Special Skills
Throughout my experiences, I have gained many valuable skills that will prove essential to my career.
Communication Skills - As an executive director, it is vital that one is able to clearly communicate internally to employees and externally to prospective donors, customers and government officials. As the Region II Vice President of Wisconsin Future Business Leaders of America, I have conducted business with many professionals through written and verbal communication. With the responsibility of hosting and running a state conference, I have also written many speeches and spoken in front of thousands. As Class President and Chapter President of Greenwood Future Business Leaders of America, I have presided over many meetings and dealt with issues that have ultimately strengthened my ability to effectively communicate. Lastly, my international community service experience has taught me the challenges of communicating with a language and cultural barrier, which will prove essential as I enter the global business field. Below are samples of my written communication, including one of the Regional Newsletters I created and distributed throughout Region II of Wisconsin Future Business Leaders of America and a letter I composed that was sent to over 100 business professionals regarding event judging for the 2014 Region II Leadership Conference.
Event Planning Skills - An executive director of a nonprofit organization must often organize promotion events for prospective donors and government officials. I have gained event planning skills from many of the experiences I have had within my high school career. In February of 2014, I successfully hosted 449 students and advisers and over 50 volunteers and judges for the 2014 Wisconsin Future Business Leaders of America Region II Leadership Conference. I organized and planned all aspects of the event, including acquiring and communicating with skill-event judges and volunteers, scripting all speeches, organizing entertainment and workshops, and managing all logistical aspects of the event. I also managed all marketing and promotion, including contacting the local media industry and using social media as a promotion tool. I have also planned and directed smaller events, such as the 2013 FBLA Dress Swap, a dress business designed to strengthen entrepreneural skills within students, the National Honor Society Halloween Party, and the Class of 2014 Senior Banquet.
Child Care Skills - As an executive director of a nonprofit organization dealing with orphaned and abandoned children, it is necessary that I possess child care skills. I have gained these skills through my babysitting and assistant teaching work experiences and through my volunteer positions at the Shanghai Healing Home, Learning Beyond Academy and Girls Incorporated. As the oldest child in a large family of young siblings, I have also continued to further cultivate these skills. Through all of my experience, I have learned how to properly handle children and parents.
Entrepreneurial Skills - An executive director of a nonprofit organization must understand entrepreneurship and possess the skills it takes to start a business/organization. I have gained these skills through the setting up and running of my own guitar instruction business. I deal with all aspects of the business, including promotion, finances, bookkeeping, scheduling and teaching. I have also strengthened my entrepreneurial skills through fundraising for my independently-funded trip to the People's Republic of China. I fundraised $2,700 for necessary traveling costs and excess-funded donations to an orphanage located in Shanghai through independent sales and sought-out donations.
Not only have I been able to to develop skills that will be pertinent to the executive directing position, I have also developed a deep knowledge in the international orphanage and adoption process. Below is a final paper I wrote and received an A for in English 102: Critical Writing, Reading and Research, a class I took at University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County, outlining my research and in-depth understanding of the issues within the international adoption process.