Hello all! My name is Maria and I am a long-term volunteer serving as a Mission Groups Host, as well as an AmeriCorps Member serving in Family Advocacy and living in the Mount Vernon Volunteer Community. I am a recent graduate from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY where I majored in Spanish, worked in our Office of Spiritual Life, went on three Alternative Break trips, and led social justice and interfaith events.

God had very different plans for my life than I did as I was wrapping up my senior year of college. I had been accepted to a graduate school in Michigan that I thought I was in love with, and had plans to begin a three-year Masters of Divinity program. Something about that plan just wasn’t sitting right, and when I had begun thinking about what else I could potentially do after graduation, a Google search (and God) led me to apply to CAP.

When not volunteering, I love to travel! I have a goal of seeing all 50 states before I turn 30 – and I’m halfway there! I recently went to Japan, and had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and Canada while in college. Although when not traveling, my true favorite place to be is home in Albany, NY with my two little goddaughters, Ellie and Celeste.

I absolutely cannot wait to see what God does through myself and fellow volunteers during my year with CAP. I know that it will be a year full of unexpected surprises, a lot of hard work, and tons of fun making life long memories.