Nonprofit Development and Donor Relations

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Emilia Alcantar
2023
Emphasis Area
Public Health
Term
Spring

Emilia Alcantar gained experience managing philanthropy for a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Arizona's families.

How did you get your internship?

I had the opportunity to work and intern for Child Crisis Arizona. I found the opportunity by researching nonprofits in Phoenix, Arizona, that helped children. I ended up applying for the Distribution Coordinator position. My situation was unique because I was taking PAH 383 Pre-Internship: Building Career Readiness at the time and it was awesome to see that the advice given in the class is extremely beneficial - by using the information and strategies I learned in that class I was hired with the Child Crisis Arizona! 

What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience? 

In addition to my role as Distribution Coordinator, I decided to complete my  internship for the organization because Child Crisis has numerous programs to help better children's lives. For example, I wanted to gain experience in philanthropy - learning about how donations drives are set up and how events like galas are coordinated. 

My supervisor gave me the opportunity to learn about the whole development department in a nonprofit. It truly gave me the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. I learned networking skills, what it takes to maintain a donor relationship, and I was able to learn new communication skills. 

How was the internship related to your Applied Humanities degree?

This internship is related to my Humanities degree because in order to improve society you truly have to be ethical, empathetic, and these skills lead you to make the right decisions to help different communities. This internship was meaningful because it taught me skills to help be an advocate for those in need and it has also aligned with my own core values. 

How did the internship influence your future plans? 

This internship has also influenced my plans by giving me the opportunity to really find my interest and lead me to the right career pathway. My advice to other students is to follow their passion and values because it creates a great learning experience.