Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC Class 19 Corps Member Spotlight: Rachel Ruggles

Rachel Ruggles, from Billings, Mont., is a member of Maple 1 in NCCC’s Class 19. She arrived in Vinton on February 5, 2013, to start her 10-month service term on a team of people between the ages of 18 and 24. Maple 1 is made up of 10 people from across the country, and they are serving together in a number of service projects across the North Central Region throughout their term.

“In college, a lot of my classmates in the pre-med program stressed about getting in enough volunteer hours to look good for medical school,” Rachel said. “Since I've always loved volunteering, I didn't want to turn it into something I would come to dread. Instead, I decided to wait and volunteer for something really worthwhile, something I could feel good about doing while getting some hands-on experience in multiple fields.”

Rachel brings several skills with her to NCCC, which help her be successful throughout her term with the program. She has a lot of experience volunteering with various organizations like her school and church. She has been a special needs camp counselor, a resident advisor to college freshman, a bartender, and a hard laborer at a campground. “I've never settled into putting all my efforts toward one thing in particular,” she said, “and I like it that way.”

Prior to joining NCCC, Rachel graduated from Montana State University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in cell biology and neuroscience. She also graduated from Billings West High School in 2008. After finishing the program, Rachel plans to start applying to medical schools with hopes of one day being able to deliver babies.

Maple 1 just finished a project that ran from August 10 to September 26 with Camp Echoing Hills in Warsaw, Ohio. The team assisted in the building and improvement of the Camp Echoing Hills challenge course, as well as created wheelchair accessible walkways to get to each challenge course element. Maple 1 was part of the planning process when it came to the layout of the challenge course and participated in building new elements with their current camp/maintenance staff.

Some fun facts about Rachel:

Q: What is your favorite movie? Pan’s Labyrinth

Q: What is your favorite book? The complete comic collection of Calvin and Hobbes

Q: What is your favorite candy? Butterfingers

Q: What is your favorite food? Homemade chicken noodle soup (Mom’s)

Q: What is your favorite animal? Birds (penguin)

Q: What is your favorite super hero? Spider Man

Q: What is one place in the world you really wish you could visit? Anywhere in South America, Italy or Ireland

Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Hiking and biking if nice outside, reading if not