OUR BLOG

Help us Welcome Americorps VISTA Member: Vanessa Tirok

My name is Vanessa Tirok and I'm excited to be serving as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) member at the Institute for the next year. AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program in which members serve a year-long service term at a public agency or non-profit organization. VISTAs work towards eliminating poverty by supporting their organization in duties such as marketing, research, web design, and other forms of indirect service. As an Operations Support VISTA, I’m eager to explore skills such as grant writing, fundraising, expanding my knowledge in data management and research, and using my communications background to help expand the Institute’s reach. 

I’m a New Jersey native who grew up singing and playing several instruments such as the piano, flute, violin, ukulele, and guitar, but somehow hadn't heard of the Institute until late Spring 2024 while looking for AmeriCorps positions as a result of my burgeoning interest in the nonprofit sector. As a teen, I was highly involved in community service through programs led by my school and church, from being a volunteer math tutor to conducting food drives for Newark’s homeless population. While the busyness of college left me with little opportunity to be involved in community service, I was able to build professional experience through various jobs and internships, eventually leading me to consider returning to service work in a more professional capacity. AmeriCorps VISTA has given me the perfect opportunity to do just that. 

While studying for my bachelor's in English literature at Rutgers University-New Brunswick (class of ‘23), I served as both editor-in-chief of the Rutgers Review, Rutgers’ arts and culture magazine, and a communications intern at the Rutgers University Office of Equity and Inclusion. Though both experiences allowed me to explore my love for writing and media, the latter sparked a passion for education equity.  

This passion was further ignited during my time as a substitute teacher in the 2023-2024 school year. While working in several schools in Central/North Jersey, I witnessed the stark school segregation in my home state and was upset by the disparities in resources and support across different school districts. Whether it was in the affluent Jersey suburbs, where students benefit from the latest technological resources and well-stocked libraries, or lower-income areas where I saw schools struggling with inadequate lunch programs and limited support for special needs students, it became very clear to me that even in the state ranked #4 in public schools, not everyone receives the same quality of education.

I wanted the opportunity to alleviate barriers to education, especially in the arts. Because of this, joining an organization like the Institute felt like a no-brainer. For the next year, I aim to spend my time at the Institute learning the ins and outs of non-profit work while using my diverse background to ultimately serve my local community. A huge part of me wishes that I had found this place sooner; the eight-year-old me, who had to quit piano lessons because her parents could no longer keep up with the costs (still bitter about it), would have loved to take lessons at the Institute. But at least I’m here now.