Union Pacific Volunteers with RISE
by McKenzie Ring, Director of Marketing + Communications
Prior to the pandemic, it was commonplace for RISE to bring hundreds of volunteers inside prison facilities to participate in RISE's In-Prison Program milestone events. Coaching days were for our program participants to get reps in delivering their personal statements to supportive strangers, participate in mock interviews, hash out business ideas, and build empathy from both sides of the fence.
Along with everything else, events and procedures changed. Now, present day, getting volunteers inside facilities like we used to has its own challenges.
Alas, people return to the community from prison every day, and the coaching to prepare for it mustn't either.
When we created online coaching we didn't know what to expect. We didn't know if the community would participate, we didn't know if the technology would work, or if our program participants would get anything out of it. As it turns out, online coaching events for RISE have been an incredible way for people and companies all over the world (we know...we didn't expect international volunteers either) to help our participants learn and grow.
When Christopher Serrano of Union Pacific approached RISE about their Emerging Leaders volunteering with RISE we were ecstatic. Online coaching for a RISE In-Prison Program cohort would allow for their Union Pacific team to volunteer in a meaningful way from wherever they were.
"I originally learned about RISE through the Black Employee Network (BEN) which is an employee resource group at Union Pacific. Recently, I was welcomed into a leadership program within Union Pacific that tasked us with a leading a volunteer opportunity. While I was already slightly familiar, I decided this would be a great opportunity to partner with RISE and learn more about the organization and all the impactful work the RISE team does.
Union Pacific is dedicated to the communities it serves and this goes beyond transporting the nation’s commodities. Employees are frequently encouraged to volunteer and participate within their communities. Volunteering is an extremely important way for people to give back and learn more about the experiences of others. Personally speaking, volunteering has helped me grow as a person over the course of my life. I take a lot of pride in the communities I have been part of, and I want to see everyone live happy and fulfilled lives. To me, volunteering is taking those feelings and putting them into action.”
Online coaching is a way for volunteers to deliver written feedback on cover letters, resumes, personal statements, and business ideas to our In-Prison Program participants. What used to be done in three-minute rounds inside prison facilities is now done thoroughly via a secure form in roughly one to two hours.
Chris lined up over twelve volunteers through Union Pacific to provide coaching to 18 women at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women.
"I appreciated the opportunity RISE provided to connect with someone who’s ready to reenter the workforce. My RISE participant knew there would be hurdles after graduating from the program, but she was excited to overcome them, which excited me to support her as she starts her post-release employment journey."
- Nathan Shanmugam
"We all deserve 2nd chances throughout life….to correct mistakes, to right previous wrongs, to learn from failures, to start over with greater insights, experiences & knowledge. The RISE In-Prison Program does just that – provides a path towards a 2nd chance through employment or as an entrepreneur starting a new business venture. Learning from failure is the quickest way to succeed. Coaching RISE participants to own the decisions that led to their incarceration, to learn the lessons through their personal failures and to develop an entrepreneurial business solution for success after incarceration is invaluable. I’m honored to have played a small part in Team UP’s contribution to their success!"
- Cheryl Schow
We are so grateful for the generous time and expertise the Union Pacific volunteers gave to our RISE program participants!
If you or someone you know would like to volunteer with RISE, please contact Chantal Wentz, RISE Volunteer Relations Manager here.
