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 ★

What happens when you say yes to service — and keep saying yes?In this powerful and deeply human episode of the AmeriCorps Connections Podcast, host Nicki Fiocco sits down with Alex Schwartz, an AmeriCorps alum whose journey spans nearly every corner of national service: AmeriCorps NCCC, State & National, VISTA — and now AmeriCorps staff.Alex shares the story that changed everything — a single moment during disaster recovery after the Camp Fire in California, when helping a survivor receive two pairs of donated pants revealed the true impact of service. From building homes in Montana, responding to wildfires in California and Maui, restoring prairies in Minnesota, and strengthening disaster preparedness with the Red Cross, Alex reflects on how AmeriCorps gave him purpose, perspective, passion, and community.In this episode, you’ll hear about: • How AmeriCorps helps people and the people who help people • Why service changes how you see the world — and yourself • The power of disaster response and community resilience • How AmeriCorps service can shape a lifelong career and calling • Why we can’t afford to lose national serviceIf you’ve ever wondered what AmeriCorps really looks like in action — or how service can become a way of life — this episode is for you.📝 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 ★

What does service look like after retirement—and why is it more important than ever?In this powerful episode of the AmeriCorps Connections Podcast, host Nicki Fiocco sits down with Sarah, an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Program Manager in Minnesota, and Carolyn, a 73-year-old AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer whose life—and community—has been transformed through service.Together, they share an inspiring, real-life look at how AmeriCorps Seniors programs are tackling some of today’s most urgent challenges:✔️ social isolation and loneliness✔️ fall prevention and healthy aging✔️ rural access to community-based services✔️ purpose and belonging after retirementCarolyn’s journey—from a longtime university executive assistant to a dynamic volunteer leader running packed exercise classes twice a week—shows what happens when experience, courage, and community come together. Through the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and the evidence-based Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) program, she and her fellow volunteers are helping older adults stay strong, connected, and independent—while finding deep fulfillment themselves.Sarah pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build sustainable, data-driven AmeriCorps Seniors programs, and why investing in older adults as leaders isn’t just smart—it’s essential.This episode is a reminder that:✨ service doesn’t end with retirement✨ aging is not about slowing down—it’s about staying engaged✨ AmeriCorps Seniors is building bridges across generationsIf you care about national service, healthy aging, community connection, or the future of AmeriCorps, this conversation will move you—and might just inspire your next chapter. AmeriCorps runs the risk of being cut by the Federal Government!!!! Get involved! 👉 Subscribe, share, and help keep these stories of service alive.Because the service may end—but the mission doesn’t💡 Learn More / Get Involved:👉 Join States for Service👉 Americas Service Commissions - National Service Advocacy Academy👉 Listen to more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@americorpsconnections/playlists📬 Interested in sharing your AmeriCorps story?Email Nicki Fiocco at [email protected]#AmeriCorps #NationalService #StatesForService #AmeriCorpsAlumni #ServiceLeadership #GetThingsDone ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode of the AmeriCorps Connections Podcast, host Nicki Fiocco sits down with AmeriCorps NCCC alum Zach Steaple (Class 23A) to talk about the kind of service you can’t unsee — and how those experiences quietly reshape who you become.Zach shares how a gray AmeriCorps sweatshirt from his mom and a youth sports program at Notre Dame first planted the seed of service, long before he knew what NCCC was. From planting willows and building beaver dam analogs in a national forest, to counting unhoused neighbors in North Las Vegas, to supporting fire recovery and hearing stories straight out of what felt like a movie — Zach unpacks how he realized he’d lived one of the biggest years of his life.Today, Zach is “Mr. Zach” in a kindergarten classroom, bringing NCCC virtues like perseverance, responsibility, and compassion into a school that centers social-emotional learning and a “private school with a public mission.” He talks about being a male educator of color, the power of simply seeing people — whether they’re kids in the hallway or neighbors on the street — and why it’s okay to change your mind about what service means to you.Whether you’re considering national service, still processing your own AmeriCorps year, or wondering how to keep serving long after your term ends, this conversation is a soulful reminder that service doesn’t stop when the program ends — it just changes shape.Join States for ServiceAmericas Service Commissions - National Service Advocacy AcademyShare your AmeriCorps story: [email protected] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★