Stephanie first came to IRCO over a year ago simply hoping to get involved with Portland’s international community. Throughout her time here she’s been a mentor, a tutor, a student and one incredibly dedicated volunteer, helping us out whenever and wherever we need her | We’re so lucky to have her! 

How did you get involved with volunteering at IRCO? I found out about IRCO from a friend who had been involved with IRCO’s ESL program. I had just moved to the Portland area and knew that I wanted to get involved with a multi-cultural organization that worked with children and IRCO’s youth programs were a perfect fit.

What program(s) do you volunteer with at IRCO? I volunteer with both the David Douglas Mentoring Program and the MCSI (Multnomah County School Impact) summer program. Both programs are amazing and deal with aiding refugee children with their transition into the U.S. Educational system. 

Why do you volunteer here? I love volunteering with IRCO. They have so much compassion for their clients and treat their volunteers amazing. IRCO has been a great resource for me to learn about other cultures and get involved locally. My personal favorite event at IRCO is their cultural nights (Faces of IRCO) where we learn about the many different cultures IRCO represents, meet clients native to those countries, hear their stories, and enjoy food from all around the world.

What is your best story from volunteering with DDMP or MCSI? What has been your most rewarding experience? There is nothing more rewarding than seeing my mentee with the DDMP program run up to me with excitement every week. Creating a relationship with her has been such an amazing experience. I really feel that having someone to confide in, trust, and just laugh with has really helped her progression as a student and young adult. I am so proud of her and the choices that she has made this past year and look forward to many more.

What do you do when you're not here? I just recently finished a yoga teacher training certification program so my life has been pretty consumed with that. I take French classes for fun and I am hoping to one day become fluent. I love to snowboard, read, play with my dog, discover new restaurants, ride my bike, and just enjoy the amazing city that is Portland.

What are your next steps/goals in life and how do you think your experience volunteering here will be a part of that? I am still in the process of figuring out what I want to do in the future. I know   that I want to work with children and help those less fortunate. Whether that be in an area such as social service, psychology, or law I have yet to decide, but I feel that I am on the right path. Volunteering with IRCO has really shed light on that path and allowed me to experience first hand different cultures and how they are personally affected by current events locally and internationally. It really makes me realize how interrelated we all are--we truly are one world…..

Tags: DDMP | MCSI | Stephanie Scovil | volunteer | Volunteer Highlight