Last month I was honored to speak before a class of university students preparing for careers in the nonprofit sector. Our topic of conversation was social media.
We talked about the trends in social media, ways to use social media in a nonprofit organization and the blurring of our personal and professional lives.
We even discussed using social media tools for personal branding. I shared my thoughts on using Facebook to differentiate oneself when launching a career. I challenged the students to use social media to “brand” themselves in an open, transparent and authentic manner. Then, to encourage them to develop their own online presence, I did something I’ve never done.
As an experiment, I invited each student to become a guest blogger here on my personal site. I offered this space to anyone in the class who wanted to share why he or she had chosen to pursue a career in the nonprofit world. A couple of students accepted the invitation.
In upcoming posts, I will publish what those students had to say. The first author, Chandra Clark, writes in a style more poetic than I anticipated, yet she speaks from her heart with a voice that needs to be heard. The second guest blogger, Taylor Saalfeld, shares her family influences and personal motivations for wanting to make a difference.
Though these two women communicate in different styles, they are both devoting their careers to the service of others. They represent the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Pay attention to their names in the bylines. These young people are destined to change the world. If you have the opportunity to help them launch their careers, the world will be a better place and you’ll be glad you contributed to their success. Thank you.
I communicate with passion and purpose to inspire those searching for beauty and truth.
Duane's Dartboard 