All good things must come to an end. For my part I offer a reflection of my time in this class as follows.

My theme song for this class would be Neil Young, Heart of Gold. I spent a majority of this class trying to figure the students out in my class. Looking to see if people who take a class like this tend to be a particular sort of person. I wanted to see who took this class to change the world. I guess you can say I was looking for a Heart of Gold.  I think this class has taught each of us something about ourselves. Each person in this class is passionate about helping to make a difference. I think this class is special and the students helped make this experience what it was. This will not be a class that fades in the background like so many others. This class will be one that I will never forget. This class made me reevaluate what volunteering I do versus what I wish I would do. I wonder why I did not volunteer to be on a different nonprofit board?  I plan to think through my next series of volunteering times and if I get on another board in the future I will only join if I am passionate about its cause. I also plan to change my focus of my major.

 It’s hard to decide what the single most significant point of this class; I would say there were three. The absolutely most memorable part was the site visit. That will stay in my memory for life. That was such an incredible experience. I learned about myself in this class when we had our class discussions, I did not realize how heated I would get during a discussion. This class has a way of making you feel closer to the people in your class then you would in a typical class. It also makes you more aware of the personalities of the people in your class more than most classes.  There is a lot to learn from people who perceive and believe things that are very different from your own. I tend to assume that people who do a particular action, let’s say three people save a kitten. I for some reason assume all three people will save that cat for the same or a similar reason. I am surprised when people have totally different reasons for doing something. I think this class helped remind me of this difference. Finally I will say the award ceremony. It hasn’t happened yet but I can’t tell it will be a significant moment. This class is like none I have ever taken before and I will not soon forget it. I strive to take many more classes like this if there are such classes.

My next step in the world of nonprofit and philanthropy is going to be a new position I was just offered. I will be doing grant writing for the Boy Scouts of America’s Community Impact division. I will work to find businesses, philanthropist and corporations to sponsor kids from diverse background, varying socioeconomic levels and all other people who would not have been welcome in the archaic version of the boy scouts in years past. We are reaching out to LBGTQ families and people of all religions. I am honored to take on this role and felt more able to take this role after taking this class. Both this class and my past nonprofit work and this position will make me better prepared to earn a position at one of my desired places to work amongst the nonprofit world