Speaking to a room of nearly 100 emerging leaders at the American Connections Corps (ACC) Winter Institute on Tuesday, March 3, Clinton School of Public Service Dean Victoria DeFrancesco Soto delivered a clear message: the work of national service is the ultimate training ground for professional success.
The keynote address, titled “Finding Your Public Service Leadership Voice,” served as the kickoff for the American Connections Corps (ACC) Winter Institute, which is a program of Lead for America. Dean DeFrancesco Soto challenged the members, who are currently serving in more than 30 states, to view their AmeriCorps work as a critical “launchpad” rather than a sabbatical from their career trajectories.
“National service is not a pause in your life. It’s a launchpad for your future,” Dean DeFrancesco Soto told the cohort. “The implementation know-how you are gaining right now cannot be taught in a textbook. You are learning how to navigate complexity, how to build consensus, and how to drive results in the real world.”
Prior to the address, Dean DeFrancesco Soto met with several AmeriCorps members to discuss their ongoing impact. These members are currently embedded in communities to bridge the digital divide. They are conducting important projects that include connecting rural areas to high-speed broadband, teaching digital literacy skills, hosting career readiness events, and preparing high school students for higher education.
“You are builders,” Dean DeFrancesco Soto noted during her speech, specifically referencing the members’ work in digital access. “Strengthening digital connectivity is strengthening democracy. You connect communities, places, and possibilities. When you build this digital infrastructure, you are ensuring that democracy is something people experience in their daily lives, not just something they vote for periodically.”
Dean DeFranesco Soto explained that a true leadership voice is not something that is simply discovered, but something that is forged through action and intentionality.
“Before you can find that voice, you have to understand the ground you’re standing on,” she said. “Your leadership voice starts with listening. By being attentive to what is around you, your voice emerges by aligning your values, your skills, and your community’s needs.”
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session where members asked about the Clinton School’s academic offerings and global footprint. Dean DeFrancesco Soto detailed the Clinton School’s different types of service projects and explained differences between the in-person and online Master of Public Service (MPS) programs. Additionally, Dean DeFrancesco Soto emphasized that the Clinton School is home to many passionate AmeriCorps alumni and that the Clinton School provides robust scholarship packages for AmeriCorps alumni.
Following the speech, a representative from Lead for America stated: “I loved to hear how you talked about how service is a launchpad for your career, not a pause. It’s very true for all of us who work at Lead for America. We are a testament to that statement. What a great way to kick off the Winter Institute!”