Lindsay's Final Blog

Hi everybody! For those of you who do not know me, my name is Lindsay Regalado and I have spent the past year serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Detroit College Access Network (DCAN). This year I was able to work on many different projects, initiatives, and tasks that all helped me learn new skills and grow. As my year at DCAN comes to an end, I have been reflecting a lot about what I did and what I learned.

This year, I worked on DCANs social media by creating posts, scheduling them, designing graphics, analyzing the social media metrics, and more! I planned an SAT Prep Class and a Bootcamp that provided 80 juniors with support before they took the SAT in either April or May. I also worked with Get Schooled on the Detroit College Challenge to motivate students to submit college application essays and scholarship essays to be reviewed and edited, enticed students to create a Get Schooled account which gave them access to hundreds of resources, and encouraged students to sign up for the Detroit text line which provided them with valuable one-on-one support. I assisted with planning DCAN’s three main student events, Detroit College Day, Detroit Decision Day, and Detroit College Day Drive Thru which all focused on celebrating the students and providing them with helpful information. Lastly, I created resources for educators and students such as our Mental Health Toolkit, Scholarship List, College Success Guides, and more.

Working at DCAN this past year has been an educational, fulfilling, and rewarding opportunity. Everyone here has helped me grow both professionally and personally. The biggest lesson I learned this year was to go with the flow and look at challenges that arise as opportunities for growth. Due to COVID-19, the world and circumstances were changing rapidly. I learned that instead of getting bogged down by what may or may not happen, you must face what is happening head-on and try to make the best of it. The best part of my service year was meeting and working with such a diverse group of people. Everyone brings unique perspectives, ideas, and insights. This has been a great experience that I am glad to have had. As for where I’m headed to next... I’m not quite sure yet! But I feel incredibly ready and prepared for whatever it may be.