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VOLUNTEER MARYLAND ALUMNI

Following Diverse Paths after the Volunteer Maryland Year

Volunteer Maryland (VM) alumni take their AmeriCorps experience as volunteer coordinators with them into an amazing array of disciplines. From the medical and legal fields to nonprofit creation and management, VM alumni consistently utilize the networks and skills they develop long after their initial service to further their education and professional goals. In addition, many alumni build on their VM AmeriCorps experience by serving additional terms of service with national and international programs including VISTA and the Peace Corps.

Alumni of Volunteer Maryland have also taken on great leadership roles within the structure and management of AmeriCorps at the state and national levels. They have served on the Governor’s Commission of Service and Volunteerism, and served as staff members at the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Points of Light Foundation, America’s Promise, and more.

Putting the Post-Service Benefit to Good Use

In the most recent alumni surveys, 80 percent of Volunteer Maryland reported that they had utilized a portion or all of their post-service benefit since they completed their term of service. The post-service benefits were used to pay off existing student loans and cover college or university tuition at a variety of schools across the country.

A Lifetime of Commitment to Service

Volunteer Maryland Coordinators take on the challenge of AmeriCorps service because they are committed to helping solve the critical human and environmental needs of our times. It is no surprise, then, that after the VM year of service, alumni continue to be active citizens and participants in their local communities. Many alumni serve as members of Boards of Directors or as direct service volunteers. They may also follow professions that are service-based or begin degree programs that focus on human or environmental service. Whatever their particular interests, VM alumni consistently participate in the social and political activities of their communities.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What do graduates of VM do after their AmeriCorps year(s)?
• Do alumni stay involved in their communities?
• Do alumni stay involved with their Service Sites?

What do graduates of VM do after their AmeriCorps year(s)?

Like all AmeriCorps members, VM alumni may choose to attend college, get or return to a job, or retire after their year of national service. After the VM AmeriCorps year, many program alumni sign up for another term of AmeriCorps national service or participate in other local, national, or international service programs such as the Peace Corps.

Do alumni stay involved in their communities?

According to the most recent alumni surveys and annual follow-up, 95 percent of VM alumni stay involved in their communities as public servants, direct service volunteers, paid staff, or members of Boards of Directors.

Do alumni stay involved with their Service Sites?

Based on recent alumni evaluations and annual surveys, approximately 45 percent of alumni stay involved with their Volunteer Maryland Service Site after the AmeriCorps year ends.