Gena Bigler: Public service changed me,
and I recommend it for all young people

A commercial changed my life. Late one night in my college dorm, I was alone in the commons room watching television and pretending to study when a commercial for AmeriCorps came on. I was thinking about switching my field of study and had a strong belief in volunteer work. AmeriCorps sounded like a dream come true. You serve for a year in a nonprofit or government agency and receive a living stipend and an educational grant to help pay for school.

The two years I spent in public service truly changed my life; they changed me. I am a better person because of those years. I also graduated college with minimal debt. The average college graduate carries $25,000 in debt along with their bachelor’s degree. Private college students who go on to graduate school can carry over $100,000 in debt. Crippling debt is a hard way to start a self-sufficient life.

The educational grants I earned from AmeriCorps and V.I.S.T.A. covered a good bit of my college costs. Even more valuable was the real life experience I received. Before I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I knew how to write a business letter, an effective fundraising letter and a successful grant proposal. I met senators and renowned artists. I organized people and events and saw the results of my work daily. Working in a small nonprofit, you see how your work directly benefits the community. It’s a powerful thing to know you’ve made a difference in someone’s life.

It is also powerful to see how diverse our nation is. We may be the land of milk and honey, but not everyone is fed. I heard women talk about basic hygiene supplies as luxuries, which soap was the best stand-in for shampoo and how little detergent to use and still have clean clothes. The “working poor” have hungry mothers and underfed children. I saw solidly middle class families forced to come to the food bank because of a lost job.

The harder thing to describe is seeing the innate strength and ability to overcome. I saw people who had endured horrible abuse who were still able to laugh and embrace a desire to help others. I saw people with very little share what they had. The generosity of a community to support those in need is beautiful to witness; it’s even better to be a part of it.

AmeriCorps and V.I.S.T.A. are doorways to vast and varied experiences. There are jobs in nearly every field and in every state and territory. I describe AmeriCorps as a domestic Peace Corps. Members serve in our own community.

As I watched television that night, I called the 800 number on the screen to find out more. A few weeks later I received a catalog of jobs (it’s all online now: www.americorps.gov ). I found a good fit in my own town, and when that year of service was up, I applied for positions in regions of the country I’d never been to. It was a wonderful way to experience another community.

I think every young person could benefit from a year of AmeriCorps or V.I.S.T.A. If you know someone ready for college, just out of college or unsure of his or her next move, suggest looking into AmeriCorps; the benefits are immeasurable.

Gena Bigler is passionate about public service and credits her time serving nonprofits in AmeriCorps and Volunteers in Service to America (V.I.S.T.A.) with teaching her extreme budgeting and bargain shopping. Gena is now CFO of a Kentucky business and serves on the board of the Kentucky RiverKeeper.  Gena would be happy to hear from you at lgbigler@gmail.com.