In Conclusion...

Throughout the course of this semester we have learned so much about accountability, impact, effectiveness, etc. Sometimes it seemed like we were reading a lot of the same stuff from week to week, but then in class new ideas would be brought up and it helped to gain even more insight into what we've been studying. I think the reading we were asked to do for this week is a great one to end on. In describing the hard work that the founder of Teach for America had to put in, the words "passionate and persistent" were used. This is exactly what it takes to make a difference. Yes, all of the things that we have discussed this semester are extremely important in the functioning of a nonprofit organization, but we must all remember that if we are to make a difference, we must always remember to believe in what we are doing and work as hard as we can to achieve what we set out to do.

Being able to be a part of the charity navigator project encouraged us to apply the things we have been learning in a real world setting. We were put in the position to actually make a difference. The last writing assignment gave us a chance to take everything we've learned this semester and decide what we thought the most important pieces were. It has been so great to work with such an intelligent and insightful group of people!