Non-profit organizations seek to serve and change the world based on a vision for human flourishing and community change. As a non-profit worker, you can apply your skills to work that matches your values as you strive for meaningful change with regard to issues ranging from the arts to education to the alleviation of poverty. Alumni of the department have worked as development and fundraising professionals at foundations, social workers, and service providers for community development organizations.

Your theology coursework has given you skills and perspectives that are helpful in this field:

• Articulating and showing a commitment to values of human flourishing and the common good, which will enable you to effectively communicate the values at the heart of an organization’s mission.

• Cultivating an understanding and respect of a range of cultures and perspectives, which will help you interact with diverse communities with compassion and sensitivity.

• Synthesizing and communicating complex information to different audiences, such as the donors and stakeholders of a mission-oriented organization.

While at Fordham

• Volunteer
  There are several organizations in the Bronx with long-standing relationships with Fordham.

  • The Pedro Arrupe Volunteers is a group coordinated by Campus Ministry that volunteers for services that have included meal preparation, tutoring, and Habitat for Humanity. Part of the Solution (http://www.potsbronx.org/) provides services ranging from food to tutoring to local families in need of support and offers volunteer opportunities ranging from direct service to clerical work.

  • NYC Service is an online portal administered by the city that lists volunteer opportunities with non-profits around the city. 

  • Catholic NYC and Catholic Charities Volunteers are similar sites, but with opportunities geared toward Catholic organizations. In early September, the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice hosts a volunteer fair with sixty area organizations.

• Intern

  • Idealist is a site includes listings for volunteer, internships, and jobs. There are many opportunities along these lines in New York City. Keep in mind that smaller non-profits may not be able to afford posting listings here, so it is also worth going directly to websites of non-profits to find opportunities. Furthermore, consider reaching out to a non-profit directly about setting up an internship. Some organizations are flexible enough to create a (usually unpaid) opportunity for interested students.

• Build your skills
  Particularly for small non-profits, employers look for applicants with a well-rounded set of skills because workers will need to “wear many hats.” There are several skills that are in demand that you can gain through coursework, volunteering, and internships. In particular, consider pursuing experience in grant-writing, community outreach, data analysis, and language.

Following Graduation

Many of the skills involved with preparing for the job market in business are transferrable to the same process in non-profit work, so take advantage of the resources provided by Career Services and Handshake even if they are not in the particular field you are pursuing. In particular, practice your explanation of how your theology degree has prepared you for non-profit work.

Another way of building experience in non-profit work is to sign up for a year or two of service. Refer to our service guide for more information about this possibility. Many programs give you the option of specifying a particular type of organization or form of work that matches your goals.

Some non-profit groups offer fellowships for recent graduates seeking to build experience in non-profit work. Some examples include:

• Coro Fellows Program
  9-month commitment. Provides a combination of seminars and placement in full-time projects in organizations related to public affairs.

• Future Leaders in Action Fellowships
  13-week commitment. Placement at a youth-oriented nonprofit organization to develop enrichment programs.

• Newman’s Own Foundation Fellows
  1-year commitment. Placement at a nonprofit organization and professional development opportunities.

Some aspects of the non-profit sector are specialized and include their own considerations for a career path. For example, arts management is a vibrant sector with a major presence in the New York area. The New York Foundation for the Arts maintains a listing of arts-related jobs around the country.