UNO AmeriCorps VISTA Program

AmeriCorps VISTA opportunities and information through the Office of Engagement.

AmeriCorps VISTA at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO): The Social Mobility Pathways (SMP) VISTA Program

Starting in 2023, UNO will be home to several AmeriCorps VISTAs who will focus on increasing the social mobility of UNO's at-promise (students of color, low income, and/or first generation students) by supporting the UNO Maverick Food Pantry, UNO Service Learning Academy, and the UNO Office of Engagement's Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs.

The SMP VISTAs will work in UNO's Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, a nationally recognized, one-of-a-kind facility that focuses on connecting the campus to the Omaha community and beyond.

Learn about UNO and its metropolitan mission.

UNO Social Mobility Pathways (SMP) Volunteer and Career Development VISTA Status: Open

Position Overview Promote and increase UNO's at-promise student participation in volunteerism Enable these students to build social capital and career skills and knowledge for job seeking Expand the range of community partners who support UNO's days of service Improve how UNO shares volunteering opportunities with students, in particular at-promise students Develop surveys Assessing student and partner satisfaction and impact
Apply Online

View the UNO Office of Engagement, Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs Website

UNO Social Mobility Pathways (SMP) Service Learning VISTA Status: Filled

Position Overview Promote service learning with at-promise populations Research and sharing best practices related to at-promise student participation Collect data, and analyze the effects of experiential learning on retention and graduation rates for at-promise students Assess the impact of these activities on community partner organizations
Apply Online

View the UNO Service Learning Academy Website

UNO Social Mobility Pathways (SMP) Maverick Food Pantry VISTA Status: Filled

Position Overview Build new and strengthen existing campus and community partnerships Create and promote a campus food waste reduction/food recovery program Enhance connections to Omaha’s food sustainability networks Develop materials that communicate the resources available through the MFP and reduce stigmas

UNO Social Mobility Pathways (SMP) Maverick Food Pantry VISTA

Status: Filled

Position Overview

Build new and strengthen existing campus and community partnerships
Create and promote a campus food waste reduction/food recovery program
Enhance connections to Omaha’s food sustainability networks
Develop materials that communicate the resources available through the MFP and reduce stigmas

View the UNO Maverick Food Pantry Website

AmeriCorps VISTA Federal Benefits

Living Allowance	Professional Development Training	Non-Competitive Eligibility	End of Service Award
You receive a modest bi-weekly living allowance to cover basic expenses.	You have the opportunity to attend in-person and virtual training to learn how to be a community development change agent.	AmeriCorps VISTA is the only AmeriCorps program that allows members to earn federal non-competitive eligibility, giving members an edge in the federal hiring process.	Members can choose between a Segal Education Award (valued at approximately $6,895) to pay for a range of education expenses or a $1,800 cash stipend.

Other benefits through VISTA can include health care, child care, and travel allowance. Review additional benefits available through VISTA on their website.

AmeriCorps VISTA UNO Benefits

Benefits during AmeriCorps VISTA Service:

Access to the free food and personal items through the Maverick Food Pantry

Benefits after AmeriCorps VISTA Service:

UNO will offer up to 10 $1,000 scholarships for AmeriCorps alumni as a matching benefit when utilizing their Segal AmeriCorps Education award for undergraduate students.
For graduate students, UNO will offer up to 10 $1,500 awards to AmeriCorps alumni as a matching benefit when utilizing their Segal AmeriCorps Education award. Graduate applicants must be admitted to a graduate degree or graduate certificate, self-identify as an AmeriCorps Alumni and upload evidence of AmeriCorps service. The graduate application fee will be waived for AmeriCorps Alumni who provide designated documentation at the time of application.
Undergraduate students must be enrolled as full-time students and graduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of six graduate credit hours to receive the one-time UNO award. In addition to the UNO scholarships, all AmeriCorps students will receive in-state tuition.

Review these benefits on the AmeriCorps VISTA website.

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps "serve directly with nonprofit organizations to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges."

For questions about the AmeriCorps Program at UNO, please contact Sara Woods at swoods@unomaha.edu, Chief Engagement Officer, UNO Office of Engagement.