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The CORE Susquehanna AmeriCorps...

 

 

Sean Mendoza

2014-2016

 

As a high school student, I remember summarily dismissing a Peace Corps presentation
because of the financial and standard of living sacrifice involved in serving. I was then, and at
the beginning of my career focused on maximizing my earning potential, however, I was not a
member of the Future Business Leaders of America; I spent my time establishing a Gay-Straight
Alliance in the face of fierce opposition and volunteering at a local nursing home. At university I
continued to focus on academically supporting the most lucrative career, while spending my
time orchestrating community education and volunteering across the country. The time I took off
of work to render palliative care to my grandmother has given me the time to reflect upon this
dichotomy, which has prompted a reevaluation of my professional goals.

 

As a business professional I found that I have excellent administrative and operations
management skills. During my time as the Production Coordinator for Square Peg, I became
proficient with three new pieces of software on my own, developed complex processes for
garment production, reported the associated costs to management, and participated in pricing.
As a result of social media marketing and an effective website, I was able to increase revenue
by 40 per cent with a healthy profit margin. While accomplishing all this I became depressed
and after two years, my position was eliminated. When I was available for work again after
caring for my grandmother I secured two positions, which again, were eliminated within months!
I am, if anything, a resilient person; leaving the business community is not a decision made out
of exasperation, but a result of experience, maturation, and the unique opportunity for
reevaluation.

 

As a student leader and community volunteer I had a tangible impact on people’s lives and a
sense of personal satisfaction that driving sales could never touch. By establishing a Gay-
Straight Alliance at my high school, the other founding students and I provided a safe place for
the LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, inter-sexed) community, and
education to the student body and faculty. We also worked hard to be a particularly visible group
of student volunteers in the community. Being a Resident Assistant at Kent State University was
one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and that was reflected in my performance. In
2006, I became the youngest recipient of the Upperclassman Community Developer of the Year
Award. I also traveled to Memphis, Tennessee and to New Orleans, Louisiana for volunteer
work in lieu of typical spring break festivities. At Slippery Rock University I was able to reach
more people in less time and with less money than had been accomplished in the preceding ten
years of programming with RockOUT, which was recognized in my appointment to the
President’s Commission on Diversity in 2008.

 

As an AmeriCorps member, I hope to marry my passion with my skill. I am proud of my
accomplishments as a student leader and volunteer; I am not particularly proud of my
accomplishments as a business professional. The money I earned has been spent, the products
I produced have been, or will be discarded, and my efforts are no longer providing a living. The
opportunity to earn a living doing something meaningful, and the maturity to understand the
importance of that are both invaluable! AmeriCorps represents to me the opportunity to earn a
living while being of service to my community, and to gain the experience I will need to carry on
as an effective public service professional.

 

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