Thoughts on post-VISTA success

An interesting article just crossed my desk (well, email inbox) and I thought it would be good to share. It's about a VISTA member who served during the late 1960s and has gone on to be an immigration lawyer named one of the Best Lawyers in America for ten years running.

It's really great to hear about where VISTA members go after their service. VISTA isn't service-learning: our bottom line is community impact, not necessarily personal development. But of course, VISTA is a profound experience for all of us who are serving or have served. It changes the way one thinks about the world and the people in it. And that's a something that we don't always remember to talk about.

Personally I get a little tired of the standard VISTA historical standard bearers: Senator Jay Rockefeller, Xerox CEO Ann Mulcahey and Car Talk radio host Ray Magliozzi.

I would really love to hear more stories about the B-list VISTA alumni heroes: people who are integrating what they learned from their service into their everyday lives. You don't have to be famous to make a difference in the world.

We concentrate a lot on what VISTA members leave behind at their sites and in their communities---the programs, the volunteers, the resources---but it really is valuable the increased awareness and compassion that you'll carry with you throughout your life.

But enough inspiration. Back to work! :-)