College Health Corps (CHC) VISTA Position Description

Minnesota Campus Compact (MNCC) leverages the collective assets of our higher education institutions in partnerships with our communities to expand civic engagement across Minnesota. More than 50 member college and university campuses are committed to promoting and supporting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education, in order to educate college students to become active citizens who are well-equipped to develop creative solutions to society’s most pressing issues.

The College Health Corps VISTA’s primary responsibility will be to improve, expand, or begin campus-community partnerships to create greater healthcare access and health literacy for underserved, primarily low-income populations.

Duties may include:

• Identifying existing local programs and initiatives to which campuses could add value
• Serving as intermediary between the campus and multiple community healthcare organizations and programs
• Identifying opportunities across multiple academic disciplines
• Developing projects that address the root causes of community problems and have a significant impact on their solution
• Supporting project evaluation

Outcomes:

• Develop three or more new or expanded partnerships or projects
• Increase health care access for individuals from low-income communities

Allocation of time:

• 50% in office
• 40% in the community
• 10% professional development trainings and communication with MNCC VISTA network

Benefits:

• Living allowance of $419.53 every two weeks.
• Education Award of $4,725 or End-of-Service Award of $1,200 upon completion of full term of service
• Federal Student Loan forbearance (if Education Award is elected)
• Training and professional development
• Health insurance
• Childcare assistance subsidies (if eligible)
• Relocation allowance if moving to a new location in order to serve
• Opportunity to be a part of a national service movement and work with other committed VISTAs

Qualifications:

• College degree
• Knowledge of or experience on a campus and/or with the AmeriCorps*VISTA program
• Strong interest and experience in campus-community partnerships
• Strong interest and experience in healthcare
• Commitment to the mission of the project and its impact on communities
• Knowledge and interest in working with students and diverse groups of people
• Proven leadership ability, public speaking and event planning
• Strong organizational skills, project and multi-task management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to make a full-year commitment starting September 15th, 2009 to September 14th, 2010.

College Health Corps Host Sites:

• Carlton College, Northfield, MN: Contact Laura Riehle-Merrill at lriehlem {at} carleton(.)edu or 507-222-4028.
• Cedar Riverside People’s Center (CRPC), Minneapolis, MN: Contact Rhonda Eastlund at eastlundr {at} peoples-center(.)org or 612-238-3527.
• Hawthorne Education Center, Rochester, MN: Contact to Julie Nigon at junigon {at} rochester.k12.mn(.)us or 507-328-4443.
• Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN: Contact Joanne Orfield at Joanne.Orfield {at} metrostate(.)edu, 651-793-1385 or Christine Milbrath at Christine.milbrath {at} metrostate(.)edu, 651-793-1403.
• Minnesota State University Moorhead, MN: Contact Janet Haak at haak {at} mnstate(.)edu, 218-477-2996 or Jane Bergland at berglaja {at} mnstate(.)edu, 218-477-4697
• St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN: Contact Martha Malinski at mjmalinski {at} stkate(.)edu, 651-690-8718.
• University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN: Contact Nelle Rhicard at umdcivic {at} d.umn(.)edu, 218-726-7125 or [temporarily 218-591-3742].
• Western Community Action, Inc. (WCA), Marshall, MN: Contact Allan Bakke at allan.bakke {at} wcainc(.)org, 507-537-1416.

To view a Summary of each site, please go to www.mncampuscompact.org/VISTA and scroll to the bottom of the page to ‘Summary of Host Sites 2009-2010’.

How to apply:
Please send a resume, cover letter, and three references directly to the Host Site. Feel free to contact Minnesota Campus Compact with general questions about the College Health Corps program at info {at} mncampuscompact(.)org or 651-603-5082.