Claire Louge - AmeriCorps Alum Story
“I can say with confidence that my year of service was the key to launching my career….AmeriCorps gave me direction.”
When I graduated college in 2008, I didn’t know what to do with my life. I knew I wanted to do something meaningful, and I knew I was ready to leave my hometown in upstate New York, but other than that, I had very little purpose or direction.
I learned about AmeriCorps from a friend who had done a year of service herself. When I browsed the website and saw the hundreds of available service projects, AmeriCorps seemed like an excellent opportunity. I applied and was offered a position working with First Things First, an early childhood health and education agency in Arizona. A couple weeks later, I packed up my little Toyota and headed west.
I can say with confidence that my year of service was the key to launching my career. My education, previous work experience, and internships had given me a foundation, but AmeriCorps gave me direction. Through AmeriCorps, I was able to discover, develop and apply my professional strengths. It also helped me make important connections that led me to the next steps in my life.
After my year of service with them, First Things First hired me as a Community Outreach Coordinator, a role I know I would not have gotten without my AmeriCorps experience. Four years later, I was hired as the Director of Training and Outreach with Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, a statewide non-profit organization. I now coordinate conferences and trainings that help professionals prevent child maltreatment, understand the effects of childhood trauma, or effectively investigate crimes against children.
There’s a lot more work that needs to be done in this country to resolve inequalities, ensure children have the opportunities they deserve, and support people in need. My work may be a tiny part of the solution, but it feels good to align my career with something I know is meaningful. For that, I have AmeriCorps to thank.