Career Cheat Code
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Career Cheat Code
077 | Fundraising For Higher Ed with Yanira Amadeo
Yanira Amadeo, Executive Director of Development at the University of Connecticut Foundation, shares her journey from administrative assistant to philanthropic leader raising millions for student opportunities and university initiatives.
• Transitioned from psychology and social work to higher education development after realizing her passion for fundraising
• Leveraged her position at Columbia University to earn a nonprofit management degree while working her way up from administrative coordinator
• Describes development work as "bridging generosity and justice" by connecting donors with university priorities
• Currently pursuing a PhD focusing on alumni philanthropists of color at Hispanic-serving institutions
• Advocates for strength-based research approaches versus deficit perspectives when studying communities of color
• Higher education development offers competitive salaries with assistant directors earning $70K-90K and vice presidents potentially earning up to $500K
• Emphasizes the importance of building relationships and reputation rather than just credentials
• Shares that less than 2% of PhD holders are people of color, encouraging more diversity in advanced education
If you're interested in the intersection of impact and career growth, check out more episodes of Career Cheat Code on your favorite podcast platform.
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The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed on Career Cheat Code are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, affiliated organizations & employers. This podcast is intended for informational and inspirational purposes, highlighting the guests and their unique career journeys. We hope these stories inspire you to chase your purpose, define success on your own terms & take the next step in your career.
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I didn't want to be a regional administrative assistant for the rest of my life. I knew that I had talent, I had skills and I just needed to hone in on those talents and skills in a way that allowed me to get paid for those talents and skills. And you know, like I said, this became my life's mission because I was like what's important to me? You know what's important to me? The fact that I want every student, every youth, to have an education. So having higher ed accessible to, to the masses was important to me and I was like how do I get there? How do I get them there? And then there was like fundraising through development work. You know, how do we get more internal and external stakeholders to invest and be philanthropic? And so that's, that's. That was my life. Well, that's been my life for the past 23 years.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Career Cheat Code. In this podcast, you'll hear how everyday people impact the world through their careers. Learn about their journey, career hacks and obstacles along the way. Whether you're already having the impact you want or are searching for it, this is the podcast for you. All right, yanira, welcome to the show. Hi, I appreciate you taking the time to join the Career Cheat Code podcast today. Let's just dive right in. Let's tell the world what it is you do for a living.
Speaker 1:Oh, great, Thank you. Thank you for having me, Haradi. It's a pleasure to be here and an honor. As you know, my name is Yanira Amadeo and I am currently an executive director of development at University of Connecticut.
Speaker 2:Foundation. What does that mean? What does that mean on like a day-to-day? You walk in on a Monday, you do some good things. It sounds really fancy, but what are you actually tasked with doing?
Speaker 1:So, if I had to think about it, I would consider myself a philanthropic strategist higher ed leader, really, with I have over two decades of experience working in higher ed at various institutions, and it's really about helping students and families access life-changing opportunities through education.
Speaker 2:So you are working with the foundation of the university.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:To raise funds, and what do you ultimately do with those funds?
Speaker 1:So a lot of the funds go. It goes back into student life, it goes back into research priorities. It goes basically supports the function of the university students first, obviously, and then other parts of the other parts of the university that potential investors might find fascinating to invest back in.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. So, hypothetically, as someone that now has a kid that's going off to college right, these are the parts that keep the university running that he may not see right, but part of the reason why maybe his financial aid package looks the way it is is because of some of the work that you're doing, why some of the new facilities that are coming online, like a new renovation to a gym, are happening or a new lab.
Speaker 1:Are those the type of things that you're working on? Absolutely, my work really bridges generosity and justice. So whether I'm raising millions for scholarships or mentoring future fundraisers or helping alumni direct their investments in research for faculty members and what specific colleges have going on. As far as trying the social impact of you know, right now I'm in Connecticut, so social impact of Connecticut and beyond, that's really my day to day.
Speaker 2:Wow, that sounds great. What's your favorite part of your role?
Speaker 1:Really it's the relationship building, the connecting to other people. I often my, you know, as a strategist. I'm constantly thinking about ways to get more alumni, more external and internal stakeholders involved in what the university is doing and the impact it could have broadly a research symposium or interacting with student mentor groups. That's really the highlight of my time and my day during the week while I'm there.
Speaker 2:So it sounds like you have a task to both interact with people internally within the university and externally and hearing what faculty what student groups, what administration needs and then trying to find some of the funding to support those priorities and then going externally and finding people that align with that. Does that sound right?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Absolutely. You know, what some folks don't realize is that philanthropy and development work, it's a bridge. It bridges people, it bridges, it connects what the university has going on what the students are doing. It connects what the university has going on what the students are doing faculty and staff with the broader community, and so it really has, it really intersects, you know, possibility and purpose. So so my role is not really about just raising money. It's really about creating access and building equity to transform those student lives.
Speaker 2:That's great. What do you think are some of the skills that you need for this type of role? What do you see yourself really tapping into for the most part?
Speaker 1:I would say definitely. You need to be a leader, have high leadership skills and entrepreneurial skills and really have the ability to move people and move initiatives that the university is having so that you can get those internal and external stakeholders to invest in support.
Speaker 2:What do you think is the least favorite or most challenging part of your role?
Speaker 1:Well, you know it's funny, you say funny. You ask I don't really have a least favorite because I, you know, I really consider this my life's mission and so for me this is not work. I come every day with a smile on my face because I know that I have impact students' lives and, you know, once I decided that I wanted to go this route into higher ed development work, I knew that, you know, first I took the steps to get my credentials, but then I also I'm able to learn from, I have a peer mentor groups and I also have just other executive leader mentor groups that I tap into as a resource. So for me I don't really have like a least favorite thing. That's awesome.
Speaker 2:That is, I'm sure, not the case for a lot of folks. I'm glad that you can find that, as you're calling your vocation and development, specifically in the university level.
Speaker 1:You know that old adage. You know, if you do what you love, it's not work. It really is true.
Speaker 2:So let's work backwards now. So let's talk about your upbringing. You mentioned, you know, once you found that this was your calling One. Do you feel like this has always been your calling do?
Speaker 1:you feel like this has always been your calling. No, so I actually I went to St John's for psychology with a social work minor and I thought I was going to change the world, become the social worker and really help children and youth thrive in that way. And you know, I was a counselor for a group home for young women for two years after college and I just realized very quickly that that wasn't the direction that I wanted to do with my life and I had to pivot. And so you know that feeling at that really and it wasn't like feeling like oh my God, I was horrible it was just that it's a really demanding, mentally heavy position and I wanted to do something that didn't make me feel like coming into work was a chore or coming into work was to hear the trauma of these young ladies was just affecting me mentally, ladies was just affecting me mentally. And so I had to pivot and really develop a plan for what I wanted my life to look at. And you know I was looking at what I really love to do.
Speaker 1:And so in college, being part of a sorority, it really got me going with the you know the philanthropic activities. We were always fundraising for this or that, and I just it gave me the bug to fundraise. And then I was like you know, as I'm figuring things out as an as as a a regional executive at at uh assistant, I'm, I'm thinking how can I, how can I incorporate fundraising in my life? And that just started. You know, I started doing some research and I realized that there, there were some programs out there for nonprofit management. And that's when I earned my nonprofit management degree from Columbia University and it was such a life changer for me because it really everything that I've been wanting to do. It allowed me to understand it theoretically and then, once I graduated, I was able to put it into practice.
Speaker 2:Wow, and were you also working at Columbia during that time? Wow, and were you also working at Columbia during that?
Speaker 1:time. I was, indeed, I was indeed. So I started after my regional role. I was a regional executive assistant at a security firm. My boss was like you know, great guy, love him today. But he was like. He was like you know, yanita, you're, he's like you're too good for this role. What do you really want out of life? Where do you want to be? What do you want to do? And I said you know, I've always wanted to be in the higher ed space and this it was a security like a security firm, not like securities, but it was a security firm. And they just happened to have ties to Columbia University and he goes. You know, I may know someone who can make an introduction and sure enough, I didn't believe him. But he absolutely made an introduction and I was able to begin my career at Columbia and I was there for about 12 years before I moved on.
Speaker 2:That's great and I also you know. I really appreciate that you shared that. You know you're able to also go to school and get a master's from Columbia while you're there Right, Because I think one of my biggest career cheat codes is working at a university and getting a master's paid for Right, Especially if you can go do that at a place like Columbia. Now, like now, you have an Ivy degree and you're doing it with, you know, one of the biggest benefits that come to you as an employee. Right, Like technically, if you're not taking advantage of all of your benefits, you're probably underpaid, right.
Speaker 1:So I can add to that and say that you're absolutely right. And but one thing, that people, I also don't want to put the misconception out there that once you're an employee it's an automatic thing. Because I think you still was. I still had to apply, I still had to fill out my application, write an essay, do everything I had to do for the program. And I have to tell you I was on pins and needles wondering if I was going to to get in, and then when I got in, I was like, oh my gosh, you know, and it definitely was satisfying to that I was able to achieve that. But I think what was more rewarding was the fact that that degree really aligned with my passion and it's really helped me in my career since then. And so I would definitely credit if employees, if you're at a university and you kind of like stuck and you feel like, oh, you know, they put me in this box, I can never get out of this box hone in on those talents and skills in a way that allowed me to get paid for those talents and skills.
Speaker 1:And you know, you know, like I said, this became my life's mission because I was like what's important to me. You know what's important to me? The fact that I want every student, every youth to have an education. So having higher ed accessible to, to the masses was important to me and I was like how do I get there? How do I get them there? And then there was like fundraising through development work. You know, how do we get more internal and external stakeholders to invest and be philanthropic, and so that's, that's. That was my life. Well, that's been my life for the past 23 years.
Speaker 2:That's that's, that was my life. Well, that's been my life for the past 23 years. So, in those 12 years at Columbia, what role did you originally start with and what role did you end up leaving with? I'm just trying to get a sense of the growth that you can have internally within within an organization, and how your portfolio can shift.
Speaker 1:Oh for sure, Absolutely.
Speaker 1:And I will say I worked my way up the ladder.
Speaker 1:I started as cause remember I was coming from being a regional executive assistant to, so I started as an admin, I was like an admin coordinator, but then I quickly went up into like project manager and I think I've I think I was promoted like at least three or four times while I come here and the the my a lot of my earlier years at Columbia. I was doing a lot of event work and I remember I had a portfolio of like I think it was like $175,000 that the university had allocated to do community events. And you know, when the university was trying to expand into Manhattanville, they started to shift their focus into not necessarily supporting groups in that way, but to support groups in other ways technical support, fundraising support and so that then it became a whole community issue and I really liked that it was community based, because that really let me understand what the community cared about regarding philanthropy and how an institution as large as Columbia can really make an impact and be a good neighbor to their, to their, to their neighbors.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and that's how you and I met Right.
Speaker 2:Like you were doing a lot of work with Columbia Community Service and you know our paths overlap as I worked at Columbia and just me learning about the work that you all were doing and that was I gravitated towards that right Because I always kind of knew that I was going to go into philanthropy at some point.
Speaker 2:So I kind of gravitated to the work that you all are doing and you all were so community driven, community focused, that it just spoke to me. So you know, I definitely commend you and all the great work that you all did to support a lot of local organizations, leverage the employee funds that were available and try to like, make some, make some good alignment with, like, how do we support the community, just as employees here now. So you're leaving Columbia, as you're going to, you know, after 12 years, make a big leap right, because after you're somewhere for 12 years, it is easy to just say you know, I'm just going to ride this out and stick around for a little longer. What ultimately made you decide to make the shift and what kind of roles were you looking for?
Speaker 1:That's a great question. So ultimately, what happened is that once I earned my degree, then I just got the bug. I wanted to save the world in a whole other, different light. So I was like I've done community development work. So I was like I, you know I've done community development work. You know I wanted to understand higher ed in a different space of understanding how to build, build up alumni development. And that's when I really it really sat with me how the alumni connection to institutions was very important, and so I ended up.
Speaker 1:I had an opportunity. I was recruited to Pace University. I had opportunity there being and actually it was at their law school and I did alumni development work there. You know great people and you know out of Westchester and from there I then went to Montclair State, which is the second largest public university in New Jersey, and then I really that really, you know, all of these experiences really allowed me to hone my alumni development work and my major gift work.
Speaker 1:That was just an eye opener for me, because I realized that I had this talent for being able to build relationships with alumni, with external stakeholders who may not be alumni but were so invested in the institution's greatness and the institution's ability to make change and affect social changes, that I was like, oh, this is exactly where I want to be, this is exactly what I want to do, and I do credit Columbia University with giving. You know, give me those tools, those theoretical tools, and but don't get me wrong Anyone like, if you do not have, let's say, a nonprofit management degree, there are ways to break into the sector and you know I, yes, I had that degree from Columbia, but I also used a lot of my degree from St John's in psychology and social work to really understand those nuances with building relationships.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that makes a lot of sense and it's you know, it's interesting because you're somewhere for 12 years Right, and then you get this master's degree and it sounds like that almost kind of catapulted or sparked something in you to like own your career even more.
Speaker 2:Or sparked something in you to own your career even more right and go to Pace, go to Montclair and understand how you can continue to grow and not only leverage the experience that you had but also the degrees that you had right, because being at a place like Columbia or at an Ivy League or one of those really renowned institutions, the experience that you bring from there is much more valuable outside of that place. Someone at it especially if you're trying to stay in higher ed right, like someone's always going to say well, we would love to do what Columbia's doing. How do you bring that here? We would love to learn about how to leverage your master's degree from that type of institution over here and let's bring that talent here. So it just sounds like that sparked now kind of a trajectory that has snowballed into into where you are today.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yes, it has. Thank you Thank you for acknowledging that.
Speaker 2:No for sure, no for sure, I think it's, it's, it's really commendable. And you know, you and I have had conversations through the years, but I just, you know, I, I love to see people that are like just owning their careers and like going for what they, for what they feel like is their calling and all the things. So now you're at UConn, now.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So this is it sounds like a pretty similar role to some of the work that you were doing at Columbia, Just of course. Now you're in a much bigger leadership position and leading a lot of the strategy. Tell me more about how you are able to ingrain yourself in different communities, right, Because Columbia?
Speaker 1:is in Harlem, then you have Montclair in New Jersey, now you have UConn in Connecticut.
Speaker 1:How are you able to able to develop strategies for the largest college at the university? But I think the reason why I'm able to work in various populations is because I'm just a firm believer that philanthropy isn't just another person thrive, and so that's what I do and that's how I connect people back to the university and that can be applied to, I would say, like I would say that another, I would say like another superpower that I have is just owning my story. Like I own it, I shape it, I share it as often as possible. So being with you today is that's part of my, my journey as an executive leader in advancement work and, you know, being able to get other folks involved in the sector. You know my sector is not a lot of folks that look like me. So I want to, you know, I know that I'm kind of being that representative for other women leaders of color who are doing fabulous work in the space and may need to you know, may need that visibility.
Speaker 2:What advice would you have for someone that is trying to break into this sector, thinking about going into development or just working in higher ed overall, like, how do they one break into the space and any thoughts on how they can grow a career in the space?
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely One thing is I feel you know, you know, don't just build your resume, like build your reputation, that matters more. Who you're connected to, who can say your name in a room when you're not there, that really matters when you're trying to break into this sector. And I think also, you know, being open to learning and growing Like I don't, you know, even though I have these credentials, I do not at all feel like I come into an institutional or space and feel like I know more than other people, because I feel like everyone brings something to the table and so you have to learn and grow, and that's my model wherever I go. So if you're willing to be that advancement leader that's willing to learn and grow, that's willing to bring their skills and talents, with that entrepreneurial spirit of being able to move relationships, then you will have an absolutely great time in this sector and doing these roles.
Speaker 2:How do you continue to build your brand and your network and develop your skills? You've spoken about some of that already. Like you've spoken about getting your master's, continuing to learn even some of the peer mentoring right but can you speak a little bit more to that right? I think it's important to continue to own your entire brand as a professional, so we'd love for people to hear how you're doing that.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. I touched upon this, but I feel as if part of networking is also you know, you said it earlier building my brand. So I'm constantly trying to meet new people at an institution through the sorority, or I mentor other fundraisers that are up and coming and that you know can learn from me and with my, my major and principal gift work. And I think that that's important because when you're sharing your time and talent in that way, that also allows people to build your brand for you, and sometimes you know, you don't realize it, but they're as you're teaching, as you're coaching and mentoring, they're learning and they're passing it on to other people and that's really the hope is to for that to come full circle. So that's very important.
Speaker 1:Another piece of advice I would say is know when to pivot, because I knew when to pivot. It was time to pivot, leaving from being a counselor to figuring out what was going to be my life, my life's work, and. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you're quitting. I think that that you know people think that if they can't do something that, oh, I'm being, you know I'm quitting this, but you know I feel like you. There's's this power in knowing that this is not working out for me and I need to understand what is going to work out for me and change direction so that and you know that really unlocks growth.
Speaker 2:I completely agree with that and I think knowing that is so pivotal. And you know, when you had your, your administrative role, you could have. If that's what you wanted, that's great. You could have. If that's what you wanted, that's great. But if you found out that that's not what you wanted and you were having some doubts, by you taking the leap to have conversations with people about it and then stepping into a whole new role at another organization, it's not unlocked the whole career trajectory for you that you probably couldn't have really envisioned at that time. But you just took the leap right and you said you know what? I'm going to try this, let's try to grow and learn something else. And if nothing else, if that doesn't work out, you already have a solid standing on other skillsets, so you can always refer back to that. But it is important, I think, to pivot and take leaps of faith like that.
Speaker 1:And something else that comes to mind when it comes to branding is I always champion people publicly. I'm a big celebrator, I love to celebrate and recognize folks, so I feel like when I shine light on others that really strengthens my leadership, and then again I'm always about full circle. I think it comes back to me and others see that example and they share what I do, how I am to the broader community, and that's also another way to brand yourself.
Speaker 2:Agreed, agreed, yeah, and, as you mentioned earlier, right Like it sounds like you've been surrounded by good leaders throughout your career and even early on, so have someone be more invested in you than in the work that you do for them. It's huge right To say you know what. I think you should try something else, or I think you'd be great bringing your skill sets elsewhere and like to now to have that early on in your career so pivotal, because now you're able to like pass that down and you're able to like be that type of leader. So you know, I just I appreciate when, when we're surrounded by good leaders early on and we're able to like pull from all of that.
Speaker 1:Yes, indeed, like you.
Speaker 2:You've been a great leader, Rowdy. I feel like Columbia. We definitely have some good leadership in our respective departments and all the things, so it was always a good learning lesson there.
Speaker 1:In addition to earning my master's from Columbia University in nonprofit management, I'm also currently pursuing a doctoral degree from Montclair State University. I'm in the Family Science and Human Development program and my research. I'm really interested in learning more and understanding research that's about poverty alleviation and generational wealth, and so my dissertation is really focusing on alumni philanthropists of color and their influences on student achievement and diverse families at Hispanic-serving institutions.
Speaker 2:Wow, and what made you want to really pursue this PhD, and how far into the program are you?
Speaker 1:I'm pretty far in there, many, many years. I'm pretty far in there, and so right now I am in the process of completing my data collection. Once that occurs, there's some more writing, a lot of analyzing and, hopefully, defense of my dissertation within a year or two.
Speaker 2:Was there a moment originally that made you want to pursue a PhD? Right? Because I know I personally know a few peers either in PhD programs or questioning if that's the next step for them. So, like, what made you take that leap there?
Speaker 1:Fabulous question. I love this question because I wanted to add my voice to the research regarding the philanthropic sector and I realized very quickly that a lot of the research that was out there regarding families of color, people of color, were from a deficit-based lens and I'm really looking forward to having my strength-based perspective and lens added to the sector and to really bring people's awareness to the fact that families of color, people of color we have our own cultural nuances as to why we do the things we do, and so there's just way too much research that's from a deficit lens and I'm really looking forward to getting and actually my whole cohort we're all on the same base of strength-based approach to understanding mental health, to understanding philanthropy, to understanding real issues that happen and impact families, and that's really what motivated me and I'm super excited to be doing this research and to have my voice and to also share the lived experiences and voices of people of color.
Speaker 2:That's great and I know specifically well. First, you know I appreciate you wanting to have that perspective in the research, right? I think it's important for more of us to have those lenses incorporated, especially not speaking from a deficit standpoint or really speaking from both lived experience and both lived and professional experiences, right, and you know, I also find it encouraging that you found a program that allows you to also work full-time while doing it. Right, I know, for me, as someone that has considered and is considering a PhD program, I will not go into a full-time program where I will not be working, Like that's just not even an option for me, Right? But having programs that are that allow some of that flexibility and allow you to, like, continue to work and and support your family during that time, I think it's very important and encouraging specifically in this field.
Speaker 1:Yes, and I will also add to that already that I don't think people are aware, but there is less than 2% of PhD holders of color, and that's including Black Latina folks. So at the end of the day, less than 2%. We are the minority of all the minorities when it comes to that doctoral credential. And one thing I want to assure and I actually want folks to really understand and just be fearless. I was like you know what I'm going to take the leap of faith and I'm going to apply to this program because I feel like I can add value to current research and that's the reason why I applied to the program.
Speaker 1:I'm sure if you really dig deep and think about how you want to affect change and the PhD route is your route go for it and don't feel as if, oh, I'm not smart enough, I'm not this enough. Listen, if there's one thing I can understand about this program is that I'm constantly learning and growing. This constant edits to my document I mean I can't even tell you how many times my proposal and my dissertation is being edited. But you know what? It's okay because you want to provide and put your best foot forward and that's how you learn, and I feel that a lot of people kind of have this stigma like, oh, I'm not smart enough to hold a PhD and you absolutely are.
Speaker 2:And you know, I know you've mentioned this is your calling and this is your vocation. For folks that are thinking about getting into development, is this a lucrative career? Can folks make a decent living in this space? Like, how much money can people actually expect to make 10, 20 years down the line?
Speaker 1:Yes, I would say it is a lucrative career and I feel as if, like folks who are in sales would definitely thrive in this career, folks who or let's say, they went into sales and then didn't really like how sales are Like, if you think about sales with a little side of social impact and community engagement. That's what this is about. So if that's something that you're interested in, it could be very lucrative for you, especially as you go up the ladder and you start leading teams, you start having campaigns under your belt where you're raising significant amounts of dollars for the institution. It could be very lucrative.
Speaker 2:Awesome. So, because it's the Career Cheat Code Podcast, can you give us a sense of, in higher ed, in development, right when you're first starting out in development, are you looking at like a $30,000 to a $60,000 range and as you move up? Just, I want people to have an understanding of kind of what a career here could look like, and it doesn't have to be specific numbers and of course it'll vary by university, by state, by all the things.
Speaker 1:Sure I can give you some ranges. So when you're first starting out you know you may be in an assistant role, assistant director role. You're probably going to be in the 80 to 90,000 range. When or 70 to 90,000, actually consistent, it's probably a little lower. When you're a director it could be six figures. And then when let's say if you're a vice president, some vice presidents I know make you know almost as much as some university presidents half a million.
Speaker 2:Wow, okay, that's great. And, you know, I think it's helpful for people to understand these numbers Right and also to know that you can align impact with doing well for yourself Right, because it's a very important role, Like if you're securing a lot of funds to advance university priorities. It's a lot of value that you're bringing to this institution, so that role should be well compensated. And those folks, you know, that's really why those folks build a Rolodex of people that they then have relationships with right and that are external to the university and are able to, like, tap into different priorities at different moments. So, you know, I appreciate you sharing that, because I do think it's important for people to just have an understanding of what it could look like.
Speaker 1:And you know, something I want to make you aware of is that that's not typical for the nonprofit sector. So I think that probably working in higher is probably some of the greater salaries Nonprofit work. Typically we're very undervalued for what we do because it's social impact, it's community driven, it's membership driven. A lot of it is you know. You know some donors do not want to pay for salaries, so it's all about the programming and it's all about you know. So the overhead is usually. You know, nonprofits are usually struggling, especially grassroots, to figure out how to get that done.
Speaker 1:The sector itself is really undervalued and so I will say that those numbers obviously are very generous that I quoted.
Speaker 1:But the reality is that we have a long way to go to really in the nonprofit sector to really get people really living a life that's worth value and that can.
Speaker 1:But you know, the thing is that it's about what drives you.
Speaker 1:So a lot of people are driven by the impact of that nonprofit, so they don't mind working for less. But I would say that as the sector's changing and we're starting to realize that the value of our roles in the nonprofit sector, the role that it is going up, I will say that, and I feel like I've seen, especially on LinkedIn, a lot of recruiters that are actually calling attention to the fact that some nonprofits are just not it's not realistic the salaries that they're there. And I feel like that's good news for the sector because it's showing that historically people were like oh well, you're working for a nonprofit, you don't make any money. But that shouldn't really be the case. It should be that you're bringing this tremendous value, you're having social impact, you're having the community thriving because of what your organization is doing, so the salary should reflect that, and I feel like there's a turning point right now in the nonprofit sector where they're starting to recognize that then we you know nonprofit folks need to get paid more.
Speaker 2:I love that and I appreciate you sharing that right, because I will say part of the reason why I started this podcast is to show that nexus right, like I was working at the time I was working at the New York City Economic Development Corporation and I saw that working in city government you can make a good amount of money, and to me a good amount of money as someone that grew up at the poverty line in New York City yes, city, you're making six figures. You are like that is ridiculous to me. I'm like, wait, there are city jobs that you can do this with. I always thought city jobs were like low wages but you're there for the pension or something I'm like, and the benefits I'm like okay, well, that's not true.
Speaker 2:Then you look at philanthropy and you're like wait, you guys are making how much money to do really good work. So I realized that there's a really big intersection between the impact that you can have and how good and well you can do. You know, I appreciate you sharing that because I do think higher ed is specifically one of those sectors that can provide a good living Nonprofits as well, I think, depending on the size of the organizations, but there are some nonprofit work that you can do and you can be in leadership positions and make really good money and really be aligned with the work that you're doing. So I appreciate you hearing that there.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Happy to help and you know, you know you said something that was very important and that's the fact that if this, this sector, changes lives Right and it allows opportunities for those who are below poverty to get out of poverty, and that's something that I think is the reason why a lot of folks, that mission-driven approach, is why a lot of folks are in the sector. But, you know, it has to be reflective of the good work that we're doing and I feel as if we're going in the right direction and that makes me happy and positive that this sector is growing and it will stay for a while, for a long time books, podcasts, movies, any other forms of media that you have consumed that have helped you personally or professionally.
Speaker 2:And I'll give you some examples. I've had people literally say the Bible, right. I've had people say different subscriptions, that they get so weekly newsletters that just help them get a broader understanding of their sector. You know. I've had people say the Wall Street Journal right or whatever. So wondering if there are any and or it could be something like Tuesdays with Maury, right, like whatever you've consumed that has just shaped your perspective personally or professionally that you think people here should consume.
Speaker 1:Certainly so. I watched this podcast called Career Cheat Code.
Speaker 2:Hey, that's right, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1:I mean, in addition to watching that Career Cheat Code podcast.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1:This really good guy Ratty, that is an excellent question.
Speaker 2:We don't even need an answer after that. I think that's the best answer, honestly. We just got there.
Speaker 1:No, but you know it's funny because.
Speaker 1:So I'm just going to, I'm going to put this out there.
Speaker 1:But I've known you for so many years, since Columbia, and I knew you were doing this podcast and I was just like, oh and I, you know I would catch you and I'm like man Roddy's doing, he's doing some great work. He's doing some great work and you know, I really I was just like when we reconnected a couple of months ago, I was like, let me look at this podcast again. I'm like, you know, what I really appreciate about your podcast is that you really touch upon a broad array of positions and levels of positions and you know, you're really bringing to light for people of color the opportunities that exist and I really appreciate that. It's just very authentic. And so I just want to say thank you for doing that, because I feel like our communities need more career cheat codes, because people are just not aware of the tremendous opportunity that's out there in regards to careers and how you can uplift your family out of poverty sometimes, and it could be deeply personal, and so I love that.
Speaker 2:Thank you, I appreciate it. Is there anything else we haven't discussed that the world should know about you, nero?
Speaker 1:Oh, wow. You know I will share. You know that I come from humble beginnings, so so when you, as soon as you said below poverty line, right there, resonated with me, you know again, this work is deeply personal for me. You know, I was raised by a single mother who really she really gave all she had to make sure that my brother and I had a better future. And so I do this work because I've lived the reality of financial hardship and I know, you know, what a scholarship, a mentor and a warm meal can mean for a student or family, and so that just that really helps me to create access and build equity for students' lives. If there's one thing that I want folks to take away, it is that everything I do is with integrity and love, and so for me I feel like philanthropy. It just becomes a way for folks to reimagine what's possible for entire communities, and that's really a calling I'm proud to answer every day. Thank you.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you sharing this. Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did and believe on the mission we're on, please like, rate and subscribe to this podcast on whatever platform you're using, and share this podcast with your friends and your networks. Make sure you follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn at Career Cheat Code and tell us people or careers you would like to see highlighted. See you next week with some more cheat codes. Peace.
