7:00pm)
Where: Gallatin Valley Foodbank Event: Volunteers will be helping to package and distribute food boxes for the Senior Lunch Program.

When: October 21st, 2011
Where: The Bozeman Bowl (414 East Babcock St)
Event: Volunteers from MSU will be lending a hand at the annual "Bowl for Kid's Sake" fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

MSU- Billings & Rocky Mountain College
Contact: Hazel Todd – hazel.todd@msubillings.edu (406-896-5815) & Jill Washburn – jill.washburn@rocky.edu (406-238-7394)
When: October 22nd (9:00am-12:00pm)
Where: 4715 Rebecca's Place
Event: Volunteers from both Rocky Mountain College and MSU-Billings will be lending a hand at the Habitat for Humanity build hosted by Montana Conservation Corps. The collaborative group of AmeriCorps members will be working to landscape the residence located at 4715 Rebecca’s Place in Billings. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers and all over the age of 14 are welcome to participate.

MSU-Great Falls (Great Falls, MT)
Contact: T.C. Knutson – campuscorps@msugf.edu (406-771-4324)
When: October 22nd, 2011 (shift 1 at 9:00am; shift 2 at 12:30pm)
Where: shift 1 will meet at 1000 3rd Ave NW; shift 2 will meet at 1701 21st Ave.
Event: Campus Corps volunteers from MSU-GF will be partnering with local non profit organization, NeighborWorks to plant trees throughout the community. The event will take place rain or shine, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. Water, snacks, & pizza will be
provided for all volunteers.

Montana Tech of the UM (Butte, MT)
Contact: Sean Cochrane - scochrane@mtech.edu (406-496-4692)
When: October 22nd, 2011 (10:00am-1:00pm)
Where:Butte Rescue Mission; volunteers will meet at their site on East 2nd St.
Event: Campus Corps volunteers from M-Tech will be lending a hand to the Butte Rescue Mission which is in desperate need of additional housing with the winter months quickly approaching. To meet this need they purchased a two-story dormitory style building that needs to be cleaned up. Volunteers will be sweeping out and mopping the floors as well as putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

When: October 22nd,2011 (8:15am-11:00am)
Where: Juvenile Prison; volunteers will meet at the M-Tech Campus Motor Pool
Event: Volunteers will be working with inmates at the local Juvenile Prison

Stone Child College (Box Elder, MT / Rocky Boy Reservation)
Contact: Michael Yegerlehner - myegerlehner@stonechild.edu (573-822-6171)
When: October 20th, 26th, &27th (8:00am-10:00am)
Where: Kennewash Hall Foyer, Stone Child College
Event: Student volunteers will be organizing a coat drive for both adults and children in need that live in the local community.

University Of Montana (Missoula, MT)
Contact: Shanna Ungate – shanna.ungate@mso.umt.edu (406-243-5106)
When: October 15th, 2011 (12:30pm-4:30pm)
Where: PEAS Farm (3010 Duncan Dr.)
Event: The Campus Corps group at UM will be collaborating with local non-profit organization Garden City Harvest; specifically, they will be volunteering at their annual Fall Harvest Festival which takes place at the PEAS farm.

University of Montana - Northern (Havre, MT)
Contact: Grace Milanowski - campuscorps@msun.edu (406-265-3577)
When:October 22nd, 2011
Where:Salvation Army of Havre, MT
Event: Volunteers will be helping out with some general cleaning, raking, shredding papers: important things that the staff does not have time to do!

When: October 29th, 2011
Where: Head Start of Havre, MT Event: Volunteers will be lending a hand with some much needed playground maintenance: painting windows in play areas, raking up and redistributing wood-chips under play areas, replacing sand in the sand box, and repainting toy sheds.

University of Montana - Western (Dillon, MT)
Contact: Cheyanne Marcy – campuscorps@umwestern.edu (406-683-7202)
When: October 8th, 2011
Where: Virginia City town park
Event: Campus Corps volunteers from UM-Western scheduled their Make a Difference Day event a few weeks prior to the official date, as their project needed to be completed before the weather got too cold. On Saturday October 8th, the group traveled to Virginia City where they spent a full day taking part in the town’s city park clean up/weatherization/ restoration project. Specifically, they primed & painted the city bathroom building, stained picnic tables, and trimmed the trees and shrubs surrounding the broom ball/ice-skating rink. The Virginia City community was very grateful for all of their hard work and for all of the improvements that they made happen.

When:October 21st & 22nd, 2011
Where: Bannack, MT
Event: On October 21st & 22nd, volunteers from UM-W will be travelling to the historic ghost town of Bannack, MT to light the way for the town’s annual historic ghost walk.

2011 Building Engaged Citizens Conference : The Culture of Service

2011-10-10T17:27:00.001-06:00

The Building Engaged Citizens Conference (BEC) is an annual training event for individuals affiliated with the Montana Campus Compact and its programs. This year, thanks in part to Campus Compact and the Jenzabar Foundation, BEC has been expanded to include tribal campuses from around the country, providing participants sessions on the "culture of service". Students and Service members have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, cultural awareness, and undergo skills training.

This year’s conference will take place in Billings, with lodging at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana and training activities hosted by MSU-Billings College of Technology, a Campus Compact member institution. This year's conference promises to be a worthwhile experience for all who attend. Not only will you gain valuable knowledge and skills to better equip you to serve your communities, but it also provides an opportunity to meet and make connections with other AmeriCorps members serving throughout the state. Register now at www.regonline.com/BEC2011

Featured Leader : Katie Wise!

2011-10-10T12:07:00.000-06:00

Meet Katie Wise, Campus Corps leader at Fort Peck Community College located in Poplar, MT on the Fort Peck reservation. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado Katie headed east to attend Kalamazoo College located in Michigan where she fostered her natural creative juices by pursuing a degree in English with a focus in creative writing. Her years spent at college must have suited her well, as she now aspires to pursue a career in Higher Education, specifically as an English professor. When she's not voraciously reading novels or writing her own stories,you can likely find Katie using her creative talent in a variety of crafts. Not only is she an excellent knitter and sewer, she has just has recently taken up the art of beading as well. And don't be surprised to find her absorbed in an old movie while working on her many projects - she loves old films and the Turner Classics are hands down her favorite! Certainly a woman of many interests, I can only provide you with a mere glimpse of the amazing individual that is Katie Wise, so on that note I encourage you to get to know her yourself!

Campus Corps Hits the Road

2011-10-02T22:15:00.001-06:00

From our home base in beautiful Missoula, the Campus Corps Network Office works hard to support our campuses widespread across the state in the great work that they do for their communities. As much as modern technology has enabled us to effectively serve campuses from afar, there's really nothing like the real thing. Lucky for us, the Campus Corps staff get the chance to see firsthand the great things that you have going on at your campuses during our site visits, which take place at a couple of points throughout the year.

As Senior Leader, it has been especially exciting for me to see my leaders "in their element" and I continue to find myself exceedingly impressed by the amazing work that they do to build their programs, to support their members, and ultimately to serve their local communities. Furthermore, I am exhilarated by the fact that they have made such remarkable strides so early on in the year. At this rate there is no telling what great things will transpire come spring!

Next stop: the Hi-Line. That's right, tomorrow I will be making my way up to Havre, MT and can't wait to see what Corps Leaders Michael, Grace, Alison, and their Corps members are up to!

Leader Profile : Cheyanne Marcy -UM-Western

2011-09-20T11:26:00.000-06:00

Meet Cheyanne, Campus Corps leader at the University of Montana -Western, her alma mater whrere she received a B.S. in Business Administration. Cheyanne is a Montana native and was raised in Hamilton, MT; but, driven by her passion for the great outdoors and specifically for snowboarding, she hopes to one day reside in the great frontier state of Alaska. Her dedication to creating opportunities to foster healthier futures for both the young and old is something that she intends to incorporate into her future career endeavors, and this focus area has already led her to become involved in several Diabetes prevention efforts.

Cheyanne has already impressed us with her leadership skills having organized an entire WEEK of events in support of the 9/11 National Day of Service, including a community wide collection of recyclable plastics that yielded over 1600 lbs of plastic! Not only has she gone above and beyond her call to serve, but she has done it all with a huge smile on her face - and if you have had the opportunity to meet Cheyanne then you know exactly what I am referring to!

9/11 National Day of Service

2011-09-08T14:06:00.108-06:00

With the remembrance of the national tragedy that took place on September 11th ten years ago comes our first AmeriCorps National Service Day of the year. What better way to honor those lives lost than to join together in solidarity with our neighbors to be of service to our communities? The hard work of our Corps leaders is reflected in the impressive number of Campus Corps-supported service projects taking place throughout the state. If you haven't signed up yet, it's not too late to get involved. Contact your nearby Corps leader to see how you can participate in this year's 9/11 national Day of Service!

MSU-Billings

Contact: Hazel Todd – hazel.todd@msubillings.edu (406-896-5815)

Event: 9/11 Memorial Dedication Ceremony

Where: The West end of the MSUB College of Technology's campus

When: September 11th, 2011 (2:00pm)

To learn more about the event, visit http://www.msubillings.edu/911memorial/

Rocky Mountain College (Billings, MT)

Contact: Contact: Jill Washburn – jill.washburn@rocky.edu (406-238-7394)

Event: Disaster Relief in Roundup, MT
Where: Roundup, MT
When: August 27th, 2011 (8:00am-12:00pm)

Event: United Way Day of Caring at Rocky Mountain College: Chapel Clean-Up & Restoration
Where: Losekamp Hall, Rocky Mountain Campus
When: September 14th, 2011 (1:00pm)

Montana Tech (Butte, MT)

Contact: : Sean Cochrane – scochrane@mtech.edu (406-496-4692)

Event: Disaster Preparedness Fair

Where: Butte's Stodden Park

When: September 11th, 2011

MSU - Western (Dillon, MT)

Contact: Cheyanne Marcy – campuscorps@umwestern.edu (406-683-7202)

Event: Harvest of Campus Community Garden and delivery of food to local food bank

Where: MUS-N campus/local food bank

When: September 6^th, 2011 (harvesting); September 7^th, 2011 (Delivery of food)

Event: Guest Speaker Leaf Magnuson followed by outdoor Plastic Awareness Session

Where: MSUN campus

When: September 8^th, 2011

Event: City wide collection of recyclable plastics

When: September 10th, 2011

Where: Dillon, MT - contact Cheyanne for further details

Dawson Community College (Glendive, MT)

Contact: Jacob Kilgore – volunteer@dawson.edu (406-377-9460)

Event: Children's activities for Glendive's Historic Bell St. Bridge Celebration

When: September 11th, 2011

Where: Eyer Park, Glendive MT

Event: Supplies Distribution to Veterans

When: September 17th, 2011

Where: Eastern Montana Showdown (Richard County Fairgrounds) - Sydney, MT

MSU - Great Falls (Great Falls – MT)

Contact: TC Knutson – campuscorps@msugf.edu (406-771-4324)

Event: Residence Clean-up and decoration in collaboration with NeighborWorks

When: September 10th, 2011 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Where: 1701 21^st Ave S

MSU- Northern (Havre, MT)

Contact: Grace Milanowski – campuscorps@msun.edu (406-265-3577)

Event: City Cleanup & Recycle Drive
When: September 10th, 2011 9:00 - 12:00pm
Where: Corner of 5th Ave & 1st St. , Havre, MT

Event: Disaster Preparedness workshop

When: September 12th, 2011 4:00pm-6:00pm

Where: Boys & Girls Club of Havre

Event: Serving Breakfast to Honor Emergency Personnel

When: September 11th, 2011 9:00am

Where: Van Orsdel United Methodist Church

Stone Child Community College (Box Elder, MT/ Rocky Boy Reservation)

in collaboration with Fort Belknap College & MSU-Northern

Contact : MIchael Yegerlehner - myegerlehner@stonechild.edu

Event: Community Trash Clean Up

When: Spetember 8th, 2011 (5:00-6:30pm)

Where: Kennewash Hall, Stone Child College, 824 Upper Box Elder Rd

Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell, MT)

Contact: Aubrey DeLone - campuscorps@fvcc.edu (406-756-3372)

Event: Habitat for Humanity build

When: September 10th (9:00am-4:00pm)

Where: Contact Aubrey for location details

University of Montana (Missoula, MT)

Contact: Shanna Ungate – shanna.ungate@mso.umt.edu (406-243-5106)

Event: Toiletry Drive with Women's Opportunity & Resource Development

When: September 9th (3:00-7:00pm)

Where: Orange Street Food Farm (701 South Orange St.)

MSU - Bozeman

Contact: Alexandra Black - teamleader@montana.edu (406-994-6902)

Event: Interfaith Memorial Service with food drive

When: September 11th, 2011 (2:30pm)

Where: First Presbyterian Church (26 W Babcock St.)

Fall Leader/ Coordinator Orientation

2011-09-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

Making the trek from all corners of our beautiful state, this year's group of Campus Corps leaders had the opportunity to spend some quality time together at the Montana Campus Corps headquarters here in Missoula. This year we mixed things up by having their coordinators join in on the festivities, which allowed for some quality project planning & goal setting time for each campus.

During orientation Corps leaders gained valuable leadership skills preparing them to best support corps members serving on their campuses as well as several new tools to assist in their efforts to facilitate team building activities and meaningful group reflections. Additionally, they had the opportunity to establish contacts for potential collaboration efforts in the future; not only amongst each other but also with other State and National AmeriCorps programs currently working to meet critical community needs throughout the state of Montana. It's always exciting to hear about our members joining forces with other programs to maximize the impact that they can have on their communities!

On Thursday morning leaders had the chance to get off campus and down in the dirt, as we travelled to Garden City Harvest's Orchard Garden for a service project. With their fall crops ready to be harvested, we spent the morning picking broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, & tomatillos (and of course, the best part- sampling some of each along the way!). Our team was kept on track by Sarah and Kate, who we were excited to discover was a fellow Campus Corps member and had spent the summer working as a volunteer at the garden. Not only did we experience some hands-on learning, but we also learned about the great work that Garden City Harvest does throughout the community from various education initiatives, to providing food to Missoulians in-need, to running the Youth Harvest program for at-risk adolescents.

Overall, orientation was a great success and leaders returned to their respective campuses more than ready to hit the ground running for fall semester!

Montana Campus Compact 2011-2012 - Let's Get This Started!

2011-08-18T11:07:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Montana Campus Compact 2011-2012! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take over the role of Senior Leader and am excited to do my part in carrying on the tradition of working to expand and build upon the invaluable service work that Montana Campus Compact makes possible. I certainly have some big shoes to fill (as Zach certainly did an incredible job last year leading the troops) but I am up for the challenge!

I am proud to report that we have an EXCELLENT group of Corps Leaders who will be the driving force behind Montana Campus Compact in collaborating with our local communities to pursue social justice initiatives throughout the state. I have been truly inspired by many of the stories shared by former Corps members and CANNOT WAIT to hear about the amazing work that you will do in the upcoming year! Hope you're all getting ready to bring your energy and enthusiasm to the table to make 2011-2012 the best year yet!

Katherine

Welcome 2011-2012 Corps Leaders!

2011-08-12T13:43:00.003-06:00

What an exciting selection process it has been this year! We've had around 60 qualified applicants to fill 12 spots around Montana.

We are welcoming with open arms:

Aubrey Delone to Flathead Valley Community College
Alison Graham to Fort Belknap College
Katherine Wise to Fort Peck Community College
Alexandra Black to Montana State University, Bozeman
Hazel Todd to Montana State University, Billings
TC Knutson to Montana State University, Great Falls
Sean Cochrane to Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Michael Yegerlehner to Stone Child College
Shanna Ungate to the University of Montana, Missoula
Grace Milanowski to the University of Montana, Northern
Cheyanne Marcy to the University of Montana, Western
Katherine Brady to the Montana Campus Compact as Senior Leader

AND! We would like to welcome back Jill Washburn at Rocky Mountain College and Jacob Kilgore at Dawson Community College for their second-term with the Campus Corps Program. You both have been inspirational leaders for both your campuses and we're lucky to have you again.

This strong, solid group will continue the great work that is done in Montana. Your communities will flourish with the skills and knowledge that you all have to offer.

This will also be my last posting! Thanks to the Montana Campus Compact for making this an incredibly meaningful year for me. I'll be sad to leave, but know that I'll see you all around Missoula in the short future. A float down the river perhaps!?

Yours in service,
Zach

ANOTHER Great Story from this past year of service!

2011-07-20T12:42:00.004-06:00

Geeze! It's time for a blog update. I apologize as we're in the midst of accepting applications and interviewing for our next round of spectacular Corps Leaders! I happened upon Ms. Dixie Geer's Great Story last week and considered it noteworthy! Dixie was serving as a Corps member at MSU- Northern in Havre and is a second year returning member. This is what she has to say about her Campus Corps experience:

"My” Great Story” begins as I walk down the sidewalk through the double doors to Northern Montana’s Care Center to my service site.

I anxiously sat in a chair listening to Ila the activity coordinator about the needs of some of the residents at the care center. Since, some of the residents are confined to their rooms and have little or no social contact with the real world, Ila wanted to know if I would be interested in one on one with these residents. One on one consisted of going to the resident’s room to visit, read, play games such as cards, checkers, or just listen. I thought to myself, this would be great and not so hard, I can do this. The people of the older generation are full of knowledge and wisdom and have great stories about their adventures in life, I was really looking forward to my job.

On my first day, Pat, Ila’s assistant explained what was required of the job position and gave me a tour of the facility, North, South, East, and West wings. The second day I was given a list of resident’s names and their room numbers. I was to go around and visit these residents, introduce myself and see if there was anything I could do for them in the way of a social activity. I felt a bit nervous doing this as I didn’t know any of the residents and they didn’t know me. I went around with my list of names and visited with the residents introducing myself, explaining I was a Campus Corps volunteer and I was here to see if there was something I could do for them. At the end of the day I was mentally exhausted and left with tears in my eyes running down my cheeks. I thought to myself, this was harder emotionally than I thought it would be, I don’t know if I can do this? I turned around and looked at the entrance I just came out of and another thought came to mind, there is a reason I was sent here, they must need me.

I returned to the care center time and again. I finished my service hours there and still continue to volunteer Mondays and Thursdays as that is a big day for residents as it is” Bingo Day “and the staff can use extra help. There are days that are very challenging, especially when we lose a resident as they are all unique and very special to us. But then there are days that are very rewarding and priceless. Such as; curling someone’s hair making them feel beautiful, having more confidence, priceless, painting their fingernails treating them like they are in a salon, having them leave with an air of elegance, priceless, helping them get ready for when their family comes to take them out for their birthday dinner, ( you have to have on the right outfit and your hair has to be perfect ) when the family arrives they are all giddy and excited, priceless, when you walk into the Ponderosa Room to play Bingo and one of the residents uses sign language to tell you he loves you, priceless. These are just a few of the many rewarding and priceless moments I have experienced with the residents at the care center during my term this year as a Campus Corps member. I want to thank-you Campus Corps for allowing me to experience these priceless moments. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity without you.

Dixie"

Dixie - we're glad to call you Campus Corps alum! You've been an incredible help to the community of Havre these past two years and we hope that you continue to do great work wherever you are :)

A really Great, Great Story :)

2011-06-02T12:52:00.004-06:00

Submitted by Christine Trafford, Campus Corps Member at Montana Tech:

"Self-Esteem

As a Corps Member, I go regularly to the Legion Oasis Community Center to aid in tutoring and mentoring the low-income children who attend their programs. One day, I arrived a little bit late and found the children (ages 7-8) had set the table and were setting out the after-school snack and pouring their juice.

You have to understand that these were the same children who (not 2 months before) were rampaging around, making a mess and completely disregarding the tutors authority. When I asked them why they had gone ahead and done this themselves instead of playing until I got their to serve them snack, they said," We are volunteering! We wanted to help you out just like you help us." When I asked them why they would volunteer, they said, looking confused, "Well, because its what everyone should do." Since then, they have helped me with snack every day."

Way to set an incredible example Christine! Maybe one/some of those critters will end up in an AmeriCorps position some day :)

The leader of the week is...

2011-05-20T12:34:00.004-06:00

ME! Zach Hirsch!I picked myself since it was my birthday two days ago. Self-serving? A little bit. A lotta bit actually. But hey! As a full time leader, I'd have to appear at some point..and it seemed like a good time. I also had to weed through some photos to find something appropriate. Most schools have had their graduation ceremonies recently and I think this relic is spot on.

So without further ADO...here is the leader bio that Ms. Katie Koga wrote up for me during our first retreat:

"Born and raised in Rockland County, NY, Zach Hirsch is a recent transplant to the Missoula community. Zach received his undergrad in Graphic Design and Black and White Photography at Fordham University. His shift in gears to service work came out of, “a need for a sense of fulfillment in life.” A few things you should know about Zach is that he is a Taurus, he has four siblings (the oldest is 35 and the youngest is 10), and his first name is really Harris. Zach is currently thrilled about becoming the new owner of a Siberian husky pup."

An update: My landlord said no to the pup and I have yet to get one :(

That is all for now! I also really enjoy to dance. I'm currently listening to LCD Soundsystem, "Someone Great" and driving Ms. Emily Clark absolutely insane (as always...).

Calling all Leaders!

2011-05-03T13:41:00.004-06:00

Corps Leaders for the 2010-2011 year above! (back row, left to right) Jenny Wilson - SKC, Julia Spangler - M-Tech, Laura d'Esterre - CC, Jill Washburn - RMC, Katie Koga - UM, Marina O'Brien - FPCC, Wendy Jeschke - FVCC, Jon Stephani - UMW, (middle row) Zach Hirsch - MTCC, Stephen Johansson - MSU, Del Mundel-Watson - MSUN, Anne Grady - MSUB, Catherine Avery - MSUGF, Jacob Kilgore - DCC, (front row) John Davis - BCC

**Are you a recent graduate or an engaged citizen seeking an opportunity to serve Montana and lead college students? Are you looking for an intensive, full-time service experience that will challenge you to "get things done" every day for 12 months? If so, consider applying to serve as a Campus Corps Leader!

A general position description can be found here. Online applications for 2011-2012 Campus Corps Leader positions are currently being accepted via the MyAmeriCorps Portal. Do you have what it takes to be a leader?

We're already starting to review applications, so please do not hesitate to apply sooner rather than later! Good luck!

Laura d'Esterre - Donate Life Today

2011-04-21T10:24:00.002-06:00

Above is a video of Corps Leader, Laura d'Esterre, in Helena on April 8th at the Capital Rotunda Donate Life Kick Off! Way to represent Carroll College! For those that are anxious to see what your efforts are looking like so far...here are the updated numbers since yesterday, April 20th:

Event	# of new registrants	# of already registered	# of individuals not from MT or WA	Total # of school participants

MT - Carroll College	1	0	0	1
MT - Dawson Community College	0	1	0	1
MT - Flathead Valley Community College	13	86	0	99
MT - Fort Belknap College	1	0	0	1
MT - MSU Bozeman Alpha Omnicron Pi	4	2	0	6
MT - MSU Bozeman Pi Beta Phi	1	0	1	2
MT - Montana State University-Billings	3	12	3	18
MT - Montana State University-Bozeman	6	11	11	28
MT - Montana State University-Northern	12	39	1	52
MT - Rocky Mountain College	4	3	0	7
MT - The University of Montana-Helena COT	1	0	0	1
MT - The University of Montana-Missoula	1	5	0	6
MT - The University of Montana-Western	12	77	2	91

TOTALS	59	236	18	313

It's already a close race! Remember, if your campus is struggling to find NEW registrants - reach out into your community - get off campus! Make some phone calls and see if you can set up a table at a local community center, health & wellness center, the supermarket, etc.

Remember, if you have ANY questions...Mary Graff at Lifecenter Northwest is available for questions. Her contact info is:
email: MaryG@lcnw.org
phone: 425-201-6591

Good luck in the meantime!

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-04-19T11:38:00.002-06:00

Jon Stephani!

This year's Spring Summit was a HUGE success in part because of this guy right here! Jon, congratulations on your "Couer du Corps" Award at Spring Summit. You certainly embody what this program is all about.

"Jon is in his second term as the team leader at the University of Montana Western. He hails from Corvallis, MT, where he grew up on a ranch. Jon received his bachelor’s degree in literature and writing and plans to complete a master’s degree in non-profit management in the future. Jon is very involved in the community of Dillon. He volunteers for the area crisis hotline, hosts a radio program, and he has also coached high school soccer. One of the many projects Jon has started at UMW involves repairing bikes and donating them to low-income families. Jon enjoys hunting, fishing, writing, and strolling in the great outdoors. His friends have described him as a fun-loving, free-spirited nomad of knowledge! "

If you'd like to learn about volunteer opportunities in or near Dillon, MT - send Jon an email at campuscorps@umwestern.edu

Start shakin in your boots...

2011-04-07T14:39:00.005-06:00

Myyyy oh myyyy...

I've gotten some great emails from leaders talking about what is going on at their campus regarding Donate Life efforts. For those that do not know, Donate Life Month runs through the entire month of April. We've also charged all campuses with a friendly competition to see who will register the most NEW registrants for the 2011 year. Where will these traveling trophies go!?

Del at MSU-Northern and his team are tabling every day for a couple hours this month! Here are some photos "fresh off the press" today:

Team Members Amanda(left) and Dixie (right) run their Donate Life Today table! Looks like someone is registering already...

It doesn't stop here though...I got an email from Mr. Stephen Johansson at MSU-Bozeman about his Donate Life Today efforts. Remember Stephen? No? Maybe you'll remember him better by his other name, Santa Paws:

Back to business...Stephen has organized for there to be a Donate Life Display Case, a banner at their Student Union Building, Tabling at the SUB, Tabling at the United Blood Services Drive, Tabling at the Red Cross Blood Drive, Tabling at the Air Force ROTC Blood Drive, then moving the banner to Wilson Hall.

Stephen has also orchestrated a campus-wide mini-challenge to Bozeman's Fraternitys and Sororities.

THEY ALSO...have a link set up on their website! Check it out here:
http://www.montana.edu/community/programs/donatelife/index.html

AND ALSO...(catching my breath here)....have sent Donate Life PSAs to Campus Communications. Emails will be sent to Friends and Families in the community with steps on how to donate.

.......................

What are your Campuses plans!?

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-04-07T09:39:00.003-06:00

Jacob Kilgore!

Jacob was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Georgia, and has recently moved to Eastern Montana. He enjoys literature, philosophy, and folk music. Jacob decided to volunteer now and study later after attending one semester at the University of West Georgia. His ambitions are to complete the undergrad program at New College of Florida, join the Peace Corps, and one day get a degree in law.

Having experienced the 2,000 miles of America in between here and his home, Jacob is thoroughly excited about volunteering at Dawson Community College this year.

If you're interested in volunteer opportunities in Glendive, MT, please contact him at volunteer@dawson.edu!

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-03-28T13:57:00.002-06:00

Jill Washburn!

Jill was selected this week as Eric and I visited with her this past Friday for Rocky Mountain College's Site Visit. Things have been going so well over there, that I felt that she deserved a lil' shout out!

Jill Washburn was born in Lagos, Nigeria Africa. She is trained in disaster response through the American Red Cross of Montana on the local response team and as a state duty officer, instructor and national volunteer. Through the Red Cross she also works with members of the armed forces and their families in times of need. Jill used to live in Burlington, Vermont, but now lives in Billings, Montana. She has a BS in Sociology and an AA in Liberal Arts. Jill finds a sense of fulfillment when giving back to others and is excited about helping college students get involved in that work. When asked what she would do if she was given $100 million? She replied with putting the money in an endowment for the American Red Cross of Montana. Jill is the Campus Corps Leader over at Rocky Mountain College for the 2010-2011 year, so please contact her if you’d like to get involved with serving for your community! Her email is jill.washburn@rocky.edu

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-03-17T11:39:00.005-06:00

KATIE KOGAAA!!

Katie was selected today, because we just had our site visit with her yesterday!

Katie Koga (all the way on the left) grew up in Minnesota (DONTCHA KNOW!) She studied Fine Art at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Katie constantly likes to learn and be challenged with new experiences (playing the banjo being one of them). She’d consider herself a professional hobbyist. Maybe she can knit you a hat, if you’re nice. Another fun fact – She recently biked down the West Coast, starting in WA going all the way down to Southern CA. Anyone else jealous? In terms of service, Katie is interested in learning new ways to engage people in their communities. If you’ve got any out-of-the-box ideas for recruitment methods or new knitting patterns, please let her know.

Katie is based at the University of Montana - Missoula and can be reached at katie.koga@mso.umt.edu

...if you mention something about the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous in your email, it may get pushed to the top of her inbox. Just saying.

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-03-07T12:23:00.002-07:00

Jenny Wilson!

Jenny Wilson, twenty six (but her birthday is this Thursday - March 10th, maybe send her a gift. I hear she likes good coffee) was born and raised in Tula, Mississippi. She Graduated from The University of Mississippi in 2006 with a Bachelors in Liberal Arts. As a child, Jenny was always fascinated with books and stories of the American West, but had never been there. She found the Campus Corps team leader position in Butte, MT at Montana Tech of the University of Montana during 2009-2010 and served there. She is currently serving a second term for Campus Corps at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT. She lives in the Pablo with her ten month old puppy, LoLo and enjoys running, biking, hiking and snowboarding in her spare time.

Jenny has uploaded her Make a Difference Day album on facebook. She and her team participated in SKC's Breast Cancer awareness walk. Take a look at the album HERE!

If you're in the surrounding are of Pablo, MT - Jenny is a great resource for getting involved in the community there. She'll even supply some cowboy coffee if you show up at one of her events! To get in contact with Jenny, email her at jennifer_wilson@skc.edu

This week's Team Leader Biography is...

2011-03-02T11:17:00.004-07:00

Laura D’Esterre!

Laura is the Campus Corps Leader at Carroll College in Helena. Laura was born in Packagetown, New Jersey (the home of Starburst). She went to correspondence school for 12 years and then decided to go to Carroll College. She graduated from Carroll, double majoring in History and Theology. Laura's goal is to be a marriage and family counselor in the future. One thing you probably didn't know about Laura, is that she has 9 siblings and 21 nieces and nephews! Laura likes Folk and Country music, and her favorite song is “Fishin in the Dark.”

To see Laura and her team in action, check out her Make a Difference Day Album on Facebook!

If you'd like to get involved with the community in Helena, Laura is a great contact. Send her an email at LdEsterr@carroll.edu.

The Leader Bio of the week is...

2011-02-24T12:09:00.003-07:00

Marina O’Brien!!

Marina O'Brien was born and raised in Poplar, MT. A mother of four, she will be working on her Bachelor's in Education at the Fort Peck Community College. She is passionate about music, nature and children. It warms her heart to see a kid smile. One day, she hopes to incorporate music and nature into her classroom, wherever that may be.

As for now, Marina intends to focus her time, energy and effort on reservation-wide issues like suicide prevention, diabetes and K-12 education by volunteering with the Montana Campus Corps at the Fort Peck Community College.

To get in touch with Marina about volunteer opportunities around the Fort Peck Reservation, please contact her at mobrien@fpcc.edu