AmeriCorps Connections

From Serving Abroad to Serving Delaware — His Next Stop? The US Senate! | AmeriCorps Connections Podcast👉We are NOT a political podcast. But when a US Senate candidate shows up who is also an AmeriCorps alum, Peace Corps volunteer, AND a Fulbright Scholar — we open that door WIDE! 🚪Christopher Beardsley is a Wilmington, Delaware native who has served from Rwanda to South Africa and back home to Delaware — and now he's running for US Senate because, surprise surprise, all roads lead back to service!In this episode, Christopher gets real about growing up working class and discovering a whole world of public service opportunities he never knew existed. He shares what Peace Corps taught him about his own superpowers, why he jumped straight into AmeriCorps with Public Allies after being evacuated from South Africa during COVID, and what national service has to do with his vision for Delaware.This one is special🎙️ AmeriCorps Connections lifts up the real, unfiltered stories of AmeriCorps alumni — 100+ featured and counting! These alums aren't just reflecting on their service years — they're still getting things done!🔗 Learn more about Christopher Beardsley and his campaign⚠️ Disclaimer: AmeriCorps Connections is a podcast dedicated to lifting up the voices of national service alumni. This episode is not an endorsement of any candidate or political campaign. We are here for the service — always!🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode!#AmeriCorps #NationalService #PeaceCorps #Fulbright #PublicAllies #Delaware #USSenate #ServiceYear #AmeriCorpsAlumni #GetThingsDone ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What really happens during an AmeriCorps service year? Callie Fishburn did her VISTA year in Bennington, Vermont in the middle of a global pandemic — and came out the other side with lessons nobody prepared her for.She gets real about the financial sacrifice of national service, the hard truth about building projects that don't outlast you, and why she made the unconventional choice to stay in her service community after her year ended.Plus — what a community grocery store, a food desert, and MacKenzie Scott all have in common.🎧 This one's for the alums, the curious, and anyone who's ever wondered if a service year is worth it.📝 Rate, review and share - help keep these service stories alive.🎥Watch on YouTube @AmeriCorpsConnectionsJoin States for ServiceAmericas Service Commissions - National Service Advocacy AcademyShare your AmeriCorps story: [email protected] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

🎙️ AmeriCorps Week 2026 — A Celebration of Service, Purpose & Impact"AmeriCorps just gave me purpose. It gave me perspective. It gave me passion." - Alex Schwartz (eps. 94)This special AmeriCorps Week 2026 Compilation is a love letter to the 1.3 million AmeriCorps alums who have shown up — for their communities, for each other, and for this country.From tutoring students and fighting for national service in the south, to seniors serving post-career and young leaders finding their footing — these are the voices, stories, and testimonies of people who chose to serve. And in doing so, changed everything — including themselves.🔥 IN THIS COMPILATION YOU'LL HEAR:Why national service alumni are speaking up and fighting back -,we continue to serve.How ONE year of service can shape a lifetime of leadershipThe real, unfiltered impact AmeriCorps has had on careers, communities, and livesWhy 1.3 million alums need to keep telling their stories — NOW more than ever💡 IF THIS MOVES YOU — HERE'S WHAT TO DO NEXT:✅ LIKE this video to help more people find these stories✅ SUBSCRIBE to the AmeriCorps Connections Podcast on YouTube✅ EXPLORE our full catalog of interviews — there is a story here for every alum, advocate, and champion of national service✅ SHARE with a fellow alum, a colleague, or anyone who needs to be reminded why service matters✅ COMMENT BELOW — tell us how YOUR service year shaped you 👇🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM: https://americorpsconnect.transistor.fm/Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Amazon Music 📺 WATCH THE FULL CATALOG:youtube.com/@americorpsconnectionsThe AmeriCorps Connections Podcast — where service stories live on.One year of service. A lifetime of leadership. 🎙️✨ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Cali Moore knew she would serve in AmeriCorps before she ever graduated college.After growing up in a community center staffed by AmeriCorps members, she intentionally chose to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Horton’s Kids in Washington, DC. From there, she became a Segal Fellow at AmeriCorps headquarters, rotating across departments and even deploying for national disaster response.Her journey continued through Service Year Alliance, the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland, and into tech consulting — where she now builds software for federal agencies and global nonprofits, including Peace Corps.In this episode, we explore:• How service builds lifelong adaptability • Translating nonprofit skills into for-profit spaces • The Segal Fellowship experience • Why alumni networks matter • The growing AmeriCorps Alums DC Chapter • What 1.3 million alums could accomplish togetherResources mentioned in this episode: Application for DC Board Alumni BoardDC chapter website -other chapters can connect through Do Good Institute – University of Maryland https://dogood.umd.eduThe Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Leadership Program ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode of the AmeriCorps Connections Podcast, host Nicki Fiocco sits down with Luis Sierra Moncion, a City Year alum whose service year brought him full circle—back to his own high school in Miami.Luis shares how his City Year experience helped cement his identity as a community member, leader, and advocate, and how national service became the foundation for a career in higher education, civic engagement, and student leadership. From mentoring students at his alma mater to now serving as Deputy Director of the Center for Social Concern at Johns Hopkins University, Luis reflects on the long-term ripple effects of service.This conversation explores:Serving in your hometown—and what that means for identity and belongingThe professional and leadership development built into AmeriCorps serviceTrust-building, relationship-centered service, and showing up with humilityWhy national service matters for workforce development and democracyHow service plants seeds that continue to grow long after the year ends🎧 Whether you’re a current AmeriCorps or City Year member, an alum, or someone considering a year of service, this episode is a powerful reminder that the service ends—but the mission doesn’t. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★