BereaCorps Experience - Berea College

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BereaCorps Experience

Our office proudly participates in the BereaCorps program, a grant-funded initiative that offers recent Berea College graduates the opportunity to gain meaningful professional experience in full-time staff roles. BereaCorps positions are designed to support young alumni as they transition into their careers, offering competitive hourly wages, health insurance, and other benefits. Each BereaCorps member signs a one-year contract from June 1 through May 31, with the option to renew for a second and final year upon approval.

Since 2020, OCI has hosted two BereaCorps members at a time, each contributing to the office’s mission through distinct yet collaborative roles. These positions have evolved to meet the dynamic needs of the office, with responsibilities divided into two specialized tracks, Marketing Associate and Data Analyst, alongside a set of shared duties

Roles

• Content Design & Branding: Create engaging, branded materials using tools like Canva to support OCI’s outreach efforts. This includes newsletters, blogs, posters, reports, presentations, and webpages. The Marketing Associate ensures all materials are visually cohesive and aligned with OCI’s mission and style.

• Technical Writing: Develop original written content for a variety of platforms. This includes drafting and editing newsletters, blogs, posters, presentations, and webpages. Strong editing and proofreading skills are essential to maintain clarity, consistency, and professionalism across all communications. The Marketing Associate may also collaborate with team members and clients to co-author or refine content.

• Template Maintenance: Maintain templates for PowerPoint, y-Ed, Box folders, email, etc., for new projects and for future use, including the creation of new project folders, using the templates.

• Event Coordination: Plan, coordinate, and execute OCI events and training, as assigned.

• Standard Operating Procedures: Follow OCI’s SOPs for this position, update as needed.

Professional Development

In addition to their core responsibilities, BereaCorps members in the Office of Continuous Improvement are encouraged to pursue professional development during their free time. This aspect of the program is designed to support everyone’s unique career path and long-term goals.

The type of professional development varies based on personal interests and professional aspirations. Common examples include:

Through the BereaCorps program, each member receives $1,500 in professional development funding per year. This funding can be used to cover costs associated with approved PD activities. All funding requests must be approved by the direct supervisor and Erica Woods. While not all professional development requires financial support, this resource is available to help BereaCorps members invest in their growth.

FAQs

Testimonials

Esteban's Academic Journey

June 2022 – May 2023

Read Esteban's thesis here.

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My time at Berea, particularly my exposure to Continuous Improvement through OCI, laid the foundation for a career deeply rooted in process optimization and organizational development. I currently integrate C.I. principles into both my personal and professional life, from applying 5S to organize my living space to using FIFO for everyday tasks. My commitment to these methodologies culminated in a master’s thesis during my time at Drexel University. Through interviews with twelve arts administrators, I discovered a strong interest in learning about C.I. methods, tempered by concerns about the time and resources required to implement them. This research reinforced my belief in the importance of continuing to influence the arts and culture sector through education, training, and project facilitation.

Adrianne’s Professional Journey

June 2023 – October 2024

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As a BereaCorps staff member in the Office of Continuous Improvement, I collaborated with departments across campus to enhance their work processes. Now, the tables have turned; I now work permanently at the college and get to improve my own processes. My favorite aspect of Lean and Continuous Improvement is the ability to standardize and organize my work, not to make it dull, but to free up more time for creativity and focus on what truly matters: the students. Many student tasks are now standardized, and all communication and resources are centralized, giving students a clear first place to look when they have questions. This consistency and structure allows students to complete tasks effectively while still leaving room for creative growth and learning.