Nonprofit Student Fights Back After COVID

Joan Gomez
Joan Gomez, Nonprofit Management Student

In the wake of COVID-19, Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate student Joan Gomez decided, “I wanted to fight back.” The question became how. 

After losing her job, Joan began sending out job applications with no response. Joan’s job search led her to the American Job Center where a coach encouraged her to look into the Encore!Connecticut program. This led to Joan meeting Department of Public Policy (DPP) Director of Nonprofit Leadership, Dave Garvey, and learning about the certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Her interest in nonprofits began nearly 20 years ago while working as an executive director at a YMCA. It was one of her favorite jobs. In this role she not only learned about serving her community, but also about entrepreneurship. She says that, “…a job is not only about earning a living, but also self-gratification – the feeling of fulfillment and doing something for other people that truly needed the help.”

Last fall (2020), Joan really enjoyed PP 5323: Leading and Governing Nonprofit Organizations. She notes that Dave, who serves as the professor for this course, “…was the most helpful and considerate professor I’ve had as a student.” During the semester Joan began working at the Work Place, a nonprofit where she aspires to help people who are unemployed.

Joan hopes that her career in the nonprofit sector can touch many lives. She plans to utilize her new nonprofit skillsets to do more than good, but rather, to do her best.