AmeriCorps, an organization devoted to the betterment of impoverished and troubled communities across the nation, newly assigned representative Karen Lederer to a coordinator post at UT.
A recent university graduate herself, Lederer recognizes the importance of educating people on the role AmeriCorps plays across America and the services it makes available to the community.
“Many students don’t know what AmeriCorps is,” Lederer said. “I know I didn’t when I was in college and I just graduated in May.”
A native of Louisville, Ky. and an alumnus of Marietta College in Ohio, Lederer was initially drawn to AmeriCorps by a sense of indecision and a desire to do good in the world.
“I have always wanted to make a difference in the world,” she asserted, “and I felt that serving as a volunteer for AmeriCorps was a great opportunity to do so.
Although joined by the purpose of raising American living standards, Americorps is comprised of three distinct programs each dedicated to complimentary missions.
AmeriCorps VISTA, the branch for which Lederer is a service coordinator, is dedicated primarily to working with the existing local support structures to combat poverty in the nation’s most underprivileged areas.
AmeriCorps state/national fulfills similar community service needs by participating in a variety of programs to uplift the homeless, care for the elderly, rebuild neighborhoods and augment education and tutoring services. The AmeriCorps NCC program is dedicated primarily to disaster relief and community restoration.
Dedicated to the mission of the office she now holds, Lederer is determined to brighten the surrounding community and lend it strength through cooperation with like-minded organizations in the vicinity of the University of Tampa.
“I have teamed up with the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County in hopes to spread more awareness about the homelessness problem in the Tampa Bay area,” said Lederer, “I also hope to help in the process of developing a service-learning committee at UT.”
In addition, Lederer is working closely with work-study programs of local school systems and is seeking to recruit UT students to enter the Spartan Mentors Program.
As an AmeriCorps representative, Lederer receives only a small living stipend and the respect and gratitude of the community for a job well done.
She will stay with the University for her assignment period of one year before moving on. The future of the position at UT and its likelihood of continuing past the current year is at present uncertain.
“The University of Tampa will be submitting paperwork to continue with the AmeriCorps position for the 2010-2011 academic year.
However, it is up to Florida Alliance for Student Service whether or not we receive the funding and position for another term.”
As to her personal future, Karen is likewise tentative.
“I am still looking into what path I might go down after my year of service—perhaps something with teaching or animals,” Lederer said.
Lederer can be reached between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in her P.E.A.C.E. room office on the second floor of Vaughn.