Concentrating on Myself and My Passions

After I saw an email that my school sent out about the PLEN Women Unlocking Nonprofits seminar, I thought it was the perfect seminar for me because I was about to graduate college and start my AmeriCorps Vista Term. With the hope of starting my own nonprofit one day, I wanted to gain a clear understanding of the nonprofit world. With the help of one of the directors at Higher Ground, a non-profit in Tucson, I was able to apply for the scholarship.

Going into the seminar I had no idea what to expect, but it one of the best investments I could have made. I learned essential skills such as networking and salary negotiation. I also learned tricks to improve my resume and how to use my skills specifically in the nonprofit world.

One of my biggest takeaways is the advice to work for a few years then go to graduate school, which is a decision that I have been battling with the last couple of months. Another big takeaway was getting an understanding of what I am really passionate about. The seminar’s panelists gave me an outlook on different careers that I had no idea about and the different aspects of a nonprofit.

The direct service panel was the most inspiring which helped influence my decision to eventually go back for Masters in Social Work. Previous to attending this seminar, all I knew was that I was interested in starting my own nonprofit focusing on youth, education and the foster system. I was unsure what path to take to pursue this passion. However, the three days that I spent at PLEN made me concentrate on myself, who I am and what I am passionate about. I am so excited to use all that I learned and apply it to my year of service, my first job and eventually my own nonprofit.

Imani White attended the 2017 PLEN Women Unlocking Nonprofits seminar during her senior year at San Francisco State University.