Above Photo Caption: Elise and other Fellows in her cohort pictured with Congressman John Lewis.
Elise potting plants on a QVS Day when she was a Fellow
Damon and Elise served as QVS Fellows the same year and then served on the QVS Board together.
With gratitude,
Elise Riley, Recording Clerk of the QVS Board
More about Elise
Why participate in QVS instead of applying for a job directly with a nonprofit?
QVS Fellows are also offered greater wrap-around support in their QVS city (housing and intentional community, training in conflict resolution and anti-oppression work, spiritual accompaniment) to help them engage in service long term and avoid burnout.
One QVS Alum from 2016-2017 shared:
“QVS gave me a sense of direction — I learned at the end of the year that I needed more education, and more critical thinking around the best space for me to make long-term impact in a community. I found out what my strengths and weaknesses were, and gained clarity towards my next steps…
In my year-long position, I did a lot of typical first-job-out-of-college evaluation, but in my community I think I arrived at those conclusions faster because I had folks at home I could talk to about my experiences and feelings. It also unprogrammed the definition of success I maintained for myself before QVS; now, success is more than work, but also about how I am able to care for myself and listen to my feelings. I owe QVS thanks for more holistic visioning.”
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