Et cetera : NCCC Corps Class 21 Team Leader Spotlight: Whitney English

By: Marilyn Ponce

Name: Whitney English

Hometown: Kempton, IL

Whitney from Kempton, Illinois is serving as the Oak Unit Support Team Leader in AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Class 21. This is her second term with AmeriCorps NCCC after serving as a corps member on the team Oak 4 at the Vinton campus. She arrived in Vinton in January of 2015 to start her 11-month service term with the program. As the Oak unit support team leader, Whitney gathers reports from the field, assists with trainings, and serves with teams out in the field.

Before her term of service, she graduated from North Central College in 2013 with a major in History and minor in Psychology. Whitney brings an array of skills as a team leader including organization, attention for details and construction skills from her previous NCCC year.

Whitney talks about her motivation for returning to NCCC for a second term, “I really enjoyed my first year in the program as a corps member and now I looking forward to continue doing community service and further developing my leadership skills as a team leader.”

After completing the program in November, she plans on joining the Peace Corps to continue her passion for serving and strengthening communities around the world.

Some fun facts about Whitney:

Q: What is your favorite TV show and why? Modern Family

Q: What song best describes you? Do Life Big by Jamie Grace because it is a very upbeat, positive song and about making an impact on the world – which is what I want to do

Q: If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? Flying because I think it would fun, up high, and further away to give me a different perspective of the world

Q: What is the most challenging and/or exciting thing you have done? Volunteering in an orphanage in Brasov Romania

Q: What is one thing you can’t live without? My family and twin sister

Q: What is one thing you would like to try but have not had the chance? Surfing