Jessica's AmeriCorps Spotlight - Hands-On Experience
- Katie Sylvis
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
Meet our summer member Jessica Raff. Jessica hales all the way from Florida but is currently attending Iowa State University studying interior design. Jessica is serving as a Construction AmeriCorps Member at Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity getting hands-on experience.
Upon reflecting how this term of service connects with her future career goals, she explained,
“This term of service will not only allow me to graduate at Iowa State University, but it will also provide me with proper and additional knowledge within the Interior Design field that not everyone gets the hands-on experience with.”
Learn more about Jessica’s term of service below and if you are interested in serving with Habitat for Humanity please check out www.iowahabitat.org/apply-americorps
What inspired you to serve? or Why do you choose to serve with AmeriCorps?
I chose to serve with AmeriCorps after a past intern came into my class and spoke about her time with AmeriCorps and Habitat for Humanity. She spoke highly about her experience and the things that she learned during her time here. During her presentation she spoke about AmeriCorps Mission which is also something that I thought highly of.
What do you enjoy most about serving with Habitat for Humanity?
What I enjoy the most about serving for Habitat for Humanity of Iowa is giving back to my community and watching that happen right before my eyes.
What does your typical day look like?
My typical day starts with seeing the whole construction staff in the morning and breaking down what everybody is going to be doing for the day. We then split off to our sites and set up for volunteers. Once volunteers are there we all get assigned to the task we are on for the day whether that is standing walls, installing trusses, building cabinets, interior finishes etc.
What do you like most about Habitat for Humanity or your co-workers?
Something that I like the most about Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity and my co-workers is that while learning we still make the day fun! We enjoy and cherish our time here and what we are doing for our community together!
What is one thing you learned in the last month? Or something you hope to learn?
Something that I have learned in the past month is that everybody has a different style of working. Understanding how someone learns and works is important when it comes to teamwork, the better you understand each other the better you can work together.
Do you have plans for your education award? If so, what are they?
My plans for my AmeriCorps education award is to put it towards my last year of college at Iowa State University where I am majoring in Interior Design.
Do you have plans for after your term of service? If so, please share
My plans after my AmeriCorps term of service are to finish out my degree at Iowa State University’s Interior Design Program.
Is this service term connected to your education or career goals? If so, can you tell us a little bit more?
Yes, this AmeriCorps service term is connected to my education/career goal. This term of service will not only allow me to graduate at Iowa State University, but it will also provide me with proper and additional knowledge within the Interior Design field that not everyone gets the hands-on experience with.
Comments