What happens when an artist, a restless servant-leader, and a lifelong learner become the same person? You get Rok Locksley — AmeriCorps NCCC alum (2003), AmeriCorps State & National alum (2023), and two-time Peace Corps volunteer who spent decades painting murals in small-town Texas, building youth centers in Eastern Europe, gamifying parks in Illinois, and learning — over and over again — that the work is never really about you.
In this episode, Rok takes us through a life shaped by national and international service: from rebuilding a flood-damaged park in Castroville, TX and painting the pool mural that's still standing 20 years later, to opening a youth center in the Moldovan village that literally translates to "Rok's Place." (Yes, really.) He even painted the resurrection scene on the ceiling of the local Orthodox church. Just another Tuesday in the Peace Corps.
But the moment that stopped us both in our tracks? When his Moldovan counterpart Vadim looked at him after the newly-built, perfectly frumos youth center was already full of kids, computers already broken, and said quietly: "Rok. This youth center is not for you. It's for them."
That's the line. That's the whole podcast.
Rok is currently a Training Designer for the Peace Corps, where he brings his art, his gamification obsession, and his deep community development roots into designing learning experiences that actually stick. He's also living proof that serving once is just the beginning.
🎙️ These alums aren't just reflecting — they're #StillGettingThingsDone
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What is AmeriCorps Connections?
The AmeriCorps Connections Podcast is a space where alumni, members, and partners share how national service shapes careers, communities, and lives. Hosted by AmeriCorps alum Nicki Fiocco, each episode highlights stories of resilience, leadership, and purpose—showing that while service terms may end, the impact and connections continue.
Tune in each week on your favorite podcast platform to listen, follow, subscribe, and share. Check it out and be part of the ongoing story of service.
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