A blog post written by Brie Godin, a 2020-2022 Fellow
I have always loved to learn. From eagerly attending summer school enrichment programs in elementary school to taking the maximum number of allowable credits in college, I have always had a desire for knowledge and exploration. Upon finishing graduate school, I was still searching for an opportunity to further explore my interests and options in the field of public health before settling on a permanent career, making the fellowship a perfect fit. Fellows have the unique opportunity to not only gain experience working at a placement site, but are also able to pursue further learning through professional development funds.
Throughout the fellowship program, fellows are provided with professional development funding that can be used in a variety of ways including conferences, continuing education, and educational materials, such as books related to public health. Often, fellows use these funds for events, such as out-of-state conferences they may not otherwise be able to attend. However, given the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, most conferences in 2020 were offered virtually if at all.
For the first year of my fellowship, I chose to apply my professional development funds toward continuing education in an area where I hoped to development more familiarity, the non-profit sector. Mental health advocacy in particular is a passion of mine, and I currently volunteer for mental health non-profits outside of my fellowship placement. In my placement site at the Department of Health Services, I have had the chance to experience working in a governmental setting, but I am also considering pursuing a career in a non-profit organization post-fellowship.
To gain a better understanding of the non-profit sector as well as some of the potential opportunities for public health careers in this field, I enrolled in the Introductory Non-Profit Certificate program through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where I had previously completed my MPH. The certificate program is a package of courses on a variety of topics such as budgeting, grant writing, leadership, and non-profit boards. The courses are offered completely online, which is ideal for those working remotely, especially during the pandemic.
While many college courses run on a set schedule, the courses for this certificate program offered flexibility, something which I appreciated. Participants are given one year after enrollment to complete all course work and courses do not have to be completed within a given time-frame after starting. This allowed me to work through the courses at my own pace, often finishing a few course modules in between or after meetings at my placement site.
While online courses often involve a great deal of reading, this is not the best learning style for everyone. As someone who benefits from being interactive and engaging in the learning experience, I appreciated that the courses included a variety of elements including articles, video interviews with professionals in the non-profit field, and interactive review games, activities, and quizzes.
Through completing the Introductory Non-Profit Certificate program, I have gained a better understanding of how a non-profit organization operates as well as potential career opportunities in this field. I have also developed basic skills such as reading financial statements, which will be useful in applying for positions post-fellowship.
For fellows or anyone looking to enhance their skillset or learn something new, I would absolutely recommend pursuing continuing education opportunities through the UW System. UW-Milwaukee offers courses on a wide variety of topics from foreign languages to early childhood education, with other campuses offering programs as well. I hope to be a lifelong learner and am grateful to have had this opportunity.
