LANSING, Mich. — As part of its efforts to help students across the state access and attain college certificates and degrees, Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is proud to announce the hiring of two AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members: Kate Grove and Ho Chak Law. In her role as resource and engagement VISTA, Grove will help build partnerships with various organizations and create college-going resources for students across the state. Law will serve as MCAN’s data and technology VISTA, supporting a variety of data-driven initiatives, including the Impact Map and College Access Virtual Assistant. Their work will support MCAN’s educational equity goals, helping to ensure that every student in Michigan has the opportunity to attend college — especially low-income students, first-generation college-going students and students of color.
“AmeriCorps VISTA members provide critical capacity building support to nonprofit organizations and bring a spirit of service to address challenging issues,” said Ginna Holmes, executive director of the Michigan Community Service Commission. “Service members also are able to gain valuable workforce skills while making a difference for others.”
MCAN is also seeking a scholarship success VISTA to build capacity for the Michigan Equity, Courage, Hope and Opportunity (MI ECHO) Scholarship program, a tuition-free pathway to degrees and certificates for COVID-19 pandemic frontline workers who are not able to access federal financial aid, including DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status immigrants and Special Immigrant Juveniles.
“MI ECHO honors the individuals who served in essential industries during the pandemic, while also investing in our workforce and moving us closer to our state’s Sixty by 30 goal,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of MCAN. “Our scholarship success VISTA will play a critical role in helping us support this scholarship, with a focus on building systems, facilitating partnerships, raising awareness, tracking data, and helping to create program sustainability.”
The scholarship success VISTA will work with MCAN from January 2022-2023 at the organization’s office in Lansing. To apply for MCAN’s scholarship success VISTA , visit micollegeaccess.org/jobs/126. More information about the MI ECHO scholarship can be found at michiganecho.org.
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