In the number of friends gained, volunteers recruited, people helped? The amount of money donated, volunteer hours, or in-kind donations? How about the amount of money earned, food stamps used, or hours worked?

Could you, would you, measure it by the number of tears shed, laughs shared, gray hairs grown? Would it be fair to measure it by the number of setbacks, disappointments, or by the heartache and frustration? What about the unexpected joys, the great achievements, or the personal growth?

If you knew what you would face, would you still have made the choice to enter VISTA?

As Trissa, the previous MLK VISTA Corps supervisor, was fond of saying, “Reflect!”

Whether your project has been terminated, is still going strong, or is struggling for survival, this year has been a success. Whether you leave the position with piles of work unfinished, or have accomplished all of your goals, this year has been a success. And lastly, whether you worked 60 hours or 35 hours a week, got along well with your supervisor or couldn’t stand the person, or simply learned more about operating within a tight budget, this year has been a success.

The real measure of a year lies within our own hearts, not on what is written in the progress reports or what someone else tells us we should have learned.

What did this year mean to you?

Carol Williams

What is your present career and who employs you?

I am currently the program manager at The Working Zone, an employment referral program for youth that is affiliated with the YWCA in the U-District of Seattle.

Where did you grow up?

My father was in the military. I spent my early school years in Germany and then we moved to Tacoma, where I attended high school.

Where did you attend college?

I attended college at Evergreen in Olympia. I earned a degree in Fine Arts and Social Services. Evergreen had a progressive curriculum and I graduated in 1997.

When and where were you a VISTA? Tell us a little about your experiences with national service.

I was recruited for VISTA on campus. I now had an education but no real work experience and was at a loss as to how to begin. I also knew that I wanted to move to Seattle. The CNS office at the Federal Building downtown mailed me the job openings for that season and I applied. I was hooked up with MLK VISTA at Fremont Public Association – back when it was in Fremont. I served in the area of job development at the Health Employment Research program at Highland Headstart in West Seattle. At the time, I was already familiar with Headstart, as my son was enrolled. Having this network in place helped me overcome some of the obstacles that indirect service may cause, in terms of lack of contact with clients.

How did VISTA help you develop character and job skills?

My manager at my agency had a “hands off” type of style and this approach benefited me in many ways. It forced me to take responsibility. It also gave me the freedom to be creative in my work as job developer. Specifically, the training I received through MLK VISTA was most helpful. It proved to be good practical training and I wish we could all have these types of learning opportunities in the workplace. My work with VISTA led to exactly what I am doing now and hope to do in the future. Amazingly, my work with job development as a VISTA is exactly what I am doing now, and hope to do in the future.

What are your future career plans and/or goals?

I just got back from maternity leave. I had a baby girl in March. I will continue my position with the Working Zone and I attend school. I am in the masters program at Antioch University. The program is Organizational Systems Renewal. I will be certified in this field, allowing me to both work for corporations and be a private consultant to various business firms. While it is a grueling schedule, the emphasis is a holistic design. Its philosophy is to allow our activities, both personal and professional, to be conducive with our lives. This summer, one of my practicums will be to work with clients at Youth Opportunities in job development. The school was supportive of my family while I was having my baby. I am halfway through the program and will graduate with a masters in June of 2002.

What advice do you have for MLK VISTA members at Fremont Public Association who are completing their terms this fall?

Stay positive! For me, I did not fully appreciate my VISTA experience until a couple of years later, when I realized the training and experience with people was so valuable. It, among other things, filled the gap between finishing college and entering the job market in a remarkable way. Just hang in there.