2008 Woodie Awards
After the Bubble bursts
Emily Saltzman in a 4-door apartment
Nicole Capozziello
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Features
About a year ago, Emily Saltzman and I found ourselves at Christmas Mountain resort in Wisconsin's seediest tourist trap, the Wisconsin Dells. As Saltzman and I ate Pocahontas-shaped cookies, played Bingo, and unsuccessfully attempted to garner a $100 Wal-Mart gift certificate, neither of us had a care in the world. We didn't stop to think where she would be in a year, yet if we had, I definitely don't think either of us would have landed on Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Yet that is exactly where she is, working in the thriving metropolis half an hour north of Iowa City, formerly home to both the Wright brothers and Elijah Wood.
Not unlike those former Cedar Rapids residents, Saltzman is biding her time as an employee at Coe College, on the verge of breakout success. Since August, Saltzman has been an employee of the AmeriCorps Vista Campus Compact program whose goal is to break down barriers between campus and the community. She receives housing and meals on campus as in addition to a monthly stipend to live on. Her apartment, located on the first floor of one of the dorms, came complete with a spiral staircase and four doors, a facet that never fails mesmerize dorm residents she often hears bellowing "where does this door go to?" throughout the night.
During the daylight hours, Saltzman is in charge of implementing the recently reformatted volunteering program at Coe, requiring students to complete 20 hours of community service by the end of their first year. Saltzman sets students up with volunteering opportunities in the community (according to their interests) and also helps students find internships with non-profit organizations, paid through work-study.
Through well-rounded campus involvement, Saltzman forged positive bonds with faculty and staff from all different parts of Lawrence, giving her a strong base for further work. "My program didn't accept professor references at all," said Emily, who made connections by heading Student Welfare Committee and other organizations. Saltzman believes Lawrence gave her a nice base for her current position.
Not unlike those former Cedar Rapids residents, Saltzman is biding her time as an employee at Coe College, on the verge of breakout success. Since August, Saltzman has been an employee of the AmeriCorps Vista Campus Compact program whose goal is to break down barriers between campus and the community. She receives housing and meals on campus as in addition to a monthly stipend to live on. Her apartment, located on the first floor of one of the dorms, came complete with a spiral staircase and four doors, a facet that never fails mesmerize dorm residents she often hears bellowing "where does this door go to?" throughout the night.
During the daylight hours, Saltzman is in charge of implementing the recently reformatted volunteering program at Coe, requiring students to complete 20 hours of community service by the end of their first year. Saltzman sets students up with volunteering opportunities in the community (according to their interests) and also helps students find internships with non-profit organizations, paid through work-study.
Through well-rounded campus involvement, Saltzman forged positive bonds with faculty and staff from all different parts of Lawrence, giving her a strong base for further work. "My program didn't accept professor references at all," said Emily, who made connections by heading Student Welfare Committee and other organizations. Saltzman believes Lawrence gave her a nice base for her current position.
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