July’s Ambassadors of the Month are some of the people who made the third offering of the InStepp Citizenship Instruction class a success: Heather Knox, Michael Petilli, Karen Salina, and Callie Stanislawski. Launched last year, the class helps Durham area residents prepare for the citizenship exam that leads to becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Heather Knox grew up in Pittsburgh and now lives in Raleigh. For the past year, she has worked as a budget analyst for the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences in RTP. Previously, she was a logistics management specialist for the U.S. Army based in Washington D.C. In her spare time, Heather enjoys traveling (she has visited 28 countries), exercising, and trying new restaurants in Durham. Although this is her first volunteer experience with InStepp, Heather has a history of serving her community as a volunteer. She has participated in home improvement/ construction projects and children’s programs in Appalachia, and coordinated and led week-long volunteer projects in Washington DC, training college students to work with homeless people through organizations such as food banks, meal services, and career programs. Heather says she is inspired by the women who attended the Citizenship class.
“Seeing how much taking a small amount of time out of my week can help someone else has inspired me to get more involved with my community,” she says.
Michael Petilli was born in New York but grew up and still lives in Raleigh. He works as an editorial assistant for J & J Editorial and also writes blog posts about global politics, current events, religion, and intercultural exchange. Michael’s hobbies include worldwide travel, reading history and philosophy books, playing guitar, and watching soccer. Michael has volunteered for other civic-related program, including the Model United Nations and Mock Trials program for middle and high school students. He connected with InStepp through the volunteermatch.org website. As a descendent of immigrants, Michael said he was compelled to get involved with the Citizenship program and help people going through the citizenship process.
“The experience of being a civics instructor has been incredibly rewarding,” he says. “Helping people understand history and building confident members of civic society is important work that I feel honored to be a part of. “
Karen Salina grew up on Long Island and moved to Raleigh in 1987. She works as a licensed practical nurse at Duke Rheumatology in Brier Creek. In her free time, she teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and stays fit doing yoga and swimming. A widow who was married for 32 years, she has a son who lives in Raleigh and is a longtime volunteer with her church and Church World Services, where she has taught both ESL and citizenship classes. Karen contacted InStepp this spring while doing research for the launch of a citizenship program at her church. Before hanging up the phone, she had been recruited as an InStepp Citizenship Program volunteer.
“I’m a big advocate of doing volunteer work to help people. My advice is to jump in with both feet and dedicate as much time as you can to work with folks that need help and encouragement,” she says.
Callie Stanislawski grew up in a small Wisconsin town, lived in New Orleans after graduating from college, and came to North Carolina in February 2016. She now lives in Durham with her dog, Luna. Callie is currently looking for an administrative job and considering going back to school—either for a master’s degree in social work or a law degree. She describes herself as a “political junkie” who likes to travel, read, swim, and play with her dog. Callie’s volunteer experience includes working at a food pantry and at a non-profit focused on restorative justice issues while a college student at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. After college, she work in New Orleans as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) member, where she helped nonprofits and government agencies address childhood hunger. Callie found InStepp through volunteermatch.org when she was looking for a way to get involved in the Durham community. Like the other Citizenship Program volunteers, Callie says she gains as much as she gives through her volunteer work.
“By working with the men and women in the Citizenship Instruction Class and seeing their commitment and dedication, I am inspired to seek out new and challenging opportunities that allow me to improve my life and the lives of those around me,” she says.