Inaugural event aimed to help students turn passions into careers
MURFREESBORO — Now
president and CEO of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, Meagan
Flippin told MTSU students Friday that career opportunities abound in the
nonprofit sector for those students willing to build relationships, develop
mentors and exceed expectations.
“Anything worthwhile is not easy,” said Flippin, an MTSU
alumna and one of several nonprofit professionals featured at the inaugural Nonprofit
& Social Innovation Student Summit at MTSU. “But the rewards far outweigh
the challenges.”
MTSU students looking to turn their passions into careers
were invited to the summit, which featured sessions throughout the day inside
the Business and Aerospace Building on the MTSU campus.
Professor Leigh Anne Clark, who teaches a nonprofit
management class and was a key organizer for the event, said about 175 students
registered, exceeding expectations for what organizers say will be an annual
event.
“The purpose of the summit is to inspire people to take
something that they’re interested in and run with it,” Clark said, adding that
students learned “the skillsets that they’re needing to work in these areas.”
Flippin, who earned her bachelor’s degree in public
relations and master’s degree in strategic communication from MTSU, told
students that nonprofits are looking to recruit “new blood” into their
organizations, but are more selective in hiring as more competitive salaries are
offered to attract top talent.
Having a well-rounded skillset is critical in landing a good
job, added Flippin, who noted the personal benefit of acquiring budget and
financial knowledge in running a United Way organization that saw a record $3.4
million in pledges this past year.
“You’ll probably be in a position where you’ll wear multiple
hats,” she said.
The summit was hosted by the Jones College of Business and
the College of Liberal Arts in partnership with the departments of Management
and Marketing, Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, and Speech and
Theatre (Organizational Communication).
MTSU student Cheyenne Plott, a junior organizational
communications major from Lewisburg, Tenn., volunteers with the nonprofit
Christians United for Israel and attended Flippin’s session, entitled “Becoming a Nonprofit Leader.” Plott
said she attended to pick up leadership tips as she continues to consider
whether a career in the nonprofit sector is in her future.
“I thought this session was particularly helpful,” said
Plott, explaining that Flippin’s presentation helped her identify some target
areas for personal development. “Definitely on building relationships. I know
that’s key, but that tends to fly out of my head a lot of times, so I need to
really focus on that.”
Fellow student Taylor Roberson, a junior social work major
from Murfreesboro, wants to start her own nonprofit focused on helping youth
who are aging out of foster care. Her take-away was similar to Plott’s.
“My goal is to start networking, building relationships,”
Roberson said. “That’s not something that I’ve actively been doing, but know
that I really need to.”
Flippin’s session was followed by a presentation from Ronni
Shaw, director of the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Foundation, which provided
funding support for the summit. Shaw, who has worked in a variety of nonprofit
roles locally, advised students to always be open to learning — whether from
the wisdom of experienced nonprofit professionals or from the technological
savvy and fresh ideas of younger co-workers and colleagues.
“Always have your ears open, be talking to people and
reflecting on who you are and what your talents and skills are,” she said.
Students attending the summit were asked to create a
personal action plan for taking steps to reach their career goals in a specific
area. Students had access Friday to community leaders to assist them with
creating plans as well as the opportunity to join small peer groups to provide
ongoing feedback and accountability.
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