Hear from some of our 2019 members!

Green Iowa AmeriCorps is one of the longest standing, farthest reaching, and most impactful community engagement programs at the University of Northern Iowa.  We are very proud of the work that Green Iowa AmeriCorps members have done across Iowa over the last decade to improve energy efficiency in homes, make schools more sustainable, and implement land and water conservation projects. 

But perhaps more importantly, Green Iowa AmeriCorps has given hundreds of members a community service experience from which they have launched into service-oriented professional careers that will continue to strengthen our communities for decades to come.  I continue to be amazed by the work that Green Iowa AmeriCorps members do, and I am honored to work alongside the program staff and GIA members at the UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education. Thank you, GIA!

CORI BURBACH, DUBUQUE'S ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER

"Green Iowa has been such an asset to our community as we’ve pursued our Sustainable Dubuque goals.  Their weatherization services have ensured that some of our most vulnerable residents live comfortably in the winter, while saving money.  And, their efforts to host community events and take their educational activities to schools and other partners ensure that we’re all having a little fun as we learn about what we can do to make a difference for our planet!"

CAMERON MANNINA, SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS MEMBER 2017-18

"The opportunity of serving for AmeriCorps is a large commitment. Many will ask is it worth the time? After serving in AmeriCorps for a year of service I can say it definitely is. 

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The Sustainable Schools program I was a part of worked with industry leading sustainability organizations such as the USGBC Center for Green Schools and connected me with sustainability professionals from around the country. Through my service I worked with energy bench-marking and leaned about facility management. This has made a significant difference in my ability to be an industry leader in sustainability. After my one year of service I was able to come out of it with a full time job working with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

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The path was not easy and the direction was not always clear but my service pushed me to come up with creative solutions to deal with difficult issues. 

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After a year of completing assignments, interacting with key stakeholders, and receiving feedback, I gained the confidence to apply my skills to the workforce outside of AmeriCorps. The program helped me find a passion and helped guide me to use my skill set to make a difference. 

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My service in Sustainable Schools has definitely helped me professionally and was well worth my time. AmeriCorps isn't for everyone but if you are a passionate individual looking to make a difference in your local community, this is your opportunity." 

BEV WAGNER, DUBUQUE METRO SOLID WASTE AGENCY'S EDUCATION COORDINATOR

"Green Iowa AmeriCorps - Sustainable Schools has allowed us to reach additional schools and audiences through coordination with student environmental clubs and classroom presentations. Our AmeriCorps member (Eve) is working directly with students from several schools to guide them in their leadership skills to make positive environmental changes in everyday practices. She has also assisted the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency Education Coordinator in reaching over 800 seventh grade students through classroom presentations and landfill tours, empowering students to make intentional choices to increase resource conservation and decrease their carbon footprints."

Eve Dietrich, 2 Year Member 

JOSH BALK, DRY RUN CREEK WATERSHED COORDINATOR FOR BLACK HAWK SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

"From outreach events raising awareness on ways local citizens can address water quality issues, to conducting water monitoring assessing the health of our local water bodies, to getting their hands dirty and helping construct beneficial conservation practices; the Land and Water Stewards program has proven invaluable to benefiting our community.  The AmeriCorps members involved have been huge assets to our soil and water conservation efforts.  The experience they gain from their term of service lasts a lifetime and will help benefit whatever other towns, citizens, or countries they end up in. I continue to look forward to this partnership and the lives we can impact together."

BOBBI J. MINARD, PROGRAM COORDINATOR

"I began serving at Green Iowa for one summer, for an internship credit during my junior year at UNI. It connected me to Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and everyone I served with became family. Not just the other AmeriCorps members, but my supervisors and the staff who watched over the program. Everyone I served with years ago still keeps in contact, and when I started looking for work after I graduated, my supervisors actively kept me in mind when they went to networking events. It was because of them I heard about my current job! I now manage an AmeriCorps program at Iowa State, and my boss continually thanks Carmen for running into her at a conference and passing on my information."