Why Work for a Nonprofit? One College Student's Story

Are you in college or grad school and thinking about a career in social change? If so, you may have a lot in common with Stefanie, a current college student and Jobs for Change reader. For those of you considering a career in the nonprofit field, she offers a great deal of insight into the process she went through to decide that it was the perfect career path for her.

I would like to say that I am very pleased and thankful to have discovered your blog and the change.org website.  As a current college student who is looking to build a resume and enter the world of non-profit work, I find all of your advice and resources very helpful. Second, I would like to give you a little background about myself.  I was lucky to have grown up in a loving and financially stable family, but from a young age I realized how difficult life was for others, and wanted to give back in some way.  Much of this desire was instilled in me by my mother: she grew up extremely poor, and had an alcoholic and abusive father.  When my mother was 16, her father was killed in a bar, and my grandmother remarried shortly after.  Ever since then, she has been an active volunteer, and always took me with her to help out.  Through her stories and my volunteer experiences growing up, I saw the need for selfless individuals to make a difference in the world, no matter how seemingly small.  With all of the blessings I have received in my life, how could I not give back and help others?  I was thus committed to public service, in at least some capacity.

During my years in college...

I have been fortunate enough to have some free time: unlike other students, I will graduate from my undergraduate program debt free, due to academic scholarships and help from my parents.  Since I was not forced by necessity to work several jobs in order to pay for college, I looked for a way to effectively utilize my free time.  I thus joined my university's chapter of Circle K International, the world's largest collegiate service organization.  Here I served as our club secretary, club president, and currently serve as the secretary/treasurer for my District, while volunteering approximately 200 hours a year to community service.  This has given me the opportunity to work with a large number of service and advocacy groups in my area.   In addition, I volunteer my time through giving campus tours and assisting with freshmen orientation, among other activities.  Although I have been happy and successful at college both academically and in my personal life, I felt something was missing: a career choice that I felt strongly about.  I began as an English major with an emphasis in secondary education, but quickly dropped the education emphasis and added a second major in Russian Studies at the urging of my professors, who thought I would be happier and more successful as a college professor.  I continued down this path for several years; however, I always felt that it wasn't quite right for me, even though I do love literature and learning.

Recently, a number of factors led me to decide that instead of obtaining a Ph.D in Eastern European and Slavic Studies as per my original plan, I instead want to stay at my current university and obtain a Masters in Public Administration with an emphasis in non-profit management and leadership.  This way, I can gain more knowledge about the details of running a non-profit, and get some valuable internship experience as well.  I am currently applying for the program, and have never been happier.  I know it won't be perfect (as no career is), but for once, I am truly confident that this is the right path for me.

What was it that made YOU decide to pursue a career in social change?

Photo credit: Managing Time Effectively