Graduation Year: 2018

Majors/Minors/Certificates: History (BA), Journalism & Mass Communications (BA), Fundraising and Philanthropy Communication (Certificate)

Current City & State: Des Moines, IA

Current Position & Organization: Communications Associate at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa

How did your certificate help you get to where you are today?

The FPC certificate helped me a lot. I gained a solid understanding of the principles that guide nonprofit professionals and real-world experience. For example, I was able to work with nonprofits to write and create social media content, ads, grants, and other materials that I later used in my portfolio after I graduated.

What career advice do you have for current Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy (NLP) students?

Take every opportunity you feel drawn to (if possible)! When I started college, I was a pre-nursing major. After that, I tried being a student journalist. Exploring career paths ultimately led me to what I love doing now —  digital communications.