Saying Farewell To Arashi

We at ORCC wish Arashi Young well as she moves on to new ventures.  We asked her to reflect on her time at ORCC and what life lessons she took home from her experiences.

Before I worked at ORCC, my only exposure to AmeriCorps was a close friend who served two years at Trout Lake in Washington. I remember visiting and feeling in awe at the camaraderie they had with each other.

Working at ORCC brought me close to that same feeling of service and teamwork. Now, I am in awe of the people I have met through this experience. They are some of the most determined and unflappable folks I have ever met. They get amazing work done and yet still manage to be thoughtful, caring, silly, and sweet.

I have worked in small businesses and large corporations, I have worked in governments, public radio and I have freelanced by myself. Oregon Campus Compact is the first non-profit that I have ever worked for. I had this idea that non-profits were the scrappy second cousin of businesses or governments. ORCC has opened my eyes to the world of local and regional non-profits and the network of support in the Portland area. 

I feel lucky that I got a first-hand look at all the good work being done to change the world: mentorship programs, service-learning, food drives, neighborhood cleanups, college access programing, equity and social justice reforms... the list goes on. It is uplifting to know that there are so many people are constantly fighting to do this good work.

I am grateful for this experience and the wonderful people I have met here. I wish ORCC the best as they continue to push for equitable college access.

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