It is now my seventh week at We Amplify Voices, and I am going to share seven takeaways I have had so far working at a nonprofit. I have had the opportunity to work with different staff members and on different projects, and I have been able to learn a lot about the nonprofit space while I am here. 7 Takeaways from Week 7: 

1. Everyone wears a lot of different hats

This is a direct quote from one of my coworkers when I was asking her about her career path in nonprofit. She really emphasized that throughout her career she had many different roles at the organizations she has been a part of, and that was partly how she learned so much at her different jobs. 

2. Collaborative atmosphere

I see all the WAV staff always in constant collaboration with one another. WAV is a smaller nonprofit in the number of full-time staff, but everyone is always very involved and at least up to date on what everyone else is doing. I learn a lot just by being involved in their weekly team meetings. 

3. Collaboration with other organizations

One of my favorite things I have noticed is how involved WAV is with the community as a whole. In my nonprofit classes at Ohio State, I learned a lot about the importance of nonprofit collaboration, and I see that firsthand at WAV. Whether they are collaborating with other groups for programs and grants or just being aware of who else might be interested in our events, WAV is very connected to the Columbus community. 

4. The importance of reporting

It makes a lot of sense to want to measure the impact of programs, but I did not think about that much before starting at WAV. In the planning process for programs and events, we always talk about how we can measure the difference it makes, which is important for the future of the organization. 

5. Organization and infrastructure are needed 

One thing I am able to do at WAV now that they have extra help is to make things a little more organized. The staff has a lot of work to do but that work is made so much easier when there are systems in place. 

6. Career paths are windy

A more personal takeaway I have had is that everyone’s career path always takes unexpected turns. I am graduating next month and looking for jobs, but I am reassured that even though I may not know what exactly my path will be there is so much opportunity out there. 

7. Tying the mission into everything

My last takeaway is how WAV truly ties its mission into everything they do. I know this is expected of nonprofits, but even our daily icebreaker will somehow come back to WAVs mission: to heal communities through creative expression. 

I am excited to see how these thoughts may change or expand as I finish off my internship in the next couple of weeks!