2020-2021 AmeriCorps VISTA Team
Carolyn Brady – Maine Campus Compact
Carolyn Brady currently serves as Maine’s COVID-19 Recovery AmeriCorps VISTA, where she will spend her year of service compiling and disseminating pertinent information to recovery efforts of K-12 and higher education institutions due to the Coronavirus pandemic. She is very excited to serve in her capacity as a VISTA and work to support the needs of low-income students across northern New England.
Abby Bohlen – Maine Campus Compact
Abby is the STEM Collaboration VISTA on the USM-LAC campus, working as a liaison between higher education institutions and K-12 schools to help strengthen STEM education.
Christopher Castañeda – Bates College
Christopher serves as the Community Engagement Fellow at the Harward Center at Bates College, and serves with the Office of Residence Life and Health Education to provide accessible community engagement opportunities for students based on community needs. He has been developing a virtual tutoring/enrichment program for K-8 students to maintain access to resources schools are unable to offer.
Kate Ruehle – University of Maine at Augusta
Kristina serves as the Office of Service-Learning and Volunteering’s STEM Coordinator. Her role entails managing and expanding the 4-H STEM Ambassador and STEM Sister programs, primarily through volunteer recruitment and faculty support. She is currently working on constructing a mentorship program under the STEM Sisters initiative that connects local STEM professionals, university students, and high-schoolers.
Elissa Kane – University of New England
Elissa works with the University of New England Office of Citizenship and Civic Engagement. She works to expand upon the America Reads America Counts Tutor Program to offer online tutoring to elementary school students in the area. She also works collaboratively with the instructors of the Citizenship 400 seminar to offer volunteer opportunities to engage UNE students in the community. Currently, Elissa is organizing a spring clean-up in a local park that the office recently adopted.
Hannah Rose – University of Maine
Hannah runs the Black Bear Mentors and Black Bear Tutors programs. She has pivoted both programs to virtual platforms in an effort to meet the changing needs of students across the state in light of COVID-19, and as part of the Black Bear Mentors and Tutors ongoing goals to improve access to higher education for K-12 students. Hannah also helps to facilitate food distribution at UMaine’s on-campus food pantry, the Black Bear Exchange.
Molly Cassidy – University of Maine Augusta at Bangor
Molly serves with New Ventures Maine and the University of Maine at Augusta’s Bangor Campus. She coordinates financial education opportunities for current and prospective students at UMA Bangor, and provides financial resources to students and community members. She also assists faculty and staff at UMA Bangor and New Ventures Maine to promote student success and retention.
UMPI AmeriCorps Member – University of Maine at Presque Isle
The UMPI AmeriCorps member works to expand college access and success for low-income students through an active participation in TRIO programs, developing and sustaining solid partnerships with the campus and local communities, management of on-campus projects that support low-income students, and coordinating training of student employees to promote mentor program goals and outcomes.
2019-2020
Madelyn Holm – Maine Campus Compact
Madelyn worked with Maine Campus Compact as a Vista for two years, serving with Southern Maine Community College in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. After a brief hiatus from nonprofits she is excited to be working with our incredible team of Vistas throughout the state. Over the course of her service term, Madelyn is hoping to engage more campuses in the Vista Program moving forward, and is excited to work with the MCC Vista alumni community to take stock of past programs for future prospects within Maine.
Tessa Winship – University of Maine Augusta at Bangor
Tessa is serving New Ventures Maine and UMA’s Bangor Campus. She coordinates financial education opportunities for current and prospective students of UMA Bangor, as well as provides financial resources to students and community members. Tessa works with the faculty/staff of UMA Bangor, along with the staff at New Ventures Maine, to promote student success and retention.
Kristina Catomeris – University of Southern Maine
Kristina serves as the STEM Partnerships Coordinator at USM where she is working to develop and grow STEM and service- learning partnerships between USM and local K-12 schools. She is also working with high-school girls to provide STEM opportunities and community partnerships.
Ella Ross – Bates College
Ella is collaborating with student leaders to create ongoing training and reflection opportunities for Bates mentors, coordinating with K-12 schools for Bates class visits, working with local high schools on STEM programs, and is assisting in science based learning for local schools at Bates.
Mary Nudkwe – University of Maine Presque Isle
Mary serves with UMPI’s TRIO Program, and works with the Office of Campus Engagement to help students connect to service learning projects that enhance their degree programs.
2018-2019
Tom Gallant- VISTA Leader, Maine Campus Compact
As VISTA Leader for MCC, Tom will support a team of 10 VISTAs as they navigate their year of service. He is responsible for professional development, networking and recruitment of new members. Tom will begin his fifth and final year November 2018.
Taylor Ashley – University of Maine at Orono
Taylor coordinates Black Bear Mentors and Black Bear Tutors, and partners with Big Brothers Big Sister of Mid-Maine and America Reads America Counts. Taylor will also research and plan STEM activities for both programs, and compile a binder of activities for future use. This is Taylor’s second VISTA term with MCC!
Sarah Chang – University of Southern Maine
As the STEM Partnerships Coordinator, Sarah will continue the development and growth of STEM focused service-learning partnerships with local schools to increase college aspirations, improve STEM literacy, and provide engaged learning opportunities for college students. This is Sarah’s second VISTA term with MCC!
Joe DeGraff – University of Southern Maine
The AmeriCorps VISTA will develop and support partnerships between local K-12 schools, community organizations, and USM to engage college students in service-learning courses and co-curricular programming related to Hunger and Food Insecurity.
Sumaya El-Khalidi – UMaine Cooperative Extension & Maine Campus Compact
The Hunger Dialogue VISTA will help to raise awareness and mobilize college campuses throughout Maine to address hunger for low income individuals and to provide a platform for Maine students to actively work to address food insecurity on their campuses and in their communities. Pivotal focus will be coordinating the Universities Fighting World Hunger conference in Portland, ME March 2019.
Caitlyn Hartman – Maine Campus Compact
Caitlyn serves at Maine Campus Compact as the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)VISTA to support collaborative partnerships between higher education and K-12 to strengthen the STEM pipeline. She also provides technical assistance support and outreach focused on pilot projects based on replicated models.
Danfry Nieves – University of Maine at Presque Isle
As UMPI’s Early College VISTA, Danfry works with several campus and community entities to expand College Access programs to low-income and populations through many collaborative initiatives. Danfry also works with UMPI faculty to support engaged learning partnerships with community organizations. Although new to MCC, Danfry is currently in his 3rd term!
Joel Soloway – University of New England
Joel will oversee the recruitment, training and supervision of UNE student volunteers to work with two partner organizations in Biddeford, Maine. YouthBuild helps young people who left high school without a diploma and who want to reclaim their education, gain the skills they need for employment and/or college, and become leaders in their communities. BLAST is a STEM-based, hands-on after school enrichment program for under-achieving children in Biddeford K-8 Schools.
Seth Johnson – Kennebec Valley Community College
As the Veteran Services VISTA, Seth will serve as the liaison between KVCC student support service offices, local and state-wide Veteran service providers and KVCC Veteran students and their family members. He will assist the Veteran student groups in completing the process to become fully established as an official student group.
Brianna Wilson – Bates College
Brianna will collaborate with student leaders to create ongoing training and reflection opportunities for Bates mentors; help develop and oversee curricular and assessment materials for programs; and work with student clubs and organizations on campus to maximize the engagement of the student body in aspirations efforts.
2017 – 2017
Tom Gallant- Maine Campus Compact
As VISTA Leader for MCC, Tom will support a team of 10 VISTAs as they navigate their year of service. He is responsible for professional development, networking and recruitment of new members.
Brenna Callahan – Bates College
Brenna will collaborate with student leaders to create ongoing training and reflection opportunities for Bates mentors; help develop and oversee curricular and assessment materials for programs; and work with student clubs and organizations on campus to maximize the engagement of the student body in aspirations efforts.
Luke Cameron – University of Maine at Presque Isle
As UMPI’s Early College VISTA, Luke works with several campus and community entities to expand College Access programs to low-income and populations through many collaborative initiatives. Luke also works with UMPI faculty to support engaged learning partnerships with community organizations.
Samuel Cannon – University of Maine Augusta – Bangor
As the Veteran Services VISTA, Sam will serve as the liaison between UMA student support service offices, local and state-wide Veteran service providers and UMA Veteran students and their family members. He will assist the Veteran student groups in completing the process to become fully established as an official student group.
Chang Sarah – University of Southern Maine
As the STEM Partnerships Coordinator, Sarah will continue the development and growth of STEM focused service-learning partnerships with local schools to increase college aspirations, improve STEM literacy, and provide engaged learning opportunities for college students.
Katie Kracht – UMaine Cooperative Extension & Maine Campus Compact
As the Hunger Dialogue VISTA, Katie will help to raise awareness and mobilize college campuses throughout Maine to address hunger for low income individuals and to provide a platform for Maine students to actively work to address food insecurity on their campuses and in their communities.
Kayla LaVoice – Maine Campus Compact
Kayla serves at Maine Campus Compact as the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) VISTA to support collaborative partnerships between higher education and K-12 to strengthen the STEM pipeline. She also provides technical assistance support and outreach focused on pilot projects based on replicable models.
Savannah Wade – University of New England
Savannah will oversee the recruitment, training and supervision of UNE student volunteers to work with two partner organizations in Biddeford, Maine. YouthBuild helps young people who left high school without a diploma and who want to reclaim their education, gain the skills they need for employment and/or college, and become leaders in their communities. BLAST is a STEM-based, hands-on afterschool enrichment program for under-achieving children in Biddeford K-8 Schools.
Zander Walz – Kennebec Valley Community College
As the Veteran Services VISTA, Zander will serve as the liaison between KVCC student support service offices, local and state-wide Veteran service providers and KVCC Veteran students and their family members. He will assist the Veteran student groups in completing the process to become fully established as an official student group.
