SCNO Engages Students with Nonprofit Organizations

A renewed interest in public service is visible across the country as several national survey results show a rise in volunteer numbers and those working in the nonprofit sector. Applications for AmeriCorps positions have nearly tripled to almost 260,000 in 2010 from about 91,000 in 2008. The number of applicants for Teach for America climbed 32 percent last year to a record of more than 46,000. A recent study conducted by the American Community Survey of the United States Census Bureau showed that in 2009, the number of college students working for nonprofit groups rose 11 percent from the previous year.

While the findings show an emerging trend of college students going to work for nonprofits, a recent independent study conducted by a group of students at Smeal showed that a number of their peers remain largely uninformed about career options in the public sector. The study, conducted in a management class taught by Gus Colangelo, associate dean for undergraduate education, suggests that students are either unaware of the options available or they don?t see nonprofit work as a viable career path.

Despite this information gap, the study did show that a large number of students were passionate about wanting to help others and make a difference.

Katie Wrieden, a senior majoring in Supply Chain and Information Systems, was part of the group that developed the study. Wrieden?s personal connection to the project stemmed from her own increasing interest in the nonprofit sector following a co-op at Johnson & Johnson, where she used her business skills to raise funds for families in Haiti through the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

SCNO_KatieWrieden

Katie Wrieden, President of SCNO at Penn State

?Based on my own experience with Johnson & Johnson, I knew there were viable options for nonprofit sector work,? Wrieden said. ?A lot of students assumed that those types of jobs don?t pay, and we wanted to find a way to dispel the perception that working for a nonprofit organization is volunteerism.?

Following the study, Wrieden began to research ways for business students, whom she believed could greatly benefit the nonprofit sector with their expertise, to put their knowledge to good use. It was during her research that she learned of a national organization of undergraduate students called Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO). Several universities had individual chapters of SCNO on their campuses, which provide student members the opportunity to apply personal skills and those obtained in coursework toward complex issues facing local nonprofits.

?SCNO gives students valuable, real-world experience, similar to what I gained through my co-op with Johnson & Johnson,? Wrieden said. ?I thought this would be the perfect solution for Smeal students to use their business knowledge to help others, while improving the nonprofit community.?

Wrieden, along with those involved in the study, recruited others to what would become the executive board of SCNO at Penn state. Members were recruited based on their character, leadership, work ethic, and passion for the nonprofit sector.

With additional support from Dr. Colangelo, the board presented their proposal for SCNO to Smeal Deans and the Smeal Board of Visitors, which led to the official initiation of the Penn State chapter of SCNO.

?Dr. Colangelo was an incredible resource in helping to get the organization started quickly and efficiently so we could hit the ground running,? said Wrieden.

In the early stages of developing their portfolio of services, SCNO worked with the local United Way to better understand the needs that existed in the nonprofit community. Megan Evans, communications director for Centre County United Way was very impressed with their presentation and goals, sharing their information with partner agencies that would greatly benefit from their services.

?So many of our agencies do not have the financial ability to hire development directors, marketing, or other business related staff,? said Evans. ?Having SCNO members develop systems that will maximize productivity or increase awareness of services is a valuable asset to our agencies.?

Now in its first full year, the SCNO chapter at Penn State has 40 Smeal students involved in eight client engagements, providing free business related services to nonprofit organizations including the American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, and the United Way. Among the services offered by SCNO are:

  • Marketing plans
  • Fundraising and capital allocation
  • Operations/distribution improvements
  • Financial analysis
  • Sustainability initiatives
  • Internship development
  • Information technology

While building relationships with their clients, SCNO has also managed to garner strong support from the college as well. Last semester, the group sponsored Careers that Make a Difference month in conjunction with the Career and Corporate Connections office. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness about careers in the nonprofit sector and how business students might put their knowledge to work to better their communities.

?I think there are a lot of students who want to use their business skills to make a difference, whether that be in the nonprofit sector or through getting involved in corporate social responsibility efforts,? said Meg Handley, director of Career and Corporate Connections at Smeal. ?Building awareness through events like Careers that Make a Difference Month has helped the interest grow.?

Much of SCNO?s initial success stems from commitment and a collective desire among students, particularly first-year students, to get involved and make a difference.

?It really shows the character of Smeal,? Wrieden said. ?I?m really impressed by those involved in SCNO. In all aspects of our client work we strive to prove our professionalism, and I think we?ve been very successful in doing so.?

SCNO officers have been invited to present their organization?s mission and results to the Penn State Council on Engagement, which meets in Old Main and consists of dean throughout the Penn State system. The purpose is to raise awareness of SCNO at Smeal, with the hope of recruiting students throughout the University to join. SCNO has already begun to collaborate across colleges, including the College of Engineering, and hope to strengthen their list of services by gaining cross-disciplinary support from other academic areas. SCNO will also be presenting to Deno Di Ciantis, Director of the Penn State Center in Pittsburgh, to expand their reach both in the Penn State community and in the nonprofit sector.

To learn more about SCNO, visit psuscno.org.

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