VISTA, Montgomery County Community College

Posted by on May 19, 2006

Montgomery County Community College is seeking to fill a full-time AmeriCorps*VISTA position, funded through the Pennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC). The VISTA member will report through the Student Activities Office. This one-year position starts August 21, 2006.

Montgomery County is considered by those who work in social service agencies as ?pockets of poverty in a sea of affluence?. It is the goal of this project to focus on community service opportunities that address those pockets of poverty. Montgomery County Community College has a history of strong support for the community it serves and involvement of student clubs and organizations in community-based service. This VISTA Project is designed to expand student involvement in community service through targeting those service efforts to the projects of greatest need in Norristown and Pottstown.

The VISTA member will work with the faculty to implement service-learning in the curriculum. Through an increase in the use of service-learning in the classroom, there will be an increase of community involvement in Montgomery County. The VISTA will also work to recruit student leaders to become active participants in our community, specifically focusing on establishing a tutoring and mentoring program in the Norristown and Pottstown areas.

The PACC-VISTA member will be expected to:
1. Partner with community-based organizations that provide social services and school districts to identify how the college can best meet the needs of those in poverty/
2. Expand student involvement in community service by providing central coordination and a visible point of contact for students, faculty, and community-based organizations, as it relates to addressing poverty issues in Norristown and Pottstown, specifically targeting families and children.
3. Increase awareness of service-learning on the campuses and demonstrate how it can be integrated into both co-curricular programs and educational courses to extend the college?s reach into Montgomery County.

For more information, please contact Brian Brendlinger, Director of Student Activities at 215-641-6579 or bbrendli@mc3.edu.