Returning student earns degree after six-year hiatus

Returning student earns degree, certificate after six-year hiatus

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Leslie Wells

SPEA alum Joseph Dant serves as the director of industry and governmental affairs for the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.

It had been six years since Joseph Dant was in a classroom. Six years since he dealt with the pressures of coursework. Six years since he since he left college after realizing he wasn’t ready.

“I knew I wanted to go back eventually, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go,” Dant says.

After taking a career aptitude test, Dant became interested in a career in government. It was the test administrator who first introduced him to SPEA and its connection to work in the public sector. Dant reached out, met with a SPEA advisor, and enrolled in SPEA’s civic leadership program, focusing on nonprofit management.

While Dant’s six years away had provided career clarity, the hurdles he and other nontraditional students face can be daunting. Since he worked during the day, he could only take courses part time in the evenings. He was 25 years old and recently married, yet motivated to get his degree.

So he made another life-altering decision. He quit his job and took a position as a third-shift custodian with IUPUI. He worked at night so he could attend classes full time during the day.

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Nonprofit Expo connects employers and students

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Leslie Wells

A student speaks with an organization about volunteer, employment, and internship opportunities at IUPUI's Nonprofit Expo. — A student speaks with an organization about volunteer, employment, and internship opportunities at the IU Indianapolis Nonprofit Expo.

Behind closed doors, 80 employers set up tables, laid out materials, and reviewed the openings they wanted to fill within their organizations. Meanwhile, in the Campus Center lobby, students and alumni waited—resumes in hand—for their chance to learn more about the organizations and what internship, employment, and volunteer opportunities each had to offer.

This isn’t a standard career fair. It specifically targets those interested in the nonprofit sector. Each year, the IU Indianapolis Nonprofit Expo serves as a connection point for students and nonprofit, government, and community organizations. It’s at this event that the two sides find common ground and fill openings across the state.

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O’Neill’s Cullen Merritt named 2019 ‘Advocate of a Dream’

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Leslie Wells

O'Neill Assistant Professor Cullen Merritt receives the "Advocate of a Dream" Award from IUPUI's Black Student Union. — O’Neill Assistant Professor Cullen Merritt receives the “Advocate of a Dream” Award from IUPUI’s Black Student Union.

O’Neill Assistant Professor Cullen Merritt strives to make a connection with each student who enters his classroom.

“You don’t have to move mountains,” he says. “Students often just want a word of encouragement and to know they have an advocate.”

That approach has made Merritt a memorable and impactful instructor for many who walk into his classroom. This year, it also earned him a special honor from IUPUI’s Black Student Union.

Each year, the BSU selects a faculty member as the recipient of its Advocate of a Dream Award. They choose someone who exemplifies the values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and uses their professional role to positively impact the lives of students. The BSU presented Merritt with the award during the 50th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner in Indianapolis, the largest event in Indiana honoring Dr. King.

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SPEA advisor helps Civic Leadership major discover her place in the world

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Leslie Wells

SPEA Civic Leadership major Brittany Puran has traveled the world to find her future career path.

Brittany Puran had talked about becoming a doctor since she was little. After starting her education to become a pediatric oncologist, she felt the emotional weight of that career and knew it wasn’t a good fit. Yet that realization brought a mix of anxiety and fear.

“I was so confused,” she recalls. “I wanted to transfer. I just didn’t even want to be in college anymore.”

An encounter with a SPEA advisor changed that.

“He told me that just because I had said I wanted to be a doctor didn’t mean that was my path,” Puran says. “That was really hard for me to accept. But he helped me understand that it was okay that I wasn’t going to be what I always said I would be. He showed me there were other ways to help kids.”

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Nonprofit leaders enhance their skills through Executive Education

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Leslie Wells

Group of participants for the 2018 La Porte Nonprofit Leadership Academy — Participants in the Executive Education Nonprofit Leadership Academy learn skills to better lead their organizations and help the community.

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte knew there were skills gaps in the city’s nonprofits. Local nonprofit leaders had told them they needed more knowledge and experience to properly run their organizations and increase their impact. The Foundation searched for a solution and found it in SPEA Executive Education’s Nonprofit Leadership Academy.

The 10-month, on-location program covers practical topics designed to increase the leadership capacity of nonprofits executives. Those who complete the course receive an Executive Education Nonprofit Leadership Certificate from Indiana University.

Pastor Nate Loucks attended the Academy in La Porte. He leads the Pax Center, a nonprofit that focuses on food injustice and insecurity, runs a food pantry, provides free community gardening space and support, and hosts weekly community meals.

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