To celebrate the 30th anniversary of AmeriCorps during AmeriCorps Week 2024, Director of AmeriCorps State and National Sonali Nijhawan visited GPI while touring host sites across the country. GPI was selected as a site visit during this tour for its long commitment to supporting AmeriCorps members through the Climate Impact Corps and Minnesota GreenCorps.
Sonali was an AmeriCorps member with City Year Chicago, working with students and families, but wanted to experience what it was like to be a climate service AmeriCorps member. During the visit, Sonali immersed herself in the day-to-day service experience by taking on the role of an AmeriCorps member for the day.
Julia Quanrud, CEO of ServeMinnesota, also attended. ServeMinnesota helps coordinate and facilitate AmeriCorps programming in Minnesota.
A day of AmeriCorps service
Sonali’s professional background is not in climate work, so her service journey began with two orientation presentations: an overview of Minnesota’s three main climate-based AmeriCorps programs—Climate Impact Corps, Minnesota GreenCorps, and Conservation Corps Minnesota—and an insight into GPI’s work with the AmeriCorps program.
Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) Statewide Co-Director Diana McKeown at GPI offered a brief insight into GPI’s committed relationship with the AmeriCorps programming and the status of some past AmeriCorps members. GPI directs Metro CERT, which is part of the statewide CERTs. CERTs is also a key player in Minnesota’s Climate Impact Corps program.
Over the years, GPI has served as a host site for four Climate Impact Corps and eight GreenCorps members across eight service terms. Many have gone on to leadership roles elsewhere in Minnesota’s clean energy landscape. Each dedicated AmeriCorps member has contributed uniquely to GPI’s mission.
After the orientation, Sonali was immersed in the day-to-day AmeriCorps experience. The current AmeriCorps presented their work and personal experiences from their term.
Kyle Young’s experience
Kyle Young, Climate Impact Corps sustainability project coordinator, showcased his work on building community resilience through Drive Electric Minnesota and Charging Smart. Drive Electric Minnesota is facilitated by GPI to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. Charging Smart helps local governments become leaders in EV deployment, and GPI is a lead partner of the program.
When asked about his experience as an AmeriCorps so far and his key takeaways from the site visit, he shared:
“Throughout my service term with AmeriCorps, I’ve had the opportunity to foster connections and problem-solve with some amazing people. The experience as a whole has been more fulfilling than I could’ve ever imagined and has helped me remain optimistic in the face of the challenges ahead of us. I’m grateful to have been able to share my EV-related work with Sonali and have a conversation with her about the barriers people face in the transition to adopting EVs.”
Keely Rau’s experience
Inside the GPI office, Keely Rau, a Climate Impact Corps sustainability project coordinator, arranged a table showcasing her work with CERTs. In this work, Keely focuses on reducing the energy burden for underserved communities, which is a pivotal strategy for fostering community resilience.
When Sonali inquired whether this aligns with Keely’s initial expectations of the program, Keely said she had anticipated a fair amount of outreach and tabling. However, the impact she is currently making has surpassed her initial understanding of this role.
“It’s truly rewarding to observe the impact we’re making right here in our community,” she said.
Chloe Carstensen’s experience
Chloe Carstensen, a GreenCorps member, shared her contributions to various projects for Drive Electric Minnesota. Sonali was impressed by the substantial progress and Chloe’s various achievements during her term so far.
“My service term with Minnesota GreenCorps and GPI has been a great learning opportunity for me to grow skills in a field I want to work in. The site visit helped me learn more about the different projects my fellow AmeriCorps members are completing, which was really interesting,” Chloe said, reflecting on her experience as a GreenCorps member and during the site visit.
Emory Solomonson’s experience
Emory Solomonson, a GreenCorps member, then showcased their contributions to the Charging Smart program.
Emory said that GreenCorps has provided them with invaluable connections within the environmental field—both through their colleagues at GPI and cohort members. Although they hadn’t initially envisioned themselves in the clean energy world, they have found fulfillment in the work and the people they interact with.
When asked about their most significant takeaway from the site visit, Emory said:
“My biggest realization from Sonali’s visit was that people genuinely care and want to actively participate in healing our planet. Despite not having extensive knowledge of environmental work, Sonali deliberately chose to explore sites engaged in environmental initiatives. Witnessing this commitment was incredibly motivating—it reinforced the idea that even individuals outside of environmental careers are eager to learn and contribute to our mission.”
Wrapping up the AmeriCorps site visit
We wrapped up our gathering with a shared lunch. Joining for lunch were Rolf Nordstrom, GPI’s president and CEO, along with several other former AmeriCorps members who work at GPI, some of whom were hired after their service terms with GPI.
This shared experience fostered connections as we discussed the challenges of living on a stipend and unique insights from both AmeriCorps members and GPI as a host site.
Looking ahead, there is excitement for the future impact of AmeriCorps on GPI and other host sites, as well as the upcoming experiences for the current Climate Impact Corps and GreenCorps members.
If you’re thinking of joining the AmeriCorps programs at GPI, you can apply through Climate Impact Corps or Minnesota GreenCorps.
