Well, most of you know how this past year I have been on a whirlwind adventure. I moved back east to live near family for a while, and ended up moving back to sunny southern California because I missed living here.
This past week, I accepted a year-long position with Colette's Children's Home in Huntington Beach. It is through the Americorps Vista program, which is also referred to as the "domestic peace corps." I am really excited about this position because I am going to be able to use my OL Master's Degree--they are going to have me work with their Operations Director and Board to solidify their strategic plan this year, and I will also work with their Executive Director to learn more about fundraising and grantwriting--both skills that I need to build if I plan to stay in the non-profit sector in Orange County. I am excited to begin this position, which starts in mid-August and lasts for a year.
Tentatively, I am also applying to the University of San Diego's PhD program in Leadership Studies with an emphasis on Nonprofit and Philanthropic Management. Ever since I graduated with my Master's last year, I have been exploring options for a PhD program, but have fluctuated because I wasn't sure where I'd land in my job search and with my moves during the last year. I visited USD two weeks ago, met with the Admissions Director, and spent about an hour talking with two students who are currently in the program. I really liked the format and focus of the program, and the campus of the school is beautiful--the building where my department and classes would be held is only 2 years old, and very gorgeous--it even has a view of the ocean and a view of downtown San Diego. If I were to get accepted as a full-time student and be awarded an assistantship (I would have to for the finances to work out), I would tentatively plan to start in the fall of 2010, after finishing my year of being an Americorps Vista. So...we'll see what happens!
I know many of you have been following me in my moves and year of job-searching--and I thank you all for your positive thoughts and prayers! This has been a really long year for me, but the journey has taught me a great deal and I would not have arrived here any other way. I am glad to have moved to Kentucky, but also glad to have moved back to California and to have come full-circle again and land back into the nonprofit sector. Stay posted for how this year goes and how my application process for USD's program goes. I am going to be taking the GRE this fall, and need some prayers for that, as I haven't taken a standardized test in a while.
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