Week 5: The Upside of a Summer Class

When I made the decision to come to Washington, DC and intern for the summer my main goal was to explore a career in a nonprofit organization. Participating in The Washington Center’s program requires that all interns take a class that meets once a week, so before coming I scoured the course catalog for an appropriate class. Last week I blogged about the organization I’m interning with, and to complement my internship placement I chose to take the Nonprofit Management course offered by The Washington Center. The course is taught by a professor named Dr. Anita Plotinsky, who has over twenty years experience being a leader in the nonprofit world. Previously Dr. Plotinsky served as the Director for The Foundation Center here in Washington, DC for eight years. The Foundation Center exists as a resource to nonprofit organizations by housing research libraries and in house assistance for individuals interested in founding nonprofits. It is this type of real world experience that Dr. Anita Plotinsky brings to class every Thursday night at The Washington Center.

Last week marked the beginning of the three-part series in which great leaders from various divisions of the nonprofit sector come and speak to the class about issues relevant to the service arena. Our first speaker was a man by the name of Dr. Alan Abramson who spoke to the class about the importance of nonprofits and the role they play in our society and in relation to our government. This week there is another speaker scheduled for the beginning of class…and then...what better way to kick off Fourth of July weekend than a test? There is a mid-term exam marking the halfway point of the class. The class is also gearing up for the final project, in which we all will have to analyze an organization that we have chosen to be in contact with throughout the term.

So far we have spent time finding resources that nonprofit organizations may use in their everyday operations. Also, we learn about the aspects that separate nonprofits from other types of businesses. For instance, I didn’t know that all nonprofits have a board of directors who are legally responsible for all actions of the organization. This class is great and seems to focus on how organizations exist to meet needs with which our government might not necessarily be willing to get involved. So while it’s a bummer to be taking a class in the summer, it’s a really cool class and I’m excited about what I’m learning.