MANDEL CENTER FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Vanessa Hansle

I have a bachelor’s degree in Women Studies from the University of Michigan and have worked as a child care coordinator for the Ann Arbor YMCA and program director for the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit in the mid to late 90s.  When I left the YMCA, I did small consulting jobs writing grants, creating operations manuals and board trainings. 

In September 2001, I accepted the position of Executive Director for Detroit Safe Neighborhood Action Plan, Inc., a small community-based crime and delinquency prevention program in Detroit.

After I left the YMCA, I took a few classes at Wayne State University in 2000 in the nonprofit sector to learn more about the purpose this sector served and how it should be managed.  Because WSU did not have a Master’s program, I did some research on the internet and found the Mandel Center to be the closest program that I could get to by car.  I waited five years to enroll in the program, until my youngest son was old enough to stay home without supervision. 

I felt that having an advanced degree would be very useful, not only professionally but also personally, because it would give me both knowledge and confidence to do my job.  In terms of my future, I can only imagine that having this degree will be an asset that will enable me to perform at a higher level of management.

I would strongly advise anyone who is thinking about getting an MNO degree to do so.  The nonprofit sector is rich in its ability to provide a wide array of experiences and this degree gives students the foundation to become very effective, knowledgeable leaders in any area.

I definitely believe all of the driving I did was worthwhile.  The quality education and connections I made is priceless.  I received information that I can use to not only improve myself, but the organization and the community it serves as well.