May AmeriCorps*VISTA Spotlight: Alex Conte
The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition consists of 18 AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members sponsored by the Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) at Wake Forest University.
Members are placed in full-time, capacity-building roles with community organizations throughout Winston-Salem in the areas of educational equity, economic empowerment, and health and food justice. United by their passion to make a difference, VISTA members have vowed to complete a year of national service and create meaningful change in Winston-Salem and beyond.
Since August, VISTA members have helped Winston-Salem community partners engage with over 700 volunteers and leverage over 325 thousand dollars in cash and in-kind donations.
This month the OCCE is happy to introduce Alexander Conte, the 2020-21 AmeriCorps VISTA with Crosby Scholars; a local nonprofit that assists public middle and high school students in Forsyth County in preparing themselves for successful college enrollment.
In his role, Conte researches best practices and provides support to maximize the efficiency of long-term programs and student services.
Alexander Conte, 2020-2021 AmeriCorps VISTA at Crosby Scholars
Hometown: Washington, DC
Alma Mater: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (‘19)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and African, African-American, and Diaspora Studies
Favorite place in North Carolina: Franklin Street in Chapel Hill
Why did you join AmeriCorps VISTA?
Last year I participated in an AmeriCorps City Year program in South Carolina, which sends recent high school and college graduates into schools to work full-time with students in a direct service capacity. The program provides the students with tutoring and mentorship, and puts someone in their corner who believes in them.
The time that I spent with City Year was an eye-opening experience for me. Until then, I had been interested in pursuing a career in economic development, specifically of African countries. Once I was in the schools, working with the students and hearing their stories, it made me realize that what I really enjoyed was empowering people that were fighting for more control over their lives.
That realization inspired me to continue working in education, and AmeriCorps*VISTA provided a way for me to get more experience. It also allowed me the opportunity to get a look at the other side of education work, because while City Year was all direct service, VISTA has been all indirect service. It has been a great way for me to learn more about how I want to engage in educational work while also continuing to make a difference in the lives of students.
What would you say is the highlight of your 2020-2021 VISTA year so far?
Given the current situation with the education system and the pandemic, the highlight of my service has been recognizing that the work that I’m doing with Crosby Scholars is making a positive impact in the lives of both current and future students.
I took part in a webinar on the effects of COVID-19 on education, and I learned that there was a 33% drop in college enrollment and from that, nearly a 45% drop in college enrollment from underserved students. Knowing that the work Crosby Scholars does is helping to reach those underserved students who may have felt that college wasn’t in their future has been wonderful, and I’ve enjoyed the fact that I’ve been able to see the direct impact of my service throughout the year.
What would you want people to know that want to get involved in AmeriCorps VISTA?
The AmeriCorps VISTA program has a lot of benefits that allow you to gain a better understanding of where you see yourself in the future. It’s a great pathway that gives you a foot in the door and a better understanding of the nonprofit world to create a foundation for growth and professional development.