AmeriCorps Members from across Wisconsin Gather for Opening Ceremony 2025

Serve Wisconsin was excited to celebrate the hundreds of AmeriCorps members and program staff serving in Wisconsin over the next year at the 2025 AmeriCorps Opening Ceremony on November 21. The AmeriCorps members were welcomed into their year of service by Kyle Clower, Executive Director of Serve Wisconsin, who expressed his gratitude, stating, “Thank you again to all of you here today…You have embarked on a service journey this year that will improve the lives of the people of our state. We hope you will make new friends, have new experiences, and learn new skills along the way, although you will also face various challenges, with peaks and valleys across the year…I hope you have a meaningful and truly positive service experience this year and can keep the ideas of the AmeriCorps pledge that we will take later this morning in mind whenever you encounter difficulties…Throughout all of your service, please remember that you are an AmeriCorps member, and that you will get things done.”

The virtual ceremony allowed AmeriCorps members to connect with those serving throughout the state. In addition to forging connections with others serving over the next year, they heard about the service stories and were led in the AmeriCorps pledge by three AmeriCorps alumni in the Wisconsin Assembly: Rep. Ryan Clancy, Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, and Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner.

All three representatives shared their AmeriCorps service experiences, including what they learned during their service and how their experience has shaped their current work for the people of the state. Additionally, they shared advice for current AmeriCorps members including to

• “Listen more to figure out the good things that are happening and work to uplift them” and “do not be afraid to adapt your work, as…adapting, going in there with an open mind and the willingness to listen and change is key.” -- Rep. Ryan Clancy
• “Lean into your work as much as possible” and “learn all that you can be vulnerable and be comfortable with being uncomfortable…you will remember this for the rest of your life, and you will carry it with you for the rest of your life.” -- Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde
• "Be a hopeful, joyful warrior for the people that you are trying to help and support, and all the ways that shows up” and that, “If you're daunted by the fact that we can't fix every problem, that we can't solve poverty in one year of service that you do, you can't do that, but you can reach into changing one life, one mind, one heart making a small difference. The biggest things that change start with something small.” -- Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner

We want to thank the Representatives for sharing their service experiences and are grateful to all our AmeriCorps members for dedicating a year of their life to service.

To view the speakers and announcements from the event, visit our recording of the 2025 AmeriCorps Opening Ceremony.

Serve Wisconsin announces Kyle Clower as their new Executive Director

We are pleased to announce that Kyle Clower has accepted and begun serving in the role of Executive Director for Serve Wisconsin. Kyle has worked for Serve Wisconsin since 2018, most recently as our Communications and Government Affairs Officer.

Kyle has been instrumental in leading public relations and communications efforts to promote AmeriCorps and in managing and organizing events such as the Governor’s Service Awards and AmeriCorps Day at the Capital. He has used his communications and leadership skills to keep grant recipients, the members of the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board, the members of the Wisconsin legislature and Congress, and important stakeholders informed of Serve Wisconsin’s critical mission and values. Additionally, Kyle has been an important part of our efforts to support Serve Wisconsin’s program and policy development and the administration of AmeriCorps funding used for volunteerism and service opportunities in Wisconsin.

We know that with his experience, he is well positioned to effectively support our AmeriCorps programs, the Serve Wisconsin team, and our Board. We have confidence that his passion for volunteerism and service will allow him to represent Serve Wisconsin well in promoting community service, volunteerism, and AmeriCorps programming across the state. Congratulations to Kyle on his new role!

Reflections from WAFCC host sites about the impact AmeriCorps members have on their service to the public

The AmeriCorps members serving with Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) help build capacity and support Free and Charitable Clinics and Community Health Departments throughout Wisconsin. Through this program, WAFCC AmeriCorps members increase access to healthcare services for low-income and uninsured patients by creating new resources, programs, and opportunities in their communities. Below are two reflections by staff at current WAFCC host sites highlighting the impact AmeriCorps members are having on the ability of their organizations to provide services to the public.

Donna Maysack - Madison Street Medicine

Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts on AmeriCorps. We are a very small non-profit that brings free healthcare to people living outside. Our work is challenging and honestly, we wouldn't be able to do it as well, if not for our amazing AmeriCorps teammates. 

At times our workload can be daunting and even lead to despair, our clients are suffering and it's a lot to carry....and then comes AmeriCorps. These young people are rising leaders, who consistently show up and take on each challenge with fresh energy and valuable perspective. Truly our AmeriCorps partnership has enriched us all, including the lives of our clients. 

When the program was disrupted earlier this year, it was crushing. Not just because we rely on our AmeriCorps teammates to fill many gaps, but also the thought of how far reaching the loss would certainly be. Our AmeriCorps team members are the brightest and best, they keep us young in spirit, and help restore our faith in spite of what the future may bring. That is why we didn't hesitate to remain connected.  We appreciate AmeriCorps and thank you for your continued support.

Jason Larsen - St. Clare Health Mission

We've been using the AmeriCorps partnership for almost 5 years! We really appreciate having educated, talented staff members who are also excited about the experience. Pauline, our current AmeriCorps member, has been working on a few QI projects and assisting with an SDoH IRB project. We are delighted to have the partnership and delighted by the skillset and professionalism of Pauline! 

Service story about AmeriCorps member service with

Marshfield Clinic - Community Corps

November episode of The S-Files podcast

This month on The S-Files, we explored the service story of AmeriCorps alumna Barb Suozzi, who previously served three terms with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Recovery Corps from 2018-2021. You can access all of the episodes on The S-Files podcast series website.

Service as an Opportunity to Help Others and to Gain Valuable Experience and the Learning Opportunity of a Lifetime

In this episode of The S-Files, we are exploring the service done by AmeriCorps alumna Barb Suozzi, who previously served three terms with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Recovery Corps from 2018-2021. Barb discusses her service as a recovery coach at two different sites across her service, detailing how during her first year she helped individuals with substance abuse disorders to make and follow their recovery plans while serving at the Family Health Center of Marshfield Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center in Minocqua. She then described her service the next two years at Arbor Vitae - Woodruff School, where she was primarily working on prevention activities and support for counseling, with her activities and roles adapting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including shifting to preparing and delivering lunches for students that needed them when school shifted that for several months to virtual in 2020. Barb later discusses how her service experience helped lead to a job at the school assisting students as a mental health liaison before retiring and then using her Segal Education Award to study and complete volunteer service in Italy. Listen to learn about the advice that Barb would share for AmeriCorps members that she gained from her own experience, and how it led her into new career pathways and the learning opportunity of a lifetime. (listen to the episode here)

Serve Wisconsin | servewisconsin.wi.gov | AmeriCorps

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