Would you guess that we’d have a Colorado native on our team? We do! Kaylah Crutcher is one of the newest members of the SERCAP team, joining us at the start of this month. Kaylah grew up in Mountain Time with an appreciation for the outdoors, community service, and bringing people together. She came east to attend George Mason University, and has since worked in Washington D.C., New York City, and Roanoke, Virginia.
Kaylah joined us as our Special Projects Manager. “I act as a liaison between volunteer host sites and schools,” she said. “Schools contact SERCAP looking for experiences that their students wouldn’t normally be exposed to in their everyday lives.”
More specifically, Kaylah works with our Volunteers for Change (VFC) Program, a year-round alternative break program. “[Through VFC,] students have the chance to experience cultural exchanges as well as gain a deeper understanding of social issues through service-learning,” she explained. “[Both] SERCAP and the Volunteers for Change Program are truly making a difference in our communities. VFC gives students an opportunity not only for community service, but a chance to experience local culture. My hope is that they carry these experiences forever and understand why compassion, hard work, and dedication is so important in all communities.”
While she’s still new to our team, Kaylah is already making an impact, as well as feeling the impact of her work. “So far, I have met several new people, had the chance to visit towns in Southwest Virginia I have never been to, and been honored to welcome some very inspiring students that really care about volunteerism and truly want to make a difference in the world,” she said.
So why SERCAP? With a degree in Tourism and Events Management, and experience in that sector, Kaylah has contributed to local economic growth and development of the cities in which she worked. Further, she has experience as a local liaison. “I come to work each day to continuously grow professionally and personally, with the hope of learning something new each day,” she said. “I’m excited for the learning opportunities I will have at SERCAP. I consider myself very lucky to have the positivity of the VFC program in my life, and I can’t wait to keep learning and continue to help others learn and grow as well!”
When Kaylah isn’t leading VFC groups or serving the SERCAP community, she has a wide range of hobbies. “I enjoy hanging out with my two dogs, hiking, biking, and being a tour guide for family and friends,” she said. She’s also always on the hunt for a good Bubble Tea place, and likes to dabble in photography.
We’re excited to have you on our team, Kaylah, and we can’t wait to see how you’ll grow into this position and what expertise you’ll bring to our table. Thank you for all of your hard work thus far!