College grad joins AmeriCorps to work at Yuma library

In August, Andrew Wusler accepted a position in Yuma and moved across the country from Wisconsin.

He found a room on Craigslist, and he said he stuffed everything he could into his suitcase.

And the rest is history.

Today, Wusler, 22, is working with AmeriCorps as a grant writer with the Yuma County Library District.

AmeriCorps, an organization that provides service opportunities each year, offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups, according to its Web site.

For Wusler, a recent graduate of Ripon College in Ripon, Wis., the idea of working for AmeriCorps for a year was appealing.

After graduating in spring 2008 with degrees in both English and political science, Wusler said, it was difficult to find a job. He had friends who had a positive experience with AmeriCorps.

Plus, he wanted to go "somewhere warmer."

When the position with Yuma's library district was open, Wusler took it.

At the Main Library, working with the Nonprofit and Grants Resource Center, Wusler gets to combine both his experience with government and public policy with his passion for writing.

Now more than ever, organizations are looking for additional funding, and the library district is no different.

"You kind of have to take the shotgun approach if you want to find money for your programs," Wusler said.

While writing for his political science and other courses, Wusler said, he had to establish a need, take a position and support it.

That's exactly what he's doing with grant writing, he said.

In addition, Wusler said, his co-workers are great: Everyone is easy to get along with and nice. And everyone's eager to show him around, he said.

"(That's) one of the smoothest aspects of the transition."

Outside of work, Wusler said, he's had an opportunity to see parts of Yuma County. "The Foothills area is a very nice area."

He's hiked Telegraph Pass, he said, and he hopes to find more outdoor activities as the weather cools off.

For the future, Wusler said he's focusing on his work with the library district.

He's considered going to grad school and maybe one day teaching English in either primary or secondary education.

"But right now I'm doing this," Wusler said.