Not-for-Profit Connections

I attended the networking event called Managing Not-For-Profits: Make a Difference at Canisius College on February 19. I have always been interested in not-for-profit organizations so I thought it would be an interesting event to attend. At this event there were five women, Julie Berrigan, Sarah Graham, Joanna Jacob, Grace O’Connor and Mary Jo Rehal, who discussed their careers in not-for-profit organizations and their experience with the graduate program at Canisius. Once the event started the five women were asked questions about the challenges of not-for-profits, small not-for-profits versus bigger not-for-profits and how important having connections are. Many of the people who attended were college students and the rest were people who work or want to work in the not-for-profit industry. I was able to meet with a person in the not-for-profit industry and people from Canisius’ graduate program. I was a nervous going into this event but the people I met were so nice and even though one of the people I met did not work in the graphic design industry, they said they would help me connect with the right people at their organization. So making connections even if they are with people who are not in your specific career choice could help you make other connections. One piece of advice that was repeated over and over again was that a person needs passion, drive and connections to move up in the corporate world. Just volunteering with a company that you may want to work for can help make connections that could get you a job within that company or with another one.