Category: Stories from ACE

Making Change through Policy Research

During my time at ACE, I have been a team leader for the Community Policy Institute. This have given me the chance to work closely with local non-profits such as the Environmental Advocates of New York and the Hunger Action Network. In addition to honing my skills in areas such as policy research and public…
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April 22, 2019 0

Reflections from a Bonner Senior

The Siena College Bonner Service Leaders program has given me opportunities that would have never crossed my path had I not been in the program. From stepping outside of my comfort zone to creating and reaching new goals each year. It is a program that offers you space for improvement, to challenge yourself, to learn,…
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February 19, 2019 0

Spending a Year Postgrad with the Siena College AmeriCorps VISTA Program

Prior to being accepted to Siena College’s AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship Program, I struggled with determining whether I wanted to go right to graduate school after undergrad or if I wanted to peruse a full-time job. I felt that a one year term of service could be the perfect opportunity for me to grow professionally and…
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January 30, 2019 0

Fighting Poverty with the Albany District Attorney

It has been 2 full years since the start of my service year as an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow. I graduated from Siena College in the Spring of 2016 and was at a place that most 21st century college students can level with; applying to “entry level” jobs that somehow require more experience than the Bachelor’s…
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September 10, 2018 0

Alumni Spotlight: Marie Lovato

I began my experience as an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow as a recent graduate with no real professional experience. My retail background did little to qualify me for the field of work I wanted to pursue and AmeriCorps seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain relevant experience while working around issues of poverty. In 2014 I…
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August 16, 2018 0

VISTAs “Fighting Crime”

I have the honor of completing a year of of AmeriCorps VISTA service as a Program Coordinator at the Community Justice Outreach Center which is a satellite office of the Albany County District Attorney. Our District Attorney, David Soares’, slogan is “Fighting Crime and Building Hope”. While the main office “Fights Crime”, our office “builds…
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June 28, 2018 0

Learning and Growing with NEXT

In my eyes, NEXT is the greatest program on Siena’s campus. It allows students to engage in real world problem solving for a great cause. NEXT stands for Nonprofit EXcellence and Transformation, which is the fancy form of non-profit consulting. Non-profits from the Capital Region will approach NEXT with a business problem they are having.…
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May 4, 2018 0

Scouts Around the World

When I interviewed for the Bonner Service Leaders Program at Siena during my senior year of High School, I learned about the Global Service Internship for the first time. Being able to spend five weeks doing service abroad was enticing and was one of the reasons I joined the program. Fast forward to three years…
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April 30, 2018 0

Making Change Through Policy

My experience with the Community Policy Institute (CPI) has been educational and inspiring. When I first entered CPI, I was unaware of what path I wanted to go down and where my talents really lay. However, after being in this fellowship for four semesters, I have gained an immense amount of skills, from writing to…
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April 25, 2018 0

From one ACE to another!

Can’t Escape ACE: From the Center for Academic Community Engagement to the Alliance for Catholic Education               Felicia Comuniello (’17) earned her B.A in Sociology, along with the Certificate in Community Development last spring. Throughout Felicia’s undergraduate career, the Bonner Service Leader program played a large role in her daily life,…
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April 23, 2018 0