VCU news

By Brian Nicholas
VCU Career Services

Representatives from 72 nonprofit organizations will attend Virginia Commonwealth University’s Nonprofit Career and Internship Fair on Feb. 19 in the University Student Commons on the Monroe Park Campus.

The event will connect students and alumni to careers and internships and provide nonprofits the chance to educate attendees about career opportunities in an employment sector that is sometimes overlooked.

“There’s often a preconceived notion that working at a nonprofit doesn’t equate to a well-paid career. It’s really just a tax designation. Most nonprofits operate just like regular businesses and require a range of skill sets to complete their mission,” said Joslyn Bedell, VCU Career Services associate director for employer and experiential development.

With nearly 235,100 paid workers and 130,100 full-time equivalent volunteers, the nonprofit sector represents Virginia’s third largest employer, according to a 2012 report by the Council of Nonprofits.

This year’s attendees include organizations focused on human and social services, education, health care, arts and culture, and the environment and sustainability.

Forty-seven organizations participated in last year’s fair. Bedell said this year’s fair will continue to provide meaningful opportunities for students and alumni to engage with nonprofit organizations and aid in the ongoing growth of the nonprofit community in the Richmond Metro Region.

“Given the region’s strong ties to the nonprofit sector, we’re not surprised by the surge in interest. We’ve seen a 48 percent increase in employer attendance this year as well as solid growth in the diverse types of organizations registering,” Bedell said.

“We expect that student and alumni engagement will grow as well,” she added.

The fair is a partnership between the VCU Career Services and ConnectVA, a regional nonprofit resource center, and is part of a larger series of career fairs hosted by Career Services aimed at providing industry-specific networking opportunities to VCU students and alumni.

The Nonprofit Career and Internship Fair will run from noon until 3 p.m. and is open to all VCU students and alumni.  For more information, contact careers@vcu.edu or visit careers.vcu.edu.