Cottey joins forces with Americorps VISTA program

Nevada Daily Mail

Cottey College recently received approval from Missouri Campus Compact and the Corporation for National and Community Service to participate in a statewide Americorps Vista program. A VISTA member will be placed on campus to assess community needs and to help faculty members build civic engagement through service-learning.

"I am very pleased that Cottey students and faculty will have the assistance of a VISTA volunteer in the further development of service-learning on our campus," said Dr. Judy Rogers, president of Cottey College.

The program. slated to begin in July, will link relevant courses at participating campuses with community agencies that intend to eradicate poverty and assist single, head-of-household females with children under the age of 18 living in the home.

The project is expected to span three years on each campus involved.

"This project has the ability to positively impact poverty in Missouri while instilling the value of service to others in Missouri's next generation of leaders," said Melissa Mace, Missouri Campus Compact executive director.

Missouri Campus Compact is affiliated with Campus Compact and is a member organization of college and university presidents established to strengthen civic engagement partnerships between Missouri's postsecondary institutions and the communities they serve.

For more information about Cottey's Americorps VISTA program. contact Darth Coatney, transfer and career planning coordinator, by e-mail at dcoatney@cottey.edu or by phone at (417) 667-8181.

Recruiting for the Americorps VISTA will begin immediately. Information regarding the program can be found at www.americorps.org.

Applications can be found at https://recruit.cns.gov. Local residents are encouraged to apply.