Abbey Pence is an AmeriCorps member serving as a first-year Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) adviser at Cumberland High School.
Abbey discovered VCAC and AmeriCorps while she was in high school, where she was supported by a VCAC adviser. Combining that experience with her current service, she has a unique understanding of the impact and opportunity that national service can have on those who receive support from AmeriCorps members—as well as the members themselves. “My biggest tip that I would give to any recent graduate looking at what’s next for them is to try something that may be out of your comfort zone,” says Abbey.
Of the many memories she has from her service term so far, one stands out. She recalls, “I took my students on a field trip to Virginia State University and one of my students turned to me with this look in her eyes that I had never seen before, and told me that this is where she was going. Giving her that on-campus experience played a huge part in her making her choice and being a part of this was so one of the most rewarding moments in my career thus far.”
“As a psychology major, I never thought that I would find myself in the school system, but this has been an essential part of me figuring out what I was called to do,” Abbey reflects. “This experience has completely changed the trajectory of my career. Initially this position was supposed to be a stepping stone, but it has been a significant role for me. I have ultimately decided to pursue a master’s degree in higher education because I can’t imagine my life not revolving around our youth. Giving back to the community I lived in during my undergrad has been incredibly fulfilling.”
Virginia Beach Medical Reserve Corps
Story of Service: Virginia Beach Medical Reserve Corps
Comprised of medical and public health professionals serving alongside interested non-medical community members, the Virginia Beach Medical Reserve Corps (VBMRC) shares skills, expertise, and time to support public health initiatives and respond to health emergencies throughout Virginia Beach. Established in 2002, the VBMRC is organized locally through the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health to improve the health and safety of its community. More than doubling in size during the pandemic to support COVID-19 efforts for the city, the VBMRC unit of 1,817 general support and healthcare professional volunteers is an essential component of emergency efforts for the city of...
Frank and Mae Antkievicz
Story of Service: Frank and Mae Antkievicz
For more than 20 years, Frank and Mae Antkievicz have volunteered with the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Walnut Grove Baptist Church in Hanover County. Of the more than 40,000 people living in Hanover County, approximately 4.5% speak languages other than English. An inability to speak English affects residents’ lives in many ways, especially for work and education. Without ESL programs, many would be unable to truly become connected with the community in which they live. Starting their service as ESL volunteers and assistants, they now run the program serving as both directors and teachers. During their...
Kimbra Staten
Story of Service: Kimbra Staten
Kimbra, with the Rappahannock Goodwill - Goodskills Literacy Corps Americorps program in Fredericksburg, says the experience has opened up a whole new world to her. "I've had an exciting service year and as I begin on my second term I am elated on what I will discover about myself and others that I tutor," she says. "The most rewarding experience is meeting and interacting with a diversity of people. This volunteer position has enlightened me in enormous ways. Between the personal development training, conferences, workshops and online studies -- I feel confident that AmeriCorps will propel me into being an...
Beth Rebholz
Story of Service: Beth Rebholz
For Beth Rebholz, AmeriCorps has provided the ultimate pathway for her to forge a successful career in financial planning. Her interest in finance, combined with her deep-seated roots in service, led her to join as an AmeriCorps member, serve as an AmeriCorps Program Director, and eventually find her dream job! Beth got her early belief in the power of service through her mother, who served as a Hospice volunteer for most of her life and also volunteered at their family’s church. Her mother’s example of community service made the decision to join AmeriCorps a natural fit. Beth also says that...
Debbie Brubaker
Story of Service: Debbie Brubaker
Debbie Brubaker, a Franklin County beef and dairy farmer, has been honored with the 2019 Agriculture Advocate Award by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization and the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. The award recognizes Brubaker’s dedication to advancing agricultural literacy in her community for more than 10 years. In partnership with the Franklin County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Brubaker has provided information about agriculture to an estimated 60,000 children. Over the years, Brubaker expanded a one-day dairy event at her children’s school to include 20 learning stations that teach students about topics like milking...
Bruce Lamond
Story of Service: Bruce Lamond
Bruce Lamond is a second-year Virginia College Advising Corps adviser at Mecklenburg County High School, which just opened in 2022. He served in the Marine Corps for several years before graduating from the University of Virginia in 2022. During his military service, Bruce became passionate about youth mentorship, prompting him to pursue a degree in Youth and Social Innovation and to step into several student support roles at UVA. “I learned about AmeriCorps and VCAC in my senior year of college when an assistant director of VCAC presented on the program in one of my classes,” recalls Bruce. “As soon...
