Current Corps Members

I recently graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and originally hail from Saint Clair Shores, Michigan. I studied Political Science and American Studies at Wellesley, focusing on political theory and education justice within each major. I am excited to explore Judaism during this year with JSC as a way of connecting spirituality to justice and to bring together my work with Jewish Voice for Peace and my family’s religious background. When not at work, you can find me learning a new craft (right now it’s sewing, embroidery, and ceramics), reading for fun, trying to understand critical theory, or learning more about Durham and Chapel Hill.

Emerson will be serving with the Pauli Murray Center.

I studied International Business at UNC-Greensboro as an exchange student from Slovakia. I have been studying and working in Austria for the majority of time over the last eight years. I graduated last year with a Masters in International Management. I’m a Roman Catholic and love to learn about different peoples’ perspectives and beliefs. I have been thinking about starting a social enterprise in the future, and hence, look forward to getting to know the social side of business through working for a nonprofit. I enjoy family-style living and a hot cup of Irish black tea. I also love dancing, swimming, skiing, horseback riding, hiking, and spending time with people, especially close ones. During the year I hope that, by the Lord’s Grace, my love toward Him and His people will deepen even more.

Mirka will be serving with Club Nova.

I am from Charlotte, North Carolina. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018 with degrees in Global Studies and Anthropology. I would like to work for a nonprofit, ideally an organization that supports immigrants in the United States. In my free time, I enjoy watching UNC basketball, traveling, and writing short stories. I identify as a non-denominational Christian, and a fun fact about me is that I have a llama tattoo on my ankle to commemorate the time I spent in Ecuador.

Emily will be serving with the East Durham Children's Initiative.

I am from Richmond, Virginia. I graduated in May 2018 from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Global Security and Justice and a B.A. in Spanish. My undergraduate studies focused on labor trafficking in the migrant community and labor trafficking in the supply chains, and I plan to work on corporate social responsibility in the business sector. I was raised in the Baptist church and I have continued to grow in my faith by being involved in my college Christian fellowship. With this year of service, I hope to discern how I can serve people and incorporate my faith into my work. In my free time, I enjoy painting canvases and trying new recipes. I love playing the piano and have just begun composing my own music. I have heard a lot about the uniqueness of the Triangle since my brother graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, my dad from NC State, and my mom from NC Central. I am excited to live in this area and explore all of the things that it has to offer.

Alisia will be serving with Uniting NC.

I am from Loudoun County, Virginia. I went to school at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia and graduated in 2018 with a degree in Criminology with minors in Psychology and Sociology. For as long as I remember, I wanted to be a police officer and was even caught arresting my classmates while singing the “Cops” theme song in kindergarten. However, as my faith continued to grow throughout my time at Longwood, I realized the Lord had much more in store for me and gave me the potential to help my community in many more ways than that. One day, I would love to become a priest and be able to continue to share my faith and do everything I can through the church to help my surrounding community, wherever that may be. I do not consider myself to belong to a specific denomination because I believe that it can sometimes separate individuals who love Jesus. I do believe that we have all been blessed by the Lord in our own ways, and that helping others by using the gifts and talents we’ve been blessed with is one of the greatest ways to help others.

Zachary will be serving with Ears, Eyes, Nose, and Paws.

I am originally from Reston, Virginia and graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2015. I have spent the past three years working at a research nonprofit in Bethesda, Maryland, and am excited for all that a year of service may bring. In my free time, I like to devour books, make homemade iced chai lattes, take improv classes, hang out with family and friends, travel, and revel in the feelings of virtuousness that arise from succeeding in attending a yoga class regularly. During my year of service, I am most looking forward to getting to know my fellow corps members, finding the best sweet tea in Durham/Chapel Hill, and getting involved in the 20s/30s group at the Chapel of the Cross.

Ann will be serving with the Compass Center.

I was born in Colorado and my family moved to Eastern NC when I was ten. I graduated from UNC Asheville in 2013 with a degree in art and a concentration in painting. My upbringing was pretty conservative. but Christ has always been at the center. My faith is still Christ-centered, but I don't necessarily associate with any denomination. I have volunteered with different organizations in anti-human trafficking, prison ministry, and immigrant rights. I have learned that I really enjoy working one-on-one, and I hope to discern what that can mean for my future. I enjoy doing too many things but a few favorites are: painting, reading, riding horses, dancing, eating, hiking, and drinking tea with a fuzzy blanket. The most exciting part of this upcoming year is doing life with all of the corps members! I love the growth and connection that happens when like-minded people get together for a greater good.

Tirzah will be serving with Partners for Youth Opportunity.

I grew up in Romeo, a small town in southeast Michigan. After spending the past four years outside of Boston at Wellesley College - a small historically women’s liberal arts college - I’m excited for my next adventure. At Wellesley, I found the beauty of living in intentional community through my home for the past two years in the Sustainability Cooperative (Scoop!), as well as a deep passion for justice work grounded in my Unitarian Universalist faith. I just graduated with a degree in Peace and Justice Studies and Religion, and am looking forward to spending the next year figuring out what path I am called to take next. Food is incredibly important to me, I love to cook and to eat and believe that sharing food is one of the best ways to build relationships. I want to spend as much time as possible outdoors now that I’m escaping Boston winter for awhile, and am hoping to keep up my love of playing rugby! I can’t want to explore the area and get to know all of the corps members.

Liz will be serving with the Rural Advancement Foundation International.

I am originally from Miami, Florida. This past May, I graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Peace, War, and Defense and a minor in History. I am interested in getting involved in the nonprofit sector in order to serve my local community as well as affect change globally during and after my service year through future opportunities abroad. I love to read, learn and start conversations with different people from all walks of life. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to around ten countries through different educational scholarship opportunities while in college. In the future I plan on expanding my professional development by traveling and exploring new cultures and locations around the globe in order to learn and continue working alongside other talented and motivated young people on improving the living conditions of people around the world. I really enjoy performing and writing poetry as well as comedy, and while in college I performed for a while with an improv comedy group called Chapel Hill Players. I am excited about this new opportunity, and the journey that I am about to take this year, as I continue to develop professionally, spiritually, and intellectually.

Aaron will be serving with Anathoth Community Garden.

I'm a Houston native, finally uprooted after 27 years of patient stability. A graduate of the University of Houston in 2013 with a degree in Liberal Studies (go Coogs!), I spent the next five years working, somewhat unexpectedly, as a technical writer for a software company. I also spent those years delving into every local religious, artistic, and culinary scene I could track down and travelling whenever and wherever I could. In March 2018, I finally left my job and the homestead to travel to India to pursue a yoga teaching certification and deepen my contemplative practice. After years of wandering, I've come to understand my calling as being friend and counselor to the spiritually dispossessed. I want to walk alongside people who struggle with the big questions and help them (and myself) find new ways to articulate and live out old callings and reconnect with perennial traditions. You can read about my adventures and foibles on my blog: www.patreon.com/ezinsitz.

Emily will be serving with the Center for Responsible Lending.