May 9, 2018 | During his VISTA year, Adrian Uzunian was able to make an impact on the small community he served in Western Maryland – but he wanted something bigger. He wanted to serve a mission with a broader, national focus. So, he signed on to be a VISTA Leader with the OSMRE VISTA Team (now known as Stewards). 

“I wanted to move into a support role and serve a national mission,” he explains. “I also enjoy bringing people together and facilitating collaboration among people, so the VISTA Leader role was ideal for me.” As a VISTA Leader, Adrian worked hand-in-hand with his supervisor to help develop new VISTA sites, recruit members and plan trainings. Through his efforts, he got to really know the VISTAs he worked with, even though they were located at sites across the country. As with most non-profit work, Adrian wore a lot of hats as a VISTA Leader, but that work experience has served him well in his professional career. “I learned a lot about managing people as a VISTA Leader,” he said. “Although I was not a supervisor, I learned a lot about managing personalities, conflict management, and motivating people, which are all qualities you need to have as a good supervisor.”

After finishing his VISTA Leader term and graduating with his Masters Degree, Adrian joined the Stewards Individual Placement Program where he  was recently promoted to Program Director. In this role, he manages a small group of staff that oversees the Community Volunteer Ambassador program and other AmeriCorps programs serving across the Country. 

Interested in becoming a VISTA Leader? Apply today!