Senior seizes on classwork to make a difference in the real world

This past fall, I found myself scrambling to fill my schedule. I wanted to find classes that not only helped fulfill my requirements but would also give me real-world skills I could apply after graduation.

When I read the course description for English 322, Workplace Writing: Grant Proposals, Fundraising, and Development, I was compelled by the idea of writing my own grant proposal. I had also heard a lot of good things about the instructor, Dr. Mary Morse, a professor of English and the director of the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program. As it turned out, Workplace Writing quickly became one of my favorite courses. Lessons weren't limited to the classroom but expanded into areas that could apply to many different aspects of my life. 

Here are some of the things I learned over the course of the semester from Workplace Writing.

Find what you're passionate about

When you dedicate yourself to one topic for an entire semester, it's important to make sure it's about something significant to you. I learned this pretty quickly when it came time to selecting a nonprofit organization to work with as part of the class requirement.

After some searching, I decided to reach out to my high school, New Jersey United Christian Academy (NJUCA), to see if a grant proposal could help them. Finding an area that I had a personal connection to gave me the advantage of knowing what the school might need. I had been student government vice president my senior year of high school and was familiar with how the school ran events This knowledge ending up being helpful when planning the required fundraiser for the course. I also had insight into what areas the school might want to fund. Most importantly, I had a vested interest in their overall success. 

The principal and I ended up agreeing that the best area to focus on for the proposal would be funding for the school's technology lab. Resources desperately needed to be updated for students classes in the technology field. As a computer information systems minor, that early education is an incredibly significant aspect of having an edge. Specifically, the proposal requested funding to purchase 30 new computers and software that would allow NJUCA to offer courses in technology skills to students.

Learn to be flexible

Not everything is going to go your way, especially when other people are involved. It is important to learn to work with other's schedules, realize that your deadline is not their deadline and figure out how to compensate so you can complete what you need to do while still respecting the time of others.

When working to organize a fundraiser for the high school, I found myself very impatient to get things done. I knew the deadlines that were required, both for the course and for the event, and I wanted to accomplish my tasks. Since there were other participants in planning, I often found myself having to adapt.  

For example, one of my goals was to create a flyer announcing the event, but I wasn't sure what they were looking for. I created what I thought would work, but the flyer turned out to not to be what they envisioned. I went back to it again, incorporating their suggestions so I could represent their brand correctly. After a few revisions, a flyer was completed that both suited their needs and did an excellent job of explaining the event. 

Mistakes don't mean defeat

I soon discovered that though my high school wanted help with getting a grant proposal, there were numerous restrictions in terms of what grant makers would be willing to consider. Because the school is a private, religious institution, the niche was very small and that ruled out almost all potential grant makers.  It took me a great deal of research and time to find a grant maker that wouldn't exclude the school for those reasons. 

When I thought I had found a the perfect fit, I went straight to work, drafting the proposal to be geared towards them, adding specific details that would make it more appealing to that particular organization.  

Unfortunately, late into the writing process, I discovered a significant restriction that made it impossible for them to consider my proposal.

At first,  I was disheartened, just thinking about all the additional research I would have to do to find a new one and all of the writing I would have to delete from the proposal. But, after starting up research again, I found the Dr. Scholl Foundation. They have very flexible guidelines. Even though it took a good amount of rewriting, I adjusted what was necessary and ended up with a grant maker that was even better than the one I originally found.

You can make a difference

Even though my proposal is still in the process of getting submitted, this process and the class gave me the tools I need to make a difference in the world for a project I care about. The writing process helped me grow as a student and as a writer. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, which turned out to be a good thing.  

The proposal has already helped the school because it has given them a means to reconnect with alumni. Because of the work I've done, they've planned a reunion for alumni next month, which I helped to initiate and plan. 

Though I don't know if the proposal will be accepted for funding, it has still helped the school get closer to one of their goals and has given me the ability to apply my grant writing skills to other organizations that matter to me.