For my practicum, I took the class PLCY213 - Foundations of Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation. The class discussed nonprofit organizations, leadership and how to make an impact on the community. We also learned about innovation and funding regarding how to start a nonprofit. Through group discussions, guest speakers and analyzing specific organizations, this class really taught me what nonprofit leadership is really all about.
I found my practicum class through our Scholars Program. On a list of classes that would fulfill this requirement, PLCY213 stood out to me drastically because I have always been interested in nonprofit leadership. The professor, Alexander Counts, is extremely approachable and helpful and has been a great mentor throughout this class as well as the experience as a whole. For future Media Scholars, I would recommend keeping your options open when deciding on a practicum. Because of the pandemic, our options were a lot slimmer than usual but the practicum is a great opportunity to find an internship in the area or find a class that opens a new skill set for you.
I learned so much about myself as well as nonprofit organizations through my practicum. Through the many different tasks and assignments given to us throughout the class, I was able to connect and relate with so many new students as well as professionals in the industry. I learned so much about funding and volunteering for such organizations and I genuinely think I could be a part of one after studying so many. I was able to hear from real nonprofit leaders about the daily struggles and challenges that organizations face on a daily basis and how to tackle them. I also studied specific issues in today’s community and how nonprofits and social leadership can help make a difference in the lives of so many people around us.
I have definitely grown as both a person as well as a student throughout this course. While this class was very interesting and the information was exciting, the workload was definitely rigorous. My writing skills have definitely improved throughout the semester as well as my communication skills, as every class we interacted with new classmates. I have also grown as a person because of the many leadership skills I have learned. I feel extremely confident in my volunteering and nonprofit abilities and I plan to further these skills in the future by searching for job and internship opportunities that focus on these skills.
Evidence of Growth
I chose to include this piece of writing because it highlights a lot of aspects that we focused on during class. My "Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Leader" paper was based on an interview with my grandmother, who is very involved in volunteering as well as nonprofit organizations in her area. This paper was a great example of many skills we learned about in class. Sharan's experiences as well as tips on volunteering helped me see our in-class lessons brought to life in a real world example. My paper also included multiple references from our in-class readings which really connected my interview with what we have been learning in class.
Moving Forward
The best part about my practicum experience is that I know I will use my skills and knowledge from this class in the future. While already being the philanthropy chair of my sorority, this class has just added to my passion for fundraising and helping others. I plan to include philanthropy, fundraising, and nonprofit experience in my future, whether that is in my career or in my free time. I will most definitely use the skills I have developed in PLCY213 in my future and I also plan to keep Professor Counts as a mentor. This class will help me in my future endeavors no matter what direction my career path takes me.
My plans for the rest of my time at UMD include focusing on my communication major as well as continuing to find extracurricular activities that interest me. I plan to find an internship or career experience in communications and social media, keeping my Media Scholars knowledge in the back of my mind forever. With my Scholars experience, my communication skills, as well as my practicum course, I know I have prepared myself as much as possible for success in my future both at UMD as well as in my future career endeavors.