Year of Graduation: 2009
Major: Sociology and Psychology
Current Address: Bloomington, IL
How were you engaged with ARC? Not just the seminar/internship/fellowship but describe the type of project.
Seminar- Did an analysis of nonprofits abilities to provide services in Spanish. Worked with the Hispanic Families Workgroup
CPP- worked with the green initiative in public affairs at State Farm. Worked on a disaster preparedness plan for renters for the American Red Cross.
Where are you now?
Currently a stay at home mom to a wonderful little girl in Bloomington!
Where did ARC take you professionally? Are you doing work that connects back to ARC in some way?
Upon graduation I worked at Marcfirst in the Supported Employment department. I managed a team that helped adults with disabilities find employment. I left there to work for the Regional Office of Education 17 where I was a transition specialist, assisting high school students with disabilities as they participated in a co-op work program and transitioned out of high school into adult opportunities. ARC prepared me for both of these opportunities by giving me problem solving skills, confidence, and community connections!
Where did ARC take you personally? Are you engaged in community work that is ARC-like?
I am a board member for Milestones Early Learning Center, help plan a 5k at IWU to fundraise for a memorial scholarship (takes place on homecoming), and volunteer at the humane society.
Did ARC teach you what we were supposed to teach you? Did we teach you anything that was a surprise or outside of the learning objectives?
ARC was an amazing experience! The practical skills of working in a professional environment, asset mapping, communication skills, resume writing, etc. are so valuable. Also, growing and developing confidence, knowing I could complete projects with little direction on my own, was a huge personal development.