This text is from an article I wrote for ACMAC's Spring Newsletter. Please add whatever else you see fit! -Jordan
There are many reasons Montana is the last best place for community service. Of course, mountains, rivers, lakes, and wildlife are among those. But Americorps members in Montana also have access to unique programs, such as Academic Learning Integrated with Volunteer Experience (ALIVE). ALIVE is a partnership between the state’s Corporation for National and Community Service and the University of Montana’s Office of Civic Engagement. It allows Americorps members to enroll for graduate school credits during their service. These credits can be earned through internships, service learning, and the university’s online non-profit administration program. Members can even earn a credit for the Community Building Institute!
The credits can be applied toward a master’s in interdisciplinary studies, or earned as non-degree credits, up to nine of which can be transferred to another graduate program.
I enrolled in an internship this spring (which requires a monthly journal and a final reflective essay), an online grant-writing course for the summer, and I completed the reflective assignment for the Community Building Institute.
My participation has become a great asset to me. First of all, my position has required a lot of research, particularly about fund-raising, and I don’t know where I would be without access to the university library (I guess I also have access to things like the athletic facilities, but I really wouldn’t know about that). Because the program may develop skills required for your service, your work site may be willing to assist with tuition. Ask your supervisor!
ALIVE also relieves the quarter-life crisis I had when I began my service: by becoming a VISTA, I was putting off graduate school for another year, but by opting for the education award, I felt I was obligating myself to more school (would I ever enter the ‘real world’ of adulthood?). ALIVE lets me serve and get started on a graduate degree (I plan on transferring my credits toward an MPA).
Most importantly, reading the course materials and writing about my experiences has allowed me deeper reflection on my service, and I believe it makes me a more conscientious VISTA member and a better citizen.
I want to point out that there are a few administrative hoops to jump through on the way to enrollment. Residency is tricky. Admissions initially classified me as out-of-state, though I have lived and worked in Montana since 2006. And although there is a presidential loan that can be paid from an education award at the end of a service year, that doesn’t mean payment is deferred. While it probably won’t take more than a week to be reimbursed, you will need to front the money temporarily, so don’t enroll for classes that will cost more tuition than you have savings or credit. Also, the Community Building Institute and the non-profit program are conducted through the office of continuing education, so payment in-full will be required up-front, and the university offers no loan or other financial assistance.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that there are few of us ALIVE participants, so some administrators may not know what to do with us, or even be familiar with the program. The key to the whole process is tenacity. Keep calling until you speak with someone who knows what to do. AND BE PATIENT!
Despite hurdles and hiccups in the process, ALIVE is a great opportunity, and a rewarding experience. For more information, contact Marian Palaia in the Office of Civic Engagement, or visit the program’s website: http://www.dhc.umt.edu/oce/alive.html
