I had the opportunity to chat with Tufts alum Maura Donahue A10, the talented, tech-savvy, and ever-busy program coordinator at the Children’s Advocacy Center. Read on as Maura discusses her vibrant work experiences, the infamous job search, and how her own Jumbo college days inspired her professional growth.
1.What was your college major? How did your experience at Tufts shape your interest in the non-profit field?
Tufts has a great college atmosphere; it promotes active citizenship, and there are so many classes and activities that cater to students who have a cause and genuinely want to improve the universe. I found this calling in Peace and Justice Studies, and Art History brought a creative element to it. My senior year, I wrote a senior honors thesis that explored public art projects with a social activism component. I was also involved with Collaborative Peace Games, which is an afterschool program that teaches nonviolence/nonviolent communication skills to middle schoolers. My interest in the non-profit field extended from my academic classes as well as my internship and volunteer experiences during my time at Tufts.
2. Can you expand on the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Organization?
When an incident of sexual or physical child abuse is reported, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County coordinates a multi-disciplinary team of police, prosecutors, social workers, advocates and medical and mental health professionals to provide specialized services for the child and their family. An example of a service is a forensic interview conducted at our Center, observed together by the Team. This is why [the Children’s Advocacy Center] has such a special mission. Before the CAC, the child would have to tell their story multiple times, perhaps to a teacher, then to a guidance counselor, then to a lawyer or social worker, and so on. Each time a child is telling his/her story, it’s reinforcing the trauma. At the Children’s Advocacy Center, the whole idea is centered on the best possible interest of the child. We exist so that children can tell their story comfortably and that they can tell it only once.
3.How did you land your job at the Children’s Advocacy center?
I had not heard of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County before I applied for the position. I found the job opening on Idealist, which advertises a lot of non-profit positions. After not hearing back a month after applying, I sent a follow-up email, reiterating my interest in the organization and offering supplemental information. Then I was offered an interview. I came in for a second interview, and afterwards I was offered the position. I’ve found that there are so many ways to engage in the job search and just get your name and goals out there – use what works best for you!
4. What is your position at the Children’s Advocacy Center? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
I am the Program Coordinator at the Children’s Advocacy Center. In many ways, it’s been a crash-course. In a small non-profit, the Program Coordinator can be charged with many responsibilities and tasks because there is often a lot to get done. I have learned many new skills; for example I never thought I would be using Quick books accounting software after graduation. It is beneficial for the organization to do projects in-house, which has led me to take on projects such as web-page programming and social media. This involved a new mastery of design work, primarily utilizing Adobe InDesign. Our generation is in-tune with computers in ways that I didn’t recongize while at Tufts and it has been exciting to bring that to the CAC
The other part of my job is supporting the development sector. This involves not only raising funds, but also raising awareness about the CAC. I work closely with the Development Director to find ways to bring our mission to people and foster their engagement, which we often do through events and programs. One particularly special event we organize is called Hope Blooms, launching this fall. We will plant 1122 crocus bulbs on the Greenway in Boston in recognition of each child referred to our organization last year. The first blooming of these flowers embodies the first signs of hope in spring after a long winter, so this event has a very symbolic meaning that speaks to the CAC mission.
5. What are your favorite parts about the job?
I work with so many people who are really dedicated to the mission of the CAC. It is inspiring to observe the work of direct services providers who have an extremely difficult and admirable job. My other favorite part of the job is the day-to-day challenge. When I graduated from Tufts, I would have told you that I had limited technical knowledge in the computer realm. Now I feel much more confident, using HTML programming, Adobe InDesign, and accounting tools on a nearly daily basis.. So much of my experience has been about tackling new skills formerly outside my comfort zone. It’s fun and rewarding to know that you’re growing your professional skill set and truly contributing to an organization.
6. What skills do you feel are most necessary to succeed at your job?
I think it’s really valuable to be a go-getter and an active problem-solver. If you don’t know how to do something, try to seek out the advice of people who do. If that isn’t possible in the moment, do what college students do best: Google it! And it’s also important to be flexible, especially in a smaller non-profit. I always find myself lending support to co-workers, and vice-versa, and I’ve continued to learn the importance of being a good team player.
7. Is there a particular experience or moment on-the-job that especially sticks out to you?
Last December, one of my first responsibilities was to plan the Holiday Toy Drive. We partnered with South Station, where all of the toys were collected, and we distributed the toys to our partner agencies, which reach the children that we serve. It was such an incredible feeling knowing that each of those toys was going to be in the hands of a child; it made me want to go to work even more. It was wonderful witnessing a stranger’s act of kindness in donating the toys, and then seeing how that kindness was passed along to create more of it. Out of all my experiences, this was especially close to my heart.
8. What steps did you take while at Tufts to get a leg up in the job hunt? What advice do you have for undergrads currently embarking on the career search?
While I knew what my interests and passions were during college, it didn’t always seem like there was a very clear career path when it came time to job search. I started to do a variety of informational interviews with alumni through Tufts Career Network during my senior year and after graduation. It was a great experience to hear from people who had gone to Tufts, and I would highly recommend it. Through the interviews, I also found out about jobs that I didn’t even know existed! I learned about their career trajectory, and it helped me understand that you don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going; if you keep in mind what makes you happy and what motivates you, things have a way of working out. My advice to undergraduates during the job hunt is to keep your confidence and know that you’re a qualified candidate with a lot to offer!
Tufts has a great college atmosphere; it promotes active citizenship, and there are so many classes and activities that cater to students who have a cause and genuinely want to improve the universe. I found this calling in Peace and Justice Studies, and Art History brought a creative element to it. My senior year, I wrote a senior honors thesis that explored public art projects with a social activism component. I was also involved with Collaborative Peace Games, which is an afterschool program that teaches nonviolence/nonviolent communication skills to middle schoolers. My interest in the non-profit field extended from my academic classes as well as my internship and volunteer experiences during my time at Tufts.
2. Can you expand on the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Organization?
When an incident of sexual or physical child abuse is reported, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County coordinates a multi-disciplinary team of police, prosecutors, social workers, advocates and medical and mental health professionals to provide specialized services for the child and their family. An example of a service is a forensic interview conducted at our Center, observed together by the Team. This is why [the Children’s Advocacy Center] has such a special mission. Before the CAC, the child would have to tell their story multiple times, perhaps to a teacher, then to a guidance counselor, then to a lawyer or social worker, and so on. Each time a child is telling his/her story, it’s reinforcing the trauma. At the Children’s Advocacy Center, the whole idea is centered on the best possible interest of the child. We exist so that children can tell their story comfortably and that they can tell it only once.
3.How did you land your job at the Children’s Advocacy center?
I had not heard of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County before I applied for the position. I found the job opening on Idealist, which advertises a lot of non-profit positions. After not hearing back a month after applying, I sent a follow-up email, reiterating my interest in the organization and offering supplemental information. Then I was offered an interview. I came in for a second interview, and afterwards I was offered the position. I’ve found that there are so many ways to engage in the job search and just get your name and goals out there – use what works best for you!
4. What is your position at the Children’s Advocacy Center? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
I am the Program Coordinator at the Children’s Advocacy Center. In many ways, it’s been a crash-course. In a small non-profit, the Program Coordinator can be charged with many responsibilities and tasks because there is often a lot to get done. I have learned many new skills; for example I never thought I would be using Quick books accounting software after graduation. It is beneficial for the organization to do projects in-house, which has led me to take on projects such as web-page programming and social media. This involved a new mastery of design work, primarily utilizing Adobe InDesign. Our generation is in-tune with computers in ways that I didn’t recongize while at Tufts and it has been exciting to bring that to the CAC
The other part of my job is supporting the development sector. This involves not only raising funds, but also raising awareness about the CAC. I work closely with the Development Director to find ways to bring our mission to people and foster their engagement, which we often do through events and programs. One particularly special event we organize is called Hope Blooms, launching this fall. We will plant 1122 crocus bulbs on the Greenway in Boston in recognition of each child referred to our organization last year. The first blooming of these flowers embodies the first signs of hope in spring after a long winter, so this event has a very symbolic meaning that speaks to the CAC mission.
5. What are your favorite parts about the job?
I work with so many people who are really dedicated to the mission of the CAC. It is inspiring to observe the work of direct services providers who have an extremely difficult and admirable job. My other favorite part of the job is the day-to-day challenge. When I graduated from Tufts, I would have told you that I had limited technical knowledge in the computer realm. Now I feel much more confident, using HTML programming, Adobe InDesign, and accounting tools on a nearly daily basis.. So much of my experience has been about tackling new skills formerly outside my comfort zone. It’s fun and rewarding to know that you’re growing your professional skill set and truly contributing to an organization.
6. What skills do you feel are most necessary to succeed at your job?
I think it’s really valuable to be a go-getter and an active problem-solver. If you don’t know how to do something, try to seek out the advice of people who do. If that isn’t possible in the moment, do what college students do best: Google it! And it’s also important to be flexible, especially in a smaller non-profit. I always find myself lending support to co-workers, and vice-versa, and I’ve continued to learn the importance of being a good team player.
7. Is there a particular experience or moment on-the-job that especially sticks out to you?
Last December, one of my first responsibilities was to plan the Holiday Toy Drive. We partnered with South Station, where all of the toys were collected, and we distributed the toys to our partner agencies, which reach the children that we serve. It was such an incredible feeling knowing that each of those toys was going to be in the hands of a child; it made me want to go to work even more. It was wonderful witnessing a stranger’s act of kindness in donating the toys, and then seeing how that kindness was passed along to create more of it. Out of all my experiences, this was especially close to my heart.
8. What steps did you take while at Tufts to get a leg up in the job hunt? What advice do you have for undergrads currently embarking on the career search?
While I knew what my interests and passions were during college, it didn’t always seem like there was a very clear career path when it came time to job search. I started to do a variety of informational interviews with alumni through Tufts Career Network during my senior year and after graduation. It was a great experience to hear from people who had gone to Tufts, and I would highly recommend it. Through the interviews, I also found out about jobs that I didn’t even know existed! I learned about their career trajectory, and it helped me understand that you don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going; if you keep in mind what makes you happy and what motivates you, things have a way of working out. My advice to undergraduates during the job hunt is to keep your confidence and know that you’re a qualified candidate with a lot to offer!
