Notre Dame AmeriCorps: A Life-Changing Experience

“I came to Hope CommUnity Center in September 2017 completely lost. I had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida, and all I knew was that I really wanted to do something different rather than going straight to graduate school.

I learned about AmeriCorps from my mother, who works at one of the AmeriCorps sites, Farmworker Association of Florida, and I decided it would be a great way to give back to the community that made me the person that I am.

My first year of service was honestly the best experience of my life. I worked with unaccompanied youth from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico and helped them develop their English language and life skills. I look forward to continuing to develop the curriculum for my students and helping them feel welcomed and comfortable in this country.

For anyone looking for a life-changing experience, I can guarantee that they will receive that through a year of service with AmeriCorps. It was the best decision that I’ve made.”

-Reflection from Marisela Zamora, a second-year AmeriCorps member