First Years Encourage Greater Focus on Non-Profit/Public Sector
Donna Lin Weiss '03
Issue date: 11/13/01 Section: Johnson News
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Whether due to the events of September 11, the waning global economy or just a general attraction, interest in learning about the nonprofit and public sectors appears high.
Many students acknowledge that there is an increasing convergence of the private and public/nonprofit sectors, regardless of industry. First year Bryan Preston comments, “Running an organization anywhere requires dealing with governments, local organizations and special interest groups. A better understanding of how and why these organizations work will make a better leader.” Bryan is interested in returning to the field of aging, which has been traditionally serviced by the public and nonprofit sectors. Due to shifting demographics, an increasing number of for-profit concerns are emerging in the aging arena. Bryan understands that for-profit leaders “must have a solid understanding of public policy at the federal and state levels as well the knowledge and skills to be able to both ally with and compete against organizations that have strong brands within their respective areas.”
Students also see increasing value in their community interests that extends beyond just feeling good by helping out. Dan Shur, a former consultant and equity research analyst, recognizes that his nonprofit experiences have been instrumental networking opportunities with top business leaders: “I once did a consulting job for a not-for-profit organization that gave me astonishing exposure to senior managers of more than a dozen large commercial banks as well as prominent politicians. It was a great experience that yielded many important contacts for me.”
Felix Rouse, a former Boys and Girls club employee who intends to go into marketing/brand management, believes that inevitably all students will encounter these sectors in the future “whether they serve on Boards, volunteer at local community based organizations or simply donate money to charities—and as we have seen in our accounting class, laws change the ways businesses operate. These sectors are engrained in our daily lives.” According to Felix, this makes enhancing “the knowledge and awareness of the public and nonprofit sectors to Johnson School students important” moving forward.
In the past, some students have expressed frustration that the opportunities to learn about these sectors are presently limited at the Johnson school. “Virtually every other top management school has specific tracks for nonprofit or public management,” says Shannon Ross, a former Foreign Service Officer interested in government and community relations.
More effort appears to be emerging to address this interest, however. On Thursday, October 16th
CSO Advisor Laurie Sedgwick hosted a breakfast for students interested in non-traditional career paths. Guest speaker Bill Alberta, from the University Career Center, came to discuss the university resources for learning about nonprofit, public sector and
Many students acknowledge that there is an increasing convergence of the private and public/nonprofit sectors, regardless of industry. First year Bryan Preston comments, “Running an organization anywhere requires dealing with governments, local organizations and special interest groups. A better understanding of how and why these organizations work will make a better leader.” Bryan is interested in returning to the field of aging, which has been traditionally serviced by the public and nonprofit sectors. Due to shifting demographics, an increasing number of for-profit concerns are emerging in the aging arena. Bryan understands that for-profit leaders “must have a solid understanding of public policy at the federal and state levels as well the knowledge and skills to be able to both ally with and compete against organizations that have strong brands within their respective areas.”
Students also see increasing value in their community interests that extends beyond just feeling good by helping out. Dan Shur, a former consultant and equity research analyst, recognizes that his nonprofit experiences have been instrumental networking opportunities with top business leaders: “I once did a consulting job for a not-for-profit organization that gave me astonishing exposure to senior managers of more than a dozen large commercial banks as well as prominent politicians. It was a great experience that yielded many important contacts for me.”
Felix Rouse, a former Boys and Girls club employee who intends to go into marketing/brand management, believes that inevitably all students will encounter these sectors in the future “whether they serve on Boards, volunteer at local community based organizations or simply donate money to charities—and as we have seen in our accounting class, laws change the ways businesses operate. These sectors are engrained in our daily lives.” According to Felix, this makes enhancing “the knowledge and awareness of the public and nonprofit sectors to Johnson School students important” moving forward.
In the past, some students have expressed frustration that the opportunities to learn about these sectors are presently limited at the Johnson school. “Virtually every other top management school has specific tracks for nonprofit or public management,” says Shannon Ross, a former Foreign Service Officer interested in government and community relations.
More effort appears to be emerging to address this interest, however. On Thursday, October 16th
CSO Advisor Laurie Sedgwick hosted a breakfast for students interested in non-traditional career paths. Guest speaker Bill Alberta, from the University Career Center, came to discuss the university resources for learning about nonprofit, public sector and