While the United States may not hold the patent on freedom, I’m pretty sure that we hold the trademark. Freedom and liberty are a huge part of our national identity, though a nation, almost by definition, imposes limits on freedom. That’s generally where political differences arise from–how much and what types of freedom should be limited? The people at The Institute for Humane Studies would probably say not much and not many. They are an Arlington, VA based organization (housed at George Mason University) that “advances a freer society by discovering and facilitating the development of talented, productive students, scholars, and other intellectuals who share an interest in liberty.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
academia,
analyst,
data,
design,
development,
education,
graphic design,
human resources,
marketing,
non-profit,
policy,
program development,
public policy,
Virginia
I have a thing against Boston. Actually, that’s not true. It’s just Red Sox fans. Boston is actually a pretty cool city. There’s great seafood and a ton of history–it might even be the most historically important city in our country. That’s why The Bostonian Society exists. They’re a Boston, MA based non-profit that “is dedicated to studying, and preserving Boston’s uniquely important history, embodied in materials, records, and structures.” It’s easy to lose our past in the push to create a better future, so it’s good that there are organizations like The Bostonian Society to preserve what’s important.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
development,
education,
historic preservation,
history,
Internships,
Massachusetts,
non-profit
One cool thing about art is that anyone can create it. You don’t have to be a profession or even have any training. And even if you don’t create, you can still enjoy other people’s art. The only problem is that sometimes the arts community can get a little stuffy and exclusive. It goes against everything that the arts are about, but it happens. That’s why ArtStream was started. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit “whose mission is to create artistic opportunities for individuals in communities traditionally under-served by the arts.” That includes “persons with disabilities, seniors, people with short or long term illnesses and their families or caregivers, immigrants, veterans, people who are grieving, and students and teachers.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
arts,
costumes,
design,
education,
Internships,
music,
non-profit,
production,
theater,
Washington DC
I’m currently in Colorado on a vacation with my wife’s family. Few things make me happier than getting away from the city and enjoying the outdoors. Unfortunately, it seems as though more and more people prefer to stay inside. This seems nice at first because it means less traffic in all of our favorite places, it’s a really big problem on the conservation front. If there isn’t a critical mass of people who care about our natural resources, they’ll be very hard to protect. That’s why The Mountaineers exists. They’re a Seattle, WA based non-profit that has “been teaching skills, sharing adventures, creating volunteers, and conserving land” for more than a century. For The Mountaineers the focus is on the Pacific Northwest, but that’s only because it’s their backyard. They want to teach people how to “enjoy the lands and waters” there and beyond.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
conservation,
education,
events,
finance,
Internships,
non-profit,
outdoors,
sports,
Washington
For some people a rug is a functional thing, for others it’s art. A handmade carpet can drastically improve the way a room looks–it can bring an exotic flair to an otherwise muted decor. The problem with handmade rugs is that they are often made by children. Child labor continues to be a problem across the world, and it’s especially bad in the handmade carpet industry–there are more than 250,000 children currently being exploited. Goodweave is a Washington, DC based non-profit that “is helping to combat this problem and transform the rug industry by certifying child-labor-free rugs and by providing education and opportunities to rescued and at-risk children.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advocacy,
communications,
development,
education,
interactive media,
Internships,
Manufacturing,
marketing,
media,
non-profit,
program development,
social media,
Washington DC
Chances are that there’s something happening in your community that bothers you and you’ve done nothing about it. Most of us could stand to be a bit more engaged in our democracy, but it’s harder and harder to get yourself engaged as you get older. That’s why Generation Citizen wants to start while kids are in high school. It’s a Boston, MA based non-profit that “teaches teenagers direct political action through an innovative in-class curriculum” where “students work with local leaders to fix local problems.” These classes are taught by “near-peer college Democracy Coaches” (college student volunteers) alongside secondary school teachers.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advocacy,
education,
Internships,
Massachusetts,
non-profit,
operations,
policy,
program development,
public policy,
teaching
Think back to all of your years of school. Your teachers created a lot of content that helped you learn, but they also got a lot from educational publishers–textbooks, worksheets, tests, and more. Developing that content can be a painstaking process, so a lot of the times the publishers look outside for help. Since 1982 they’ve been turning to Quarasan, a Chicago, IL based “full service conceptual developer of content for publishers of educational materials and products.” They say that they cover the Pre-K-16 market, which, I think, means that they also develop materials for undergrad.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
copywriting,
editing,
education,
Illinois,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
project management,
social media,
writing
School’s out! You probably don’t want to think about tests and finals right now, but it might be worth bringing back the painful memories. Good study materials are one of the keys to excelling in school. Unfortunately, I hated taking notes, highlighting my reading materials, and making review guides. It wasn’t laziness–I felt that these activities interfered with real learning. Luckily most of my friends were more concerned with getting good grades, so I’d generally find a way to bring enough value during review sessions to piggyback off of them. Today technology has removed the need for making friends in your classes thanks to Course Hero. It’s a Redwood City, CA based company that “was founded in 2008 by a Cornell University student who missed a class and realized there had to be a better way to get caught up than awkwardly asking a stranger for notes.” Luckily this guy skipped straight past abusing friendships and instead built a platform that “provides a suite of digital educational resources that help you learn as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
business development,
California,
customer service,
education,
engineering,
Internships,
paid,
recruiting,
software development,
web development
I don’t listen to talk radio very often, but on long drives when I get bored of music, I switch over to the AM band. If it’s on, I’ll listen to Dave Ramsey. He’s “an American financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker” who is mainly focused on helping people get out of debt and stop paying the “stupid tax.” His company is called The Lampo Group (but they smartly use the DaveRamsey branding when it comes to posting jobs), and it’s based in Brentwood, TN. The Lampo Group’s mission is to provide “biblically based, common-sense education and empowerment that gives HOPE to everyone in every walk of life.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
coaching,
design,
education,
entrepreneurship,
events,
finance,
Internships,
personal finance,
photography,
publishing,
radio,
real estate,
software development,
Tennessee,
unpaid,
web development
Becoming a new parent is hard no matter what your situation (at least that’s what I hear), but it’s typically much harder for someone living in poverty. While finances are a big part of it, there are all kinds of factors that make having a new baby especially daunting for low-income parents. Room to Grow is a New York, NY based non-profit that aims “to enrich the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development.” They start their work before the baby is born and continue through the first three years with the hope that a solid foundation will prevent the child from facing many of the challenges that typically affect a kid growing up in poverty.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
administrative,
communications,
development,
education,
Internships,
inventory control,
New York,
non-profit,
program development,
unpaid
I think that one of the biggest problems with the American education system as a whole is that there is very little focus on career outcomes. We loosely assert that if you learn this stuff you’ll get a job, but the past 7 years or so have proven that it’s not true. Youth need more than traditional education, and that’s what Futures and Options offers. They’re a New York, NY based non-profit that “empowers underserved youth to explore careers and guides them to further their education and become productive citizens of the community.” The organization was founded in 1995 and has served more than 4,000 teens.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
development,
education,
Internships,
New York,
non-profit,
paid,
program development,
training
I live to be outdoors. For me it’s mostly about fishing, but I enjoy hunting, hiking, kayaking, and pretty much anything else that gets me out in the wilderness. The tough thing is that I like to get away from civilization, but civilization is constantly encroaching on the wilderness. We need to find a balance, and that means getting more people involved in outdoor activities so that they’ll stand up to protect what needs to be protected. It’s better to share our special places with other enthusiasts then have them get turned into strip malls. The best way to get more people involved is to start them young, and that’s what Bay Area Wilderness Training is all about. They’re an Oakland, CA based non-profit that was “founded with the idea that California’s bountiful wilderness areas are a vast – yet untapped – resource for local youth-serving organizations.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
accounting,
California,
development,
education,
environmental,
Internships,
Logistics,
marketing,
non-profit,
outdoors,
outreach,
sports,
training,
unpaid
Gardening is a lot like life. If you work hard, do things right, and get a little lucky, you’ll be handsomely rewarded. That’s why tending to a garden is great for kids. Not only do they learn about the rewards of hard work, but they also get to watch something as it grows from a pile of dirt into something beautiful or delicious. City Blossoms is a Washington, DC based non-profit that is “dedicated to kid-driven, community engaging, creative green spaces.” While they are cultivators of youth; youth are their main cultivators.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
community development,
education,
gardening,
green,
Internships,
non-profit,
organic,
program development,
unpaid,
Washington DC
I kind of think of Easter as a spring version of Thanksgiving. Though one holiday is religious and the other isn’t, they both have similar themes and, in my family at least, similar celebrations. Thanksgiving is about celebrating the season past, while Easter is about being hopeful for the coming season. Both have significant agricultural undertones, and that’s why I think we should take a look at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture today. They are a Pocantico Hills, NY based non-profit that is not only hopeful for the coming growing season but also for the future of agriculture. That’s why they “are working to improve the way America eats and farms.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
agriculture,
education,
food,
gardening,
holiday,
Internships,
marketing,
New York,
non-profit,
organic,
program development,
retail,
sustainability,
unpaid
This week I saw my first flowers popping out of the dirt. It still looks like winter outside, but you can tell that change is imminent. There will be no better place to be in a few weeks than a botanic garden. Flowers will be blooming, birds will be chirping, and spring will be in the air. I’ll probably visit the Chicago Botanic Garden (my wife and I like it there because it’s where we got married), but those in the New York City area might want to check out the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It’s a non-profit and “an urban botanic garden that connects people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
botany,
development,
education,
events,
gardening,
horticulture,
Internships,
New York,
non-profit,
paid,
photography
There’s an episode of Saved by the Bell where Zack Morris convinces Mr. Tuttle (the head of the teacher’s union) that Mr. Belding called him a “spineless jellyfish.” That’s a pretty big insult to someone who is in charge of negotiating against you. Our spines are both metaphorically and anatomically an essential part of our being. That’s why the thought of a spinal injury is absolutely terrifying for most people. Luckily, we as a society have made a ton of progress treating spinal issues. Whether it’s an injury, disease, or deformity, K2M is one of the companies leading the innovation. They are based in Leesburg, VA, and they “deliver and develop technological innovations which enable surgeons to more effectively treat the world’s most complex spinal disorders.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
administrative,
biotechnology,
communications,
customer service,
design,
education,
engineering,
health care,
inventory control,
Logistics,
marketing,
medicine,
online marketing,
planner,
product management,
quality assurance,
supply chain,
Virginia
It wasn’t long ago that the term “educational data” meant whatever was written in a teacher’s grade book. Today there are all kinds of software solutions to help teachers, administrators, and school systems better educate their students. The problem is that every piece of software works a little bit differently. Integrating one or two applications with a student information system may not be a big deal, but it can get out of hand with a few more apps. Clever is a San Francisco, CA whose software solutions “sync with your school’s student information system to provide an amazing experience for teachers and students.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
business development,
California,
customer service,
education,
engineering,
Internships,
software development,
web development
I feel sorry for anyone who has ever had to watch me play soccer. It’s a sport that I was not made to play. I never liked all the running, but it was at least fun for the first few years (because there was still hope that I would eventually score a goal). Hopefully my experience with the sport is an aberration, because Round Star Foundation is a New York, NY based non-profit “dedicated to extending the many benefits soccer can provide to every individual.” They do this by “providing access to high quality soccer activities, training and education” to help people with both physical and social development.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
business development,
camp,
education,
events,
Internships,
New York,
non-profit,
sports
I’m still thinking about the delicious piece of pie that I had last night. It was a good Pi Day, and that’s why we’re going to talk about math again today. Yesterday we focused on elementary education, and today we’ll take a look at MATHCOUNTS, an Alexandria, VA based non-profit that “provides fun and challenging math programs to US middle school students to increase their academic and professional opportunities.” Middle school is the point where math can get really interesting… or frustrating. MATHCOUNTS nurtures the love of mathematics so that students can continue on a path to success.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
education,
Internships,
math,
non-profit,
program development,
Virginia
Today is Pi Day! It’s a holiday loved by math educators and pastry fanatics alike. While some may say that all of the celebration is irrational, I roundly support it. Anyway, math is on my mind today, so I thought we should take a look at Motion Math. They are a San Francisco, CA based company that creates “awesomely fun, rigorously educational learning games so that children, regardless of their previous success in school or socioeconomic background, find delight in understanding difficult concepts.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
California,
education,
engineering,
holiday,
Internships,
math,
mobile,
paid,
software development,
video games,
web development
I swear that every kid who grows up in Connecticut goes on a field trip to Old Sturbridge Village at some point. For me it wasn’t until 10th grade (and we were on our way back from a longer trip to Boston and Plimoth Plantation), but I think most kids go earlier in their lives. If you weren’t lucky enough to grow up within a couple hour bus ride of Old Sturbridge Village (which is based in Sturbridge, MA), you should know that it’s the “largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast” and it “depicts a rural New England town of the 1830s.” It’s the perfect place for immature children to try to get the staff to fall out of character.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
agriculture,
botany,
costumes,
curation,
education,
events,
gardening,
history,
horticulture,
Internships,
library,
living history,
marketing,
Massachusetts,
member services,
museum,
non-profit,
organic,
paid,
research,
sustainability,
unpaid
I’ve heard that the way math is taught in schools has completely changed since I learned to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. That seems crazy to me, but I know that there is a ton of room for innovation in the way that we educate children. While there are certainly some great for-profit companies working on this problem, there are also some great non-profits. One is Digital Promise, a Washington, DC based organization that “supports comprehensive research and development to benefit lifelong learners and provide Americans with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy.” Digital Promise is a bipartisan effort that is authorized by Congress, so it has serious support.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
communications,
community management,
education,
innovation,
Internships,
marketing,
non-profit,
online marketing,
research,
social media,
Washington DC
Raise your hand if you’ve come to the realization that college didn’t prepare you for the job market. I see a lot of hands. I’m not knocking college, but the skills that I’ve developed from starting a business are way more marketable than the ones that I developed in the classroom. So what do you do if you realize that you don’t have what employers want (or you want to start your own business)? You can hustle and develop the skills on your own, or you can speed up the process by enrolling at General Assembly. They are a New York, NY based company that is “creating a global community of individuals empowered to pursue work they love, by offering full-time immersive programs, long-form courses, and classes and workshops on the most relevant skills of the 21st century.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
accounting,
business development,
California,
community management,
customer service,
education,
entrepreneurship,
events,
finance,
Internships,
marketing,
Massachusetts,
New York,
online marketing,
production,
recruiting,
social media,
training,
Washington DC
Over the past year I’ve started to get really interested in upland bird hunting. It’s a sport with amazing tradition, but it’s an old man’s sport. It’s hard for a young guy to get started. That’s why I’m heading to Pheasant Fest in Milwaukee today. It’s the national convention of Pheasants Forever, a St. Paul, MN based non-profit that is “dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advocacy,
biology,
conservation,
education,
Internships,
Minnesota,
non-profit,
outdoors,
sports
While having the baby boomers leave the workforce should be a good thing for our generation in terms of employment outcomes, the mass retirement will likely bring new challenges. As people age they not only head more healthcare, but they also need more care in general. Sometimes that can be provided by families, but sometimes it needs to be done by professionals. Relias Learning is a Cary, NC based company that educates those professionals by offering “online training to senior care, health and human services, corrections, and intellectual and developmental disabilities organizations.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
analyst,
community management,
customer service,
data,
education,
Internships,
market research,
North Carolina,
paid,
product management,
public relations,
research,
sales,
social media,
software development,
training,
web development
I’m a bit upset that the Super Bowl is overshadowing Punxsutawney Phil’s big day, but that varmint says we’re having six more weeks of winter, so let’s talk about somebody who actually deserves attention: Peyton Manning. I’m pretty sure that I could be the guy in a foot race, yet he’s dominating one of the most athletic sports leagues in the world. He also gives a lot back through his non-profit, the Peyback Foundation. It’s an Indianapolis, IN based organization that aims “to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk.” The Peyback Foundation doesn’t have a Careers page, but I checked on LinkedIn, and they do have employees and interns. What’s the point? Tons of football players (here’s a list) and other pro athletes have foundations and charities. They may be long shots, but some will have career opportunities. Find the ones that interest you and reach out to see if you might be able to work with them.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
education,
football,
foundation,
holiday,
Indiana,
Internships,
non-profit
While it has become increasingly apparent that graduating college isn’t close to enough to get you a job these days, we also know that not having gone to or graduated college makes finding a good job so much harder. If young people are going to succeed in life, they need to start with success in high school and college. Bottom Line is a Boston, MA, Worcester, MA and New York, NY based non-profit (they also are working in Chicago) that “has helped thousands of low-income and first-generation students stay in college and earn their degrees.” The organization was founded in 1997 and now reaches more than 3,000 students every year.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
education,
Illinois,
Internships,
Massachusetts,
New York,
non-profit,
outreach,
program development
Last year I got married at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I’ve never been much of a plant person, but it was truly a perfect setting. I’m just amazed that they can grow such a diverse array of beautiful plants in this climate–especially with the winter we’re having this year. If I was opening such a garden, I’d want to do so in a more moderate climate like San Francisco’s. John McLaren was the landscape gardener who was Golden Gate Park’s superintendent for 56 years. He picked a place for a future botanical garden that had “a variety of soil and exposure, sloping, dry and sunny hillsides, sheltered spots and rich, low or marshy land.” The San Francisco Botanical Garden finally got the necessary funding in 1926, and in 1954 the Strybing Arboretum Society was founded to support the garden and its programs. Today the organization is known as the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society, and it supports “55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, showcasing over 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
botany,
California,
development,
education,
gardening,
horticulture,
Internships,
library,
member services,
non-profit,
paid,
plant science,
retail
Getting a dog is one of the best things that I’ve ever done. Seriously, how could you not love this guy? I’ve been taking his training very seriously, and it has been a really rewarding process. Working with animals often brings out the best in people. That’s why the Prison Pet Partnership is such a good idea. It’s a Gig Harbor, WA based non-profit that “gives inmates the opportunity to learn valuable pet industry-related vocational skills to use in finding employment when they resume their lives outside of prison.” They take dogs from animal rescues and train them to be service dogs. Since most dogs aren’t cut out for the service life, the rest are rehomed as “Paroled Pets.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
animals,
education,
Internships,
non-profit,
training,
Washington
Yesterday I was telling you about all of the wildlife that I’ve seen during my vacation in Aruba. While there have many interesting fish, birds, and reptiles near the beach, I haven’t seen any marine mammals. Luckily, I have a few more days to watch for dolphins and whales since United canceled my flight and might have left me “stuck” here until Wednesday, but I doubt I’ll see any because they’re not very common here. Marine mammals are far more common in places like California’s Bay Area. That is why The Marine Mammal Center is located in Sausalito, CA. They are a non-profit “veterinary research hospital and educational center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals – primarily elephant seals, harbor seals, and California sea lions.” They’ve been at in for nearly 40 years and have rescued or treated close to 20,000 animals.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
animals,
California,
education,
Internships,
non-profit,
research,
science,
unpaid,
veterinary,
zoology
