One Day, One Job » non-profit

Society for Neuroscience

Willy Franzen — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:43:16 +0000

Neuroscience is a word that is about as intimidating as astrophysics. Most people have no idea what it means, but they’re pretty sure that its definition is over their head. The truth is that neuroscience is simply the study of the brain and nervous system. That’s not to say it’s a simple science, but it’s a science that covers equipment that we all have. With that said, neuroscience gets a bit complex as it draws from “other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics, medicine and allied disciplines, philosophy, physics, and psychology.” (Here’s the Wikipedia article on Neuroscience.) The Society for Neuroscience is a Washington, DC based non-profit member organization for the scientists and physicians who study the brain and nervous system.

Get Your Neurons Firing

The field of neuroscience is young as sciences go, which is why the Society for Neuroscience was only founded in 1969 (I know that seems like a long time ago to you). Back then they only had about 500 members, but today they have more than 40,000. The Society for Neuroscience is similar to other scientific non-profit member organizations in that it works in a number of ways to move the field forward. These activities include creating “venues for sharing great science in an expanding field”; “connecting people around the globe and across specialties”; educating “the public about the wonders of the brain”; and advocating “for policies that promote research.” If you’re interested in things like brain development, sensation and perception, learning and memory, movement, sleep, stress, aging, and more, then you have to take a look at the Society for Neuroscience’s Jobs page. Their current openings include:

Neuroscience is a fast growing field, so now is a great time to get involved. And the Society for Neuroscience is a great place to get a start even if you don’t have a background in neuroscience.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about neuroscience?

buildOn

Willy Franzen — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:49:24 +0000

It’s easy to think of the developing world as having completely different problems from the ones we have in the U.S. But when you look more closely, you start to realize that the link between poverty and a lack of good education is consistent across the world–our inner cities and the developing world have similar problems that require similar solutions. buildOn is a non-profit organization based in Stamford, CT that aims to break “the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education” by “putting youth in service and building schools in developing countries.” Most non-profits either focus on education abroad or domestically, buildOn is unique in that they believe that they can better solve both problems by working on them at the same time.

Build Something

You’ll probably want to start your research on buildOn by reading Founder Jim Ziolkowski’s story. After that you’ll want to dive into the “buildOn Is a Movement” video:

buildOn’s domestic programs are based in Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; New York, NY; Oakland/San Francisco, CA; Philadelphia, PA; and Stamford, CT. The goal is to engage 100,000 U.S. based students every week by 2031. In the same time period, they want more than 1 million students to be attending schools built by buildOn. It sounds like an amazing movement, so if you want to get involved, head over to buildOn’s Careers page. Right now there are a few positions posted worth checking out:

Program Coordinator (San Francisco, CA)
Program Coordinator (Stamford, CT)
Program Coordinator (Philadelphia, PA)

These look like amazing job opportunities, so give them a close look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about buildOn?

Queens Botanical Garden

Willy Franzen — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:35:13 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day! While the best gift that you could possibly give your mother is for you to get a job, flowers, brunch, or a card will have to do for now (not many people get hired over the weekend). I think flowers make a pretty awesome gift, but it sucks that they are eventually going to die. Why not give your mom a flower experience instead? Take her somewhere like the Queens Botanical Garden, which is a Flushing, NY based “urban oasis where people, plants and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs and demonstrations of environmental stewardship.” Could there be a better place to take your mother?

Treat Your Mom Like a Queen

The best way to learn about Queens Botanical Garden is to visit, obviously. If you can’t do that right away, you can read up on planning your visit or take a look at their gardens and collections. You may also want to learn more about their Programs and their Education & Cultural Research. If you love flowers and plants and like what you’ve read about the Queens Botanical Garden, then you have to take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they have a full-time Botanical Garden Aide position posted along with part-time Children’s Garden Program Coordinator and Children’s Garden Senior Assistant positions. Happy Mother’s Day!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you visited Queens Botanical Garden?

National Ability Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:33:18 +0000

I absolutely love playing sports and participating in other outdoor activities. Physical activities are great because they provide nearly immediate feedback. You have a great idea of how you’re performing and how hard you can push yourself. That’s why the National Ability Center in Park City, UT uses activities like “alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, swimming, cycling, waterskiing, horseback riding, rafting,” and more to aid the “the development of lifetime skills for people of all ages and abilities.” By using specially designed equipment and well-trained instructors (many of whom are individuals with disabilities), The National Ability Center is able to bring these wonderful activities to people who may otherwise never have a chance to participate.

Discover Your Abilities

Last year the National Ability Center delivered lessons and outing to 15,545 individuals. The participants were able to “build self-esteem, confidence and physical development,” which are absolutely essential skills that can be taken back to everyday life. The National Ability delivers their programming with a number of core values in mind. These include Innovative, Integrity, Affordable, Caring, Inclusive, Empowerment, Quality, and Customer Service. The National Ability Center website is a bit hard to navigate, but they do provide a ton of information on their programming, so I highly recommend that you dive in and learn more. If you like what you see, then you can move on to their Jobs page where they have opportunities including Lead Program Staff, Program Staff, Public Relations Coordinator, Facilities and Capital Manager, and Events Coordinator. These look like amazing job opportunities, so don’t pass them up.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about National Ability Center?

New York City Ballet

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:21:53 +0000

I’m the last person that should be telling you anything about ballet. I can’t remember the last time I saw a ballet performance, but I guarantee you it was at something like a middle school talent show. Despite my knowing nothing about ballet, I can tell you that the New York City Ballet is a big deal. They train their own artists and produce their own works, and with 90 dancers, they are “the largest dance organization in America.” It all started with Lincoln Kirstein, who had a vision of “an American ballet where young native dancers could be trained and schooled under the guidance of the world’s greatest ballet masters to perform a new, modern repertory, rather than relying on touring groups of imported artists performing for American audiences.” He met a guy named George Balanchine in London in 1933 and invited him to help start the school. The rest is history.

Nothing to Dance Around

If you want to read about that history, you can find it here. If you’re interested in learning more about the New York City Ballet from an artistic standpoint, there’s plenty to find on their website–you can read up on their dancers or their costume shop. If you really want an in-depth look at how the NYC Ballet operates, look no further than their Annual Reports. If everything looks good to you, then you may want to take a look at the New York City Ballet’s Jobs page. Right now they have some great opportunities that look well suited for new or recent grads including Major Gifts Assistant, Part-time Accountant, and Administrative Assistant (posted on Idealist). If you love ballet, these positions would be hard to beat.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to the ballet?

Project Sunshine

Willy Franzen — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:42:25 +0000

There aren’t many things sadder than children suffering from medical problems. It’s completely heartbreaking for everyone involved. No matter what the situation, one of the most important things is to keep the kids and their families in a positive emotional state. That’s what Project Sunshine does. They’re a New York, NY based non-profit organization that “provides free educational, recreational, and social programs to children facing medical challenges and their families.” They work in more than 150 cities across the United States and also have “satellite sites” in Canada, China, Israel, Kenya and Puerto Rico. Through volunteers they’re able to serve more than 60,000 children and their families.

Rays of Sunshine

Project Sunshine’s programs range from being purely focused on improving morale like Arts and Crafts to more specific programs targeted at things like Caregiver Wellness and living with HIV/AIDS. You can get a full rundown of Project Sunshine’s program offerings here. You may also want to spend some time looking through their Photo Gallery, as it will give you a closer look at the work that they do and how it affects the people they serve. If you like what Project Sunshine is all about, then you’ll want to take a look at their Careers page. You won’t see any jobs posted, but today they posted a Program Coordinator position on Idealist. It looks like a great fit for a new or recent grad, so check it out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Project Sunshine?

American Institute of Physics

Willy Franzen — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:20:56 +0000

After mentioning high school yesterday, I had a high school exam dream last night. It was a history test, and oddly enough I think I performed pretty well (though I woke up before I got a grade). If it was a Physics test, I think it might have been more of a nightmare. As much as I enjoyed AP Physics, it was definitely one of the hardest courses that I took at any level. That probably explains why I’m not a member of the American Institute of Physics, which is a College Park, MD based non-profit membership organization that promotes “the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare.” The group was founded in 1931 by “a group of American physical science societies joined forces to create an institute that would strengthen their response to the practical and philosophical uncertainties facing their field.”

Overcome Your Frictional Force

The American Institute of Physics consists of ten member societies ranging from the Acoustical Society of America to The Society of Rheology. They also have at least two dozen affiliated societies including the American Nuclear Society, the Cryogenic Society of America, and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. All of these societies and the individuals who participate team up to achieve goals in the following areas:

Supporting our Member Societies by providing efficient services and systems for essential society functions. See programs/presentations from the Assembly of Society Officers

Advancing the science of physics as publisher of leading research journals, magazines, and conference proceedings.

Tracking employment and education trends through statistical reports that have charted the progress of physics for more than six decades.

Fostering connections between science & industry by creating strong ties between corporate leaders and the larger physics community.

Preserving the past through the archival collections and outreach programs of AIP’s Center for History of Physics.

Mentoring tomorrow’s physicists through support of undergraduate physics, as well as initiatives to shape and energize science education.

Promoting science in the public realm by advocating sound science policy to Congress, and through outreach to the general public.

A significant amount of the AIP’s work is done in the realm of publishing. You can see a list of all of their publications here. If you love science and like what the American Institute of Physics is about, then take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Web Production Assistant and Customer Relations Specialist (Melville, NY). Both positions look like they could be a great fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you take Physics?

Peer Health Exchange

Willy Franzen — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:54:44 +0000

When I was in 9th grade I had to take a Health class. One day our teacher had us write letters to our future selves. She told us that she’d send them to us when we graduated high school. I never saw that letter again. I guess I’ll never know how I’m stacking up against the expectations of my 14 year old self. While many lessons from health class seem trite at the time, they can have life-long beneficial effects. Unfortunately, many public schools can’t afford to offer health education. This is a big problem because “teenagers today are engaging in risky behavior at alarming rates, harming their bodies and their futures.” Peer Health Exchange is a San Francisco, CA based non-profit organization (but they’re working across the country) that fixes this problem by recruiting, selecting, and training “college student volunteers to teach high school students a comprehensive health curriculum.” My sister is one of these volunteers, and she’s had a wonderful experience so far (which is why she has been bugging me to feature PHE).

To Your Health

Peer Health Exchange explains the need for their services with some simple statistics:

One in four teenagers is a binge-drinker.

One in four teenagers smokes cigarettes.

One in three teen girls becomes pregnant.

One in five teenagers experiences violence in a relationship.

One in six teenagers is overweight or obese.

There are significant long-term consequences for our society associated with each of those stats. Peer Health Exchange offers a curriculum that leaves 96% of students saying that “they will use something they learned from PHE workshops to make a healthy decision in the future.” Although it’s hard to quantify what that actually means, it’s certainly a step in the right direction. If you’d like to get involved with Peer Health Exchange, check out their Jobs page. Right now they have quite a few positions avialable including:

Finance Analyst
Program Associate (Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA)
Program Associate (Washington, DC)

These are great opportunities to join an organization that is having a significant impact, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite memory from Health class?

Earth Day Network

Willy Franzen — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:15:41 +0000

SinglePlatform is hiring 50 new grads in New York City to help local businesses get discovered. Learn how you can be one of them.

Earth Day is a contrived holiday. It was designed as a day of teach-ins across the country to educate students about environmental evils. April 22 was chosen as the date because it fit perfectly between spring break and final exams. If you want to maximize on-campus student activity, this is the time of year to do it. It’s worked. Earth Day now has more than 40 years of history behind it, and it continues to be a great way to rally people for environmental causes. Earth Day Network is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that organizes Earth Day activities across the world while also focusing on environmental causes year round. In the past they’ve “executed successful environmental campaigns on issues ranging from climate change and drinking water to voter registration and saving the whale.”

Join the Network

Now that Earth Day Network is entering their slower period (I’m assuming their busy time is the months leading up to April 22nd), they can focus on their variety of programs. Right now some of their big projects are Greening Schools and Promoting Environmental Education, Accelerating the Global Green Economy, and A Billion Acts of Green. What I think is really cool about Earth Day Network is that they work at all levels: local, state, national, and global. Many organizations claim to do that, but not many have their own holiday that they can use to bring everything together. If you are a big fan of Earth Day, then take a look at Earth Day Network’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for an Online Engagement Manager. They say that they want someone with “2-3 years experience with digital advocacy and marketing,” but I think that there are plenty of recent grads who can fit that bill.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What are you doing for Earth Day?

Slavery Footprint

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:06:50 +0000

SinglePlatform is hiring 50 new grads in New York City to help local businesses get discovered. Learn how you can be one of them.

If I told you that I had 52 slaves working for me, you’d either think that I was making an offensive joke about unpaid internships or just being offensive. Unfortunately, it’s the truth. It’s nearly impossible for anyone living in our society not to benefit from modern slavery. So what do we do about it? Before you can take responsibility for your consumption, you have to understand your “slavery footprint.” Slavery Footprint is an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization that aims “to generate awareness and action for the issues of forced labor, slavery, and human trafficking.” They’ve done this through a film called Call + Response, a documentary with CNN, and an online survey that helps you calculate your slavery footprint based on what you consume and own.

Leave No Footprint

Slavery Footprint’s standout feature is its design. They’ve built an extremely intuitive way for you to get a basic understanding of how slavery is part of supply chains that end with you. Most slavery happens at the raw materials level–well before manufacturers and brands act as intermediaries, so it’s easy to be blind to it. Slavery Footprint helps you spread the word to friends and identify where you can be more responsible with your consumption. In my opinion, Slavery Footprint’s best feature is also its biggest flaw. Because you can causally enter information into their app and calculate your “slavery footprint,” it’s easy to not take the results seriously and fail to take action. Still, it’s better than a PSA or other non-personalized message. If your slavery footprint results really hit you hard, one of the best ways that you can respond is to consider a job with Slavery Footprint. Right now they have a Executive Administrator/Office Manager posted on Idealist, that looks really well suited to a new or recent grad. Give it a look and see if it’s a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your Slavery Footprint?

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Willy Franzen — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:47:01 +0000

100 years ago today the Titanic sank. It wasn’t the world’s first transportation disaster, nor was it the last, but it’s the one that continues to captivate people. As a kid I was absolutely fascinated by the story of the Titanic–the unsinkable ship that sank. I had a few books on the topic that I read over and over again. I learned about Alvin, the deep sea submersible, and Jason Jr., the underwater robot, and how they were used to explore the Titanic once it was discovered in 1985 (by essentially dragging video cameras just above the ocean floor). The discovery and expeditions were partially done by teams from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which is a Woods Hole, MA based “non-profit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of all aspects of marine science and engineering and to the education of marine researchers.” If it has to do with ocean science and exploration, there’s an extremely good chance that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is on top of it.

Under the Sea!

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution focuses its research on a number of areas including Climate & Ocean, Coastal Science, Hazards, Ocean Chemistry, Ocean Circulation, Ocean Life, Ocean Resources & Policy, Polar Research, Pollution, Seafloor & Below, Tools & Technology, and Underwater Archaeology. They employ all kinds of scientists to work on a vast array of programs and projects. If you have any interest at all in oceanography, you need to take some to browse the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution website. It’s well designed and packed with information. After that, the next step is to check out their Jobs page. While they don’t have anything that is tailor made for a new grad, the Engineering Assistant positions are worth checking out. There’s also a Information Systems Associate II/III position that could be a fit. Finally, they have Scientist and Postdoc positions that might interest you if you’ve gone well beyond undergrad in terms of education.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you fascinated by the Titanic?

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:47:31 +0000

April is the month of Opening Days. My two favorite seasons–baseball and fishing–open all across the country this time of year. I’ve already snuck up to Michigan’s Au Sable River once this year to go fishing, and I have another trip planned in a couple weeks. I’m lucky that I have such a wonderful place to spend my time, and I have a number of conservation groups to thank for their work in protecting and improving the river system and its trout fishing. I’m a total sucker for anything related to hunting or fishing, so when a reader e-mailed me yesterday to tell me about a job at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d be writing about them today. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that provides “access and a voice for sportsmen in the U.S. Congress, the Administration and federal land management agencies, as well as state legislatures across the country.” They’ve been at it for more than 20 years, and they’ve accomplished quite a bit in that time.

A Sporting Life

The one thing that bothers me about the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is their website. It’s poorly designed and looks unprofessional (some pages have broken images); however, there is still a good amount of useful information. I just expect better from an organization that calls itself “the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena.” Still, their results speak for themselves. Here’s what they’ve done at the federal level, and here’s some information on their state level work. If you love the sporting life and its intersection with politics, but for some insane reason would like to live in Washington, DC (where a sporting life requires sitting in traffic to escape the city), then take a look at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Communications Coordinator, and it looks like a great opportunity for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you hunt or fish?

The Easter Bunny Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:13:08 +0000

I feel kind of bad for the Easter Bunny. He’s clearly no Santa Claus, and normal people giving out candy in their houses on Halloween tend to outshine his candy giving ability. I’d say he’s about on par with the Tooth Fairy, who is only relevant for a few years during a child’s life. I think we need to raise the profile of the the Easter Bunny, and that’s what The Easter Bunny Foundation in Orlando, FL is all about. Ok, that’s not really what they’re all about. They’re actually about “providing hospitalized children with a visit from the Easter Bunny and their local sheriff during Easter week.” How awesome is that? The Easter Bunny Foundation is a small non-profit that likely doesn’t have any full-time jobs, but they’re doing great work and putting smiles on kids’ faces. If you’d like to get involved, you can learn more here. Happy Easter!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did the Easter Bunny visit you?

International Food Policy Research Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:12:35 +0000

Have you ever bought Easter candy after Easter? They’re usually giving it away at about 90% off. We live in a country where food is so plentiful that it becomes undesirable if it’s not the right color or in the right packaging for the time of year. Those egg shaped Reese’s instantly won’t sell, even though they have a better peanut butter to chocolate ratio than the normal cups. It’s easy to forget how lucky we are to live in a society where one of our biggest problems is an overabundance of calories. The International Food Policy Research Institute is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that serves those who aren’t so lucky. The IFPRI envisions “a world where every person has secure access to sufficient and safe food to sustain a healthy and productive life and where food-related policy decisions are made transparently, including the participation of consumers and producers.”

What’s Your Food Policy?

When you start to think about food policy, you realize it’s tied into nearly every part of human life. Whether it’s trade, the environment, energy, or gender equality, nearly everything either affects or is affected by food. That’s why the International Food Policy Research Institute’s work stretches across so many areas. Just take a look at their Project Portfolio–it includes everything from Rebuilding after Emergencies and Crises to Social Protection, Livelihoods and Asset Building. There’s a lot to learn about the IFPRI and what they do, so I highly recommend that you dig into their site and start learning more about them. If you like what you see, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have a few positions that may interest new or recent grads including:

They also have Research Positions for people with more advanced education and experience.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the International Food Policy Research Institute?

The Human Fund

Willy Franzen — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:12:20 +0000

Reasoning Mind is an education focused non-profit that uses the web to teach kids math, and they’re hiring 30 new grads as Program Coordinators. Learn more about these amazing entry level opportunities.

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about the relationship between humans and computers. The most important takeaway from all of this is that we’re all humans, and that’s important. If we can’t all agree on that simple fact, then we as a society are doomed. Considering that the only thing more important than people is money, I think it’s essential that we take this special day to look at The Human Fund. They are a New York, NY based non-profit that provides “Money for People.” The organization was found by Art Vandelay in 1997, and since then they have continued to grow.

Money for People. Jobs for You.

The Human Fund has found enormous success by getting their supporters to give gift donations in the name of friends. This is typically done during the Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus season. (If you’d like to give a gift, you can find out how to do so here. Beyond providing money for people, The Human Fund has also been advocating for stricter health standards on envelope glue, but 90% of their work is still committed to serving humans. If you’re excited about The Human Fund and their work, I highly recommend that you check out their Job postings while also exploring the relevant links below.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you received any donations in your name to The Human Fund?

50CAN

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:48:29 +0000

I was really lucky in that my parents sent me to a top notch private school for 6th through 12th grade. I have no doubt that it had a significantly positive effect on my education. Why? Because it was a truly great school. Private schools obviously aren’t the only great schools (and plenty of private schools aren’t all that great), but there’s no doubt that many of our country’s public schools are underperforming. 50CAN is a New York, NY based non-profit organization that is pushing for education reform because they believe that “Great Schools Can Change Everything.” They don’t just mean test scores and individual outcomes. They mean our economy, our democracy, our dreams, our competitiveness, our health, our communities, and pretty much everything else. 50CAN is different from many of the education focused non-profits that you’re likely familiar with in that 50CAN is focused squarely on advocacy.

YouCAN

50CAN has a wonderful website. It’s beautiful, and it does a great job of conveying information in a simple way. I recommend that you start browsing it by reading their Why Schools? page. Next you’ll want to read through the 50CAN Model. You’ll get an in-depth look at how they’re going state by state to “build citizen movements to ensure that every child has access to a great public school.” If you want to see what kind of results this approach delivers, just check out 50CAN’s Case Studies. Hopefully as you check out these pages, you’ll be drawn into other parts of 50CAN’s website. There’s a lot more to learn about the organization. So far CAN is operating in Minnesota, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and New York (North Carolina is coming soon). Obviously the goal is to reach all 50. If you want to be a part of 50CAN, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Government Relations Associate for RI-CAN (Providence, RI) and a New Site Development Manager (New York, NY). If neither of those positions look right for you, you can also sign up to bring 50CAN to your state.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you go to a great school?

Reasoning Mind

Willy Franzen — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:59:11 +0000

This is a sponsored post for Reasoning Mind. You can see our original editorial feature of Reasoning Mind here.

If 2,000 people share this job on Facebook by April 15th (be sure to use this link so it counts), a donor will give Reasoning Mind $10,000. Each share is worth $5, so by sharing, you’ll help your friends learn about an awesome job while helping kids learn math!

The education situation in America is dire. Our schools aren’t performing well compared to those in other nations–especially in math and science. It looks like we’re headed for a future where we’ll no longer be a world leader of industry and innovation. Or are we? I’m not so sure. What I’ve seen over the past few years in education technology gives me a lot of hope. One of the organizations on the leading edge of this phenomenon is Reasoning Mind. They’re a Houston, TX based non-profit that is working across the country and using web-based technology to move us towards “a day when children love their math class so much, they do math problems at home instead of playing video games.” They’ve already accomplished this goal with thousands of children, and they think that they can make it a reality across country inside of a decade. How would you like to be part of that?

Reasons to Choose Reasoning Mind

Reasoning Mind does its amazing work through partnerships with schools. By combining online tools with the face-to-face instruction that great teachers provide, Reasoning Mind is able to create an environment where students get individualized attention that allows them to learn at a pace that is best for them. (If you’d like to take a closer look at how the software works, take a look at these awesome videos.)

For Reasoning Mind the key to student success is making sure that schools and teachers are fully equipped to make the most of the online tools. That’s why Reasoning Mind hires some of America’s brightest college graduates every year to join them as Program Coordinators. As a Reasoning Mind Program Coordinator, you’ll be responsible for bringing Reasoning Mind to approximately 1,000 students and their teachers. You can learn more about the position from these links:

Also be sure to to check out Reasoning Mind’s employee blog.

Meeting of the Minds

Reasoning Mind is currently looking to hire 30 new Program Coordinators to start in Summer 2012. The positions will be available across a number of of locations including Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, and Nashville (other cities depend on partnership agreements with schools). This is an amazing opportunity to have a meaningful impact on America’s education problem while gaining significant post-college work experience.

Apply for a Reasoning Mind Program Coordinator Position

Submit your resume and cover letter via the link above to receive the assignments. Complete the assignments by April 6th to hear back by May 25th or by May 4th to hear back by June 15th.

Applying involves completing written assignments that are meant to simulate the type of work that Program Coordinators do at Reasoning Mind. The goal is to help you get a better idea of whether you’ll find the work satisfying (and whether they’ll find your work satisfying), so don’t approach this like you approach other job applications. A résumé and cover letter isn’t enough to grab one of the 30 spots.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Reasoning Mind?

Constitutional Rights Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:14:59 +0000

Think back to your favorite 90s sitcom. Odds are that there was an episode where your favorite main character was bored to death by some teacher trying to teach him or her about the Constitution. Your favorite character was completely unengaged until some major life event (usually artificially created by the brilliant teacher) came up that made the Constitution super relevant. I can already picture the specific Boy Meets World and Saved by the Bell episodes. Since those tv shows don’t actually teach much about the Constitution, we need our kids to have similar real life experiences. That’s what Constitutional Rights Foundation provides. They’re a Los Angeles, CA based non-profit that aims “to instill in our nation’s youth a deeper understanding of citizenship through values expressed in our Constitution and its Bill of Rights and to educate young people to become active and responsible participants in our society.” This is really important stuff–we can’t just expect future generations to learn it from watching reruns on tv.

Be on the Rights Side

As we learned from tv, you can’t just teach kids that civic participation is important. You need to show them the why and how. That’s what Constitutional Rights Foundation’s Programs are all about. One of the cooler things that CRF does is the Expanding Horizons Internships program. It takes Los Angeles high school students and puts them to work on constitutionally relevant projects at the city’s “most prestigious law firms, corporations, and non-profit organizations.” This just one of many great programs, so I highly recommend that you browse through them all to get a more complete understanding of how CRF goes about pursuing its mission. If you’re a Constitution lover and you want to pass it along to a younger generation, check out Constitutional Rights Foundation’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. It looks like it could be a great fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite Constitutional Amendment?

USA Hockey

Willy Franzen — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:49:53 +0000

I think I saw one of the best hockey games I’ll ever see in my life last night. I made the drive from Chicago up to Green Bay, WI to see the heroic Cornell Big Red take on the evil University of Michigan Wolverines in the first round of the Division I NCAA Tournament. I was devastated when Michigan scored two goals in the first minute and thirty three seconds and relieved when the second goal was called off after the officials viewed the replay. In addition to the overturned goal, there was a shorthanded goal, a missed penalty shot, a 5 minute major, a prolonged 5×3 that didn’t lead to a goal, a game tying goal late in the 3rd period (for the bad guys), and an overtime game winning goal for the good guys. I woke up with no voice and an inability to think about anything but hockey, which is why we’re going to take a look at Colorado Springs, CO based USA Hockey today. It was founded in 1936 and has been “the National Governing Body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States” since. In addition to that, USA Hockey does everything that it can to “promote the growth of hockey in America and provide the best possible experience for all participants by encouraging, developing, advancing and administering the sport.”

Put Your Job Search on Ice

Hockey is a great sport. The only problem is that it’s not something you can just pick up. It takes years of development, lots of expensive equipment, and ice time (which is scarce in a lot of places). That’s why one of USA Hockey’s biggest initiatives is focused on supporting and developing “grassroots hockey programs.” They do this through affiliate associations who help grow the sport on a local level. There is a lot more to what USA Hockey does, so I highly recommend that you read over their About page and Annual Reports to get a more in-depth look at their work, and also take some time to browse the rest of their website–there’s a ton of content. If you love hockey, then a position with USA Hockey may be just what you’re looking for. Right now their Jobs page shows a Program Services Manager position. They do ask for “three to five years of sports-related experience, preferably in ice hockey,” but I could definitely see the right recent grad having that. There are also some event based (not full-time) jobs with the Women’s National Team including Equipment Manager, Video Coordinator, and Team Leader. You may want to take a look at those too. I need to go try to get my voice back for tonight. LET’S GO RED!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Who’s your favorite hockey team?

Bike New York

Willy Franzen — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:02:41 +0000

I played beach volleyball yesterday. On St. Patrick’s Day! And I was hot! No, I didn’t go on vacation. Chicago is having an amazing stretch of unseasonably warm weather. The best thing about it is that it gets people out doing what they love because they know that it still could snow again. For me it’s volleyball (or fishing if I can escape the city), but for others it may be running, playing with their dog, or riding a bike. Since I saw a ton of bikes yesterday, I thought it would be a good day to take a look at Bike New York. They’re a New York, NY based non-profit organization that aims to “promote and encourage bicycling and bicycle safety through education, public events, and collaboration with community and government organizations.” Biking is good for cities and good for people, so Bike New York isn’t just about biking for biking’s sake.

Pedal Faster

Bike New York has made a name for itself by “producing America’s largest cycling event, a 42-mile, traffic-free ride for some 32,000 cyclists known as the TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour.” That will certainly get some attention, but it’s the day to day stuff where Bike New York really does its best work. Biker education is extremely important. Most people think that once they’ve learned to ride a bike they’ve learned everything they need to know. That may work for casual biking on a separate bike path, but if you’re going to bike through a major city like New York, you need to be better prepared. That’s why Bike New York offers classes like Savvy Cyclist: Traffic Skills 101, Winter Riding 101, and Bike Maintenance 101. This type of education directly saves lives (and by promoting biking it also saves lives by promoting healthier lifestyles and preventing pollution). If you love what Bike New York is doing, take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Bike Safety School Assembly Instructor, Bike Fleet Manager, a Youth Program Bike Instructor, and a Freelance Class Captain. Take a look at these positions, and then go enjoy the beautiful weather.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Bike New York?

Irish International Immigrant Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:48:02 +0000

I’m not big on St. Patrick’s Day, but judging from the number of people that I’ve seen dressed in green today, I’m about the only one who isn’t. It gets pretty ridiculous here in Chicago, and I’m sure it does in quite a few other cities. It makes me wonder what people from Ireland think of the way Americans celebrate the holiday. I’m sure some of the people who have been helped by the Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston, MA have an opinion. It’s a non-profit organization that “has supported Irish immigrants since 1989 and has grown into a multiservice center for people from 120 countries helping them find their place in our multicultural society.” While most of us think about Irish immigrants coming to America in the 1800s, there are certainly still people immigrating. That’s why the Irish International Immigrant Center exists.

Luck of the Irish

Although the world feels a lot smaller than it did a century or two ago, it seems that in many ways immigration is a lot harder. The actual transit time can be a few hours, but the legal process can take many years. And after an immigrant finally makes it here, transitioning into life in the United States can be difficult too. That’s why the Irish International Immigrant Center provides services like Immigration Legal Services, Wellness and Education Services, Learning Exchange Programs, English for Speaker of Other Languages, Citizenship Services, and Advocacy. Beyond working directly with immigrants, the Irish International Immigrant Center is also a huge proponent of immigration reform. If you’d like to join the Irish International Immigrant Center, check out their Jobs page. Right now they have an Immigration Legal Services Program Assistant position posted. It is described as entry level, though the deadline for applying has passed. I always say it’s worth applying for these positions as long as they’re still posted, so don’t hold back. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How are you celebrating St. Patrick’s Day?

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:43:31 +0000

One of the most amazing things about the United States is our National Park system (check out National Park Service jobs)–it really shows off how vast and how diverse the country’s natural beauty is. While you’ve probably visited at least one National Park and know of many more, chances are that you’ve never heard of National Marine Sanctuaries. NOAA manages the system of sanctuaries “to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity and cultural legacy.” The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a Silver Spring, MD based non-profit organization that “was created to assist the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary Program with education and outreach programs designed to preserve, protect and promote meaningful opportunities for public interaction with the nation’s marine sanctuaries.”

Under the Sea!

Before you dig in and learn about the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, you really need to learn about the National Marine Sanctuaries. This is probably a good place to start, and you’ll also want to read up on the history of the program. From there you can start to learn more about the NMSF. There isn’t a ton on their website, so the best way to take a deep dive into what they do is to read their most recent annual report. It’s a lot to read, but it will give you a much better idea of now the non-profit interacts with the federal government. If you like what you see, then you will probably want to check out the NMSF’s latest job posting for an Accounting and Administrative Assistant. It looks like a great way to get involved with a really cool organization–don’t overlook them like most people overlook our marine sanctuaries.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you visited any National Marine Sanctuaries?

Consumer Electronics Association

Willy Franzen — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:49:31 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, we always feature non-profits on weekend. The vast majority of the non-profits that we profile are 501(c)(3)–organizations defined as “Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals.” But there are actually 28 types of 501(c) tax-exempt non-profit organizations. Today we’re going to look at the Consumer Electronics Association, which is 501(c)(6) “business league” based in Arlington, VA. They have a simple mission of working with their 2,000+ industry members to “grow the consumer electronics industry.”

Do You Consume Electronics?

You’ve probably heard of the Consumer Electronics Show (if not, it’s a massive electronics show), it’s put on by the CEA. It’s a way for all of their members (pretty much every major brand in the industry) to show off the latest and greatest. The show is probably the most public thing that the CEA does, but they also have a number of other initiatives. These include Market Research, Networking Events, Policy Advocacy, Technical Training, Technology Standards, and Member to Member Promotion. It’s interesting to see many of the CEA’s members fighting tooth and nail against each other in the marketplace, and then seeing them work together for the betterment of the industry. There’s obviously a careful balance. If you love consumer electronics and want to work for the CEA, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Research Coordinator, Coordinator – Office of the President, and an Industry Communications Coordinator. These look like pretty cool positions for a new or recent grad, so give them a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite consumer electronic?

World Economic Forum

Willy Franzen — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 14:48:21 +0000

I think it’s pretty mind blowing how interconnected the world economies have become during my lifetime. While international trade has existed for many thousands of years, never before have people had to rely so heavily on the production of others half way around the world. I generally think this is a great thing, but many issues come along with the growth. The World Economic Forum is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab in Geneva, Switzerland to be “committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.” The World Economic Forum, which also has offices in New York, NY and Beijing, China, is probably best known for its annual meeting at Davos where they bring together some of the world’s most important leaders to engage on some of the most pressing issues.

See You in Davos

The easiest way to learn more bout how The World Economic Forum operates is probably to browse through their issues. There’s a ton of content, but it will give you a sense of what kind of problems the organization likes to cover and what their approach is to solving them. Now, let’s make it clear, The World Economic Forum doesn’t actually take action on their issues. But they do start a dialogue through their events, build communities, and publish research reports. If you want to learn about international affairs, the World Economic Forum website is a great place to do so. An even better way, though, might be working for them. They have job pages for Geneva, Beijing, and New York. All three are worth checking out, but I’m only going to focus on New York’s postings which include a Project Associate position and an open call for General Applications. There are a lot more opportunities in Geneva, so if neither of these look good (and you’re willing to live abroad), then take a look at those.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about The World Economic Forum?

Health Leads

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:36:48 +0000

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This often seems to be the case in medicine. Doctors are the only people who can prescribe drugs, so that’s exactly what they do. Sometimes it works, but for many (most?) health problems, medication isn’t the most effective answer–especially for low income patients who have trouble paying for basic needs. What if doctors could prescribe “food, housing, health insurance, job training, fuel assistance, or other critical resources just as they do medication?” They can if they’re working in a facility affiliated with Health Leads, which is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that currently operates in Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Providence, RI; and Washington, DC.

Be a Health Leader

Health Leads relies on college student volunteers to be their “pharmacists.” These people work in the clinic’s waiting room and “fill the prescriptions” by helping patients access available community services. What I find really impressive is that Health Leads is already doing this on a large scale. They’ve had more than 1,000 volunteers work with more than 9,000 patients (that patient to volunteer ratio seems kind of low to me). Half of the patients got a prescription that solved at least one critical need within 90 days, which is pretty amazing (that’s more effective than a lot of drug prescriptions). If Health Leads sounds like an organization that you’d want to get involved with, you have two options. You can volunteer or you can consider a job with Health Leads. While their current postings aren’t ideal for new grads because they require a decent amount of previous experience, I still think it’s worth checking out their Data Analyst (Boston, MA) and Program Manager (Chicago, IL; Washington, DC, and Providence, RI) positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Health Leads?

Chewonki Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:51:06 +0000

I’ve mentioned before that my middle and high school sent its classes on annual trips to promote bonding and discourage cliquiness. In 6th grade it was a Whale Watch, in 7th grade it was Camp Hi-Rock, and in 8th grade it was supposed to be Chewonki. We had been hearing about Chewonki from the older kids for years, but for some reason they changed it to Camp Sloane for our class. That ended up being a 1-year experiment after 20 members of my 8th grade class (including me) got lost in the woods overnight with one teacher. I thought it was fun, but some others (and their parents) weren’t so amused. Anyway, when I was looking for a non-profit to feature today, I came across the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, ME. The name is obviously familiar, even if I never got to go. The simplest way to describe Chewonki might be as a camp, but that doesn’t really do justice to the wide range of programs that they offer.

Appreciate the Natural World

Chewonki’s mission is to provide “educational experiences that foster an understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world and that emphasize the power of focused, collective effort.” They do this with a variety of programs that includes camps, wilderness trips, outdoor classrooms, and more. All together, they reach more than 40,000 young people every year. That’s a lot of people for anywhere, let alone coastal Maine. Since I sadly never got to visit Chewonki, I can’t tell you all about their campus and lands, but I’m sure they’re wonderful. If you’d like to spend time at Chewonki and you’re too old to be a camper, take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a French Teacher, Teaching Fellows, a Health Center Assistant, Camp Counselors, Support Staff/Activity Leaders, Wilderness Trip Leaders, and Outdoor Classroom Instructor/Trip Leaders. A lot of these are seasonal positions, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to Chewonki?

The Humane Society of the United States

Willy Franzen — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:00:23 +0000

Amy and I are going to the International Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show today. We’re not thinking about getting a dog yet, but we’re thinking about thinking about it. Since dogs are on my mind today, I figured I’d look for an animal friendly non-profit. You’d be hard pressed to find an organization more animal friendly than The Humane Society of the United States. They are “the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization” with support from more than 11 million people in the U.S. Their national headquarters is based in Washington, DC, but you’re probably familiar with local humane societies. While the local societies are not directly connected with The Humane Society of the United States, they do get support from it.

Be Humane

The Humane Society of the United States is different from local shelters in that they typically focus on bigger picture issues. They do this “by advocating for better laws to protect animals; conducting campaigns to reform industries; providing animal rescue and emergency response; investigating cases of animal cruelty; and caring for animals through our sanctuaries and wildlife rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters and clinics.” You can read much more on the organization’s work here. There’s a lot more to explore on The Humane Society of the United States’ website, so I highly recommend that you take some to learn more about how they operate and what they’re working on right now. If you’re inspired by what you see, then take a look at Careers at The Humane Society of the United States. Right now they have a few opportunities that you may want to consider including:

If you love animals, one of these jobs could be perfect for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have a pet?

League of Conservation Voters

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:42:35 +0000

Environmental issues and politics make an interesting combination. The environment is typically a long-run issue, and politicians are historically bad at dealing with anything that isn’t in the short-term. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the national debt or the Social Security situation. The reason for this is that most voters don’t get fired up about stuff that is going to happen in 5/10/100 years. Voters get fired up about the present, so that’s what politicians cater to–remember it’s all about reelection. If you want politicians to act with a long-term mindset, you really have to push them, and that’s exactly what the League of Conservation Voters does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “works to turn environmental values into national priorities.” They do this by focusing on two key areas: educating the public about environmental issues and helping elect pro-environment leaders.

A League of Its Own

The League of Conservation Voters has a long list of issues that it focuses on including Clean Air, Clean Energy, Clean Water, Global Warming, Hardrock Mining, Holding Big Oil Accountable, Open Spaces, Toxic Chemicals, Transportation, and Wildlife. They attack these issues at the national level while also having their state chapters work at more local levels. I think one of the more interesting things that they do is hold congresspeople accountable through the National Environmental Scorecard. You can plug in your representative’s name and see what his or her record is on important environmental issues. If you’re excited by the League of Conservation Voters’ values and want to be a part of what they’re doing, then take a look at their Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Development Assistant (deadline has passed, but it’s still worth applying since it’s still posted) and a Special Events and Major Gift Program Coordinator. Both positions look like good fits for new or recent grads, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the League of Conservation Voters?

Results for Development Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:46:47 +0000

The word “results” is extremely common in the business world, but you don’t hear it as much in the non-profit world. That is changing, but I still hear a lot of my friends griping about how ineffective the non-profits they’ve worked in have been. My guess (and hope) is that that’s not a problem at Results for Development Institute in Washington, DC considering that they have “results” in their name. They’re a non-profit organization that “delivers policy analysis, critical information, decision-making tools, and policy advice for governments, civil society organizations, and external funders to use to reduce poverty and accelerate social and economic progress in low and middle income countries.” It’s all about finding the levers that will deliver the highest impact and then finding the right way to pull them.

Deliver Results

Results for Development Institute focuses on three specific areas: Health, Transparency and Good Governance, and Education. They work in these areas across nearly every region of the world, and when they do, they take a five step approach: Knowledge Building, Strategic Advising, Capacity Building, Convening and Promoting Policy Dialogue, and Partnering with Southern Institutions. You can get a better feel for what this looks like by looking over Results for Development Institute’s Projects and Initiatives. Once you have a better feel for how Results for Development Institute works, then you should read through their 2010 Progress Report. It will give you a good sense for what kinds of results the Institute is delivering and how they’ve achieved them to date. If you’re impressed, then the next step is to look at Results for Development Institute’s Careers page. Right now they have a few positions that appear suitable for new or recent grads including Program Associate (2 openings) and Operations Program Associate. These look like great opportunities for someone interested in international development, so give them a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Results for Development Institute?

Urban Sprouts

Willy Franzen — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:54:06 +0000

My parents are big gardeners, so when I go home in the summer there’s always something fresh to eat. I never appreciated this as a kid (except for the wild berries in the backyard), but now I think it’s pretty awesome. Gardening is not only a great source of healthy food, but it can also be an extraordinary education tool. That’s why Urban Sprouts, which is based in San Francisco, CA, is using gardening to grow “healthy schools and communities.” It started as “a doctoral thesis project conducted at Luther Burbank Middle School during the 2003-04 school year,” but it was so successful that the school begged them to continue and expand the program.

Sprout Your Career

Since it started, Urban Sprouts has served nearly 4,000 kids, while also getting their families involved. This is important because the kids that participate in Urban Sprouts programs stand to gain a lot. 60% come from low-income families, and “90% failed to reach physical fitness standards in 2006.” Now Urban Sprouts offers three distinct programs including School Gardens and Nutrition Education, Family Involvement Program, and Summer Sprouts Program. If you really want to learn more about these programs and how Urban Sprouts is delivering positive results, you should read the organization’s five year report. There’s a ton of information in there, and it’s a must read if you want to consider a job with Urban Sprouts. Right now they have a Garden Educator position posted on Idealist. It’s only part-time, but the pay looks to be pretty decent. Take a look and see if it’s something you can grow into.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have a garden?