A Bright "Idea"
Katie Storms, '04
Go to the … back of the class?
Think only sleepers and slackers sit in the back of the class? Nope. Katie Storms, '05, always sat in the back of Professor Catherine MacDermott's Business Communication class. But when Storms spoke up in class, it was obvious she knew her stuff.
She knew her marketing and communication principles so well that MacDermott encouraged her to apply for an internship with Austin Idea Network. After researching the goals and mission of the nonprofit, Storms sent in her résumé for one of four summer spots. She got the job.
A wish is "granted"
At first, Storms wrote memos and briefings. After only a week, Storm's boss noticed her writing abilities and moved her into the grant writing division. Her proposals were successful: In fact, a grant she authored secured funding for the Project JOBS program.
And a few months later, Storms got another promotion. When her boss went on maternity leave, the organization hired Katie as a paid staff member to help during the absence. She participated in fundraising, created and distributed board meeting packets, circulated the organization's newsletter, helped recruit volunteers, and maintained communication between volunteers and board members. As Storms became more confident, she began to speak up in board meetings and offer her input.
What I want to be when I grow up
People took notice. When her boss returned to work, she decided to keep Storms on as development manager. Through the internship and her Marketing classes, she figured out what she wants to do for a living. "I've explored the theories and methods of marketing while engaging in meaningful real-world projects. I've been able to serve the greater community and simultaneously support my quest to identify my professional passion," she said. "When I graduate, I will pursue a marketing career in the nonprofit sector."
She's already got a head start. During her senior year, she also led marketing efforts for a fundraiser benefiting the Holy Cross Family Center in Kirinda, Uganda . And she was vice president of programming for the university's American Marketing Association collegiate chapter.
|
