Sarah Williams
Wright State University, Class of 2004

AHNAA:

Sarah:

Associate Executive Director with the Dayton Christian Center in Dayton, Ohio.

AHNAA:

Sarah:

While I was always a non-traditional student through my undergraduate program, I was always working in the nonprofit sector. I continued to work as a program staff person for the Girl Scouts after graduation, but sought to be part of the world of development and fundraising. I also had a strong desire to work in another community other than Dayton. It took many job applications and hours of networking until I finally had an organization (actually 2) that was willing to give me a chance and prove my skills. While working there, I gained valuable experience, met an entirely new segment of nonprofit professionals, joined AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) linked up with a mentor, and even gained valuable insight about what to do while stuck in a traffic jam.  I worked for that small nonprofit for a year until finances and organizational structure became unhealthy and ethically questionable .After confidentially consulting with my mentor, I began charting the path of linking back to my network and see what options I had out there. I came to the Dayton Christian Center with much needed skills and expertise to help move the organization to a new level.

AHNAA:

Sarah:

Without the AH Certificate and experiences I would not be trained with the skills I have. All of my classes taught me the book smarts and the built in service learning component taught me how to use them real life situations. Then you cap it off with the internship experiences (in my case 2) and I feel that I have received a top notch education that has helped me to get where I am today. You put in, what you get out.

AHNAA:

Sarah:

Network, network, network! Talk to your professors, join a young professionals group, use social media, get free tickets to “big ticket” get- togethers in your community, use YOUR AH Alumni! Get out there and use your skills by volunteering, serving on a board, or mentoring someone. Don’t assume that your certificate is like a free pass into any nonprofit job out there. Be ready for your 30 second elevator pitch on what AH is and what it means to your potential employer. Your portfolio is your greatest asset! Take it to every interview or possible meeting with someone important. Without mine, I would not be where I am!

AHNAA:

Sarah:

Currently, I am the President of the Wright State University Alumni Society and a board member of the AH Community Council. I use social media to stay connected (and so should you) and up to date on any changes that I can pass along in the network. I also support our current AH students by serving as a role model and open door for advice, feedback, or portfolio planning. I am proud to be an AH Alumni!

Jim Roberts
Missouri Valley College, Class of 1964

AHNAA:

Jim:

Recruited by my District Scout Executive Ron Phillippo (MVC) while a camp staff member in Milwaukee, WI; Transferred to Missouri Valley College as a Junior in 1962.  Graduated with a BS degree in Human Relations/Youth Agency Management in May 1964; Served as a volunteer organizer of the AH program at Indianapolis University (then Indiana Central College) in 1965-6.  Served as the Campus Executive Director for AH program at High Point College 1972 – 1976; we had over one hundred students in our interdisciplinary degree program at HPC.

AHNAA:

Jim:

Missouri Valley College ‘64 - YES, AHSA was one of the largest student groups on campus and the academic major was third largest program on campus.

AHNAA:

Jim:

District Executive, Camping Director, Finance Director and Director of Support Service for BSA in Indianapolis, IN 1964 to 1972.  AH Campus Director in High Point, NC 1972-1976.  BSA Council Scout Executive, Greensboro, NC 1976 - 1980.  Council Scout Executive, Raleigh, NC 1980 – 1986.  Council Scout Executive, Milwaukee, WI 1986 – 1993.  Assistant Regional Director, Northeast Region, BSA 1993 – 2001.  Retired from BSA 9/1/2001. 

AHNAA:

Jim:

Academic and co-curricular preparation; clearly provided mental and emotional readiness for youth work career; Professional examples and role models; Contact network and lifelong interface with like-minded dedicated service professionals.

AHNAA:

Jim:

Find a cause that is bigger than you as an individual; lose yourself in that cause with total commitment and enthusiasm; let the future take care of itself. 

AHNAA:

Jim:

In retirement I have been able to apply all of the skills acquired in my career, learn some new ones and fulfill a lifelong hope that I could serve my community as a volunteer using the many advantages I have been given through AH, Scouting and countless volunteers who have added their excellence to my efforts.  Call it trying to give back a return on their investment if you like.

Megan Hoot
University of Florida, Class of 2005

AHNAA:

Megan:

I am currently a program associate in the area of strategy, which falls within the Executive Office at Independent Sector. The program associate level at IS is mostly younger emerging leaders that are out of graduate school and have a few years of experience. As the only program associate in my department, I am able to do a smattering of different tasks that weave throughout many other areas of the organization. I assist with strategic planning activities, staff the Defining the Charitable Community Advisory Group (exploring the causes and implications of current challenges related to tax exemption), maintain data on the nonprofit sector, and assist with the development of 23 Annual Conference sessions including 72 speakers in 2007, among other tasks.

AHNAA:

Megan:

I founded the AH chapter at the University of Florida and was its President for the first two years. I also worked with the administration to start the first ever minor in Organizational Leadership in Nonprofit Management. This process was time and resource intensive and taught me countless lessons about what it takes to work with several key players to get something important accomplished and how to be a leader at a young age, which has come in handy at IS as new and emerging issues surface and need attention.   The basic information I learned all fed into my professional career: the size and scope of the nonprofit sector, the realities about what nonprofits really look like, the needs of society, and the ways to harness the potential of an organization to meet those needs effectively and efficiently. It helped me speak to others who were uneducated about what our sector was and show them what a powerful force we are- and why we deserve a place at the table with business and government. That legitimization was important in a college atmosphere, and AH gave me that sense of belonging to something more important that football games and socials- and had a clear path for me to a graduate degree and eventual career path.

AHNAA:

Megan:

I am very happy working for a large infrastructure organization and see myself staying in that arena and hopefully advancing to a senior leadership position fairly rapidly (or in another large national charity or foundation). I trust that my AH certificate, coupled with my graduate degree in nonprofit management from Indiana University, have put me on a fast track towards becoming a CEO or leader within a large nonprofit organization.

AHNAA:

Megan:

I participate in national groups like the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, Net Impact, and Rotaract International, which are all groups of emerging leaders working on professional development as well as advancing the common good. I also mentor students in the DC area. I am organizing a new program at Independent Sector’s Annual Conference this year called NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now, to focus on expanding and improving the nonprofit talent pool by developing the leadership skills and networks of emerging leaders in the nonprofit sector.