Editor’s note: Every Monday, the Muscatine Journal profiles a local figure who responds to questions provided by one of our reporters.

MEDIAPOLIS, Iowa — Carman White wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after graduating from college in 2006. White, 26, was raised in Mediapolis but went to school at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

After studying fine arts and public relations she graduated and joined AmeriCorps, a network of national service programs created to improve the environment, enhance education, increase public safety and assist with disaster relief and other needs. She was able to travel the United States to help people affected by  disasters as well as assist  low-income families that just needed a hand up.

After finishing her first mission in the program, she decided to join again and wound up in Louisa County staying only a few miles away from her parents’ home In Mediapolis. 

White is the team leader for a group in Louisa County made up of nine other young people. During the course of their six-week project, which began about four weeks ago, the Corps members will help remove non-native plant species through prescribed burning of grasslands and assist with the county’s environmental education program at Louisa County schools.

The team will also plan, organize and host Louisa County’s first Earth Day River Cleanup project on the Iowa River on Saturday, April 18.

Personal

Name: Carman White

Age: 26

Residence: Cedar Rapids

Occupation: Volunteer for AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, based out of Vinton

Immediate family: Parents, Jeff and Lori White; sister, Kira White, all of Mediapolis.

Q&AWhy did you join AmeriCorps?

At first I didn’t know what I wanted to do after college but I knew I wanted to be a volunteer. AmeriCorps allowed me to volunteer and explore different things and travel. AmeriCorps gives back because they cover food and housing and you also get a little bit of money for college. After college, I worked at an architecture firm doing graphic design for one year. I needed to get out from behind the computer.

What have you gained from AmeriCorps?

Just life skills, really, and meeting all kinds of people in the U.S. I have been learning skills I can use in real life. Before we came here, we were in Columbus, Ohio, doing taxes for low-income people. I have also learned about disaster relief and went to the Gulf Coast when I was with AmeriCorps. My first project was hands-on in New Orleans in 2007 rebuilding homes in the center of town (as a followup to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster).

Why did you choose to come back to Iowa when there were still opportunities to travel?

I knew I wanted to join again and I wanted to be a team leader and there was an opportunity here. I also wanted to see my family and help Iowans.

What do you want to do after you are done with AmeriCorps?

I am planning on taking a vacation with my sister  to Ireland. We want to be tourists and she wants to see the greenery and the castles. She also wants to go skydiving but I’m not sure I’ll do that. After that I want to move to Denver.