Written by Rachel Diebner
Walking through McCombs, I often catch snippets of conversations about recruiting, finance classes, or infamous MIS assignments. But on the evening of March 8, the conversation was a little different: The Honors Business Association hosted its second annual Nonprofit Speed Dating event.
Business Honors students spent their Wednesday evening wrapped up in discussions with five alumni who have truly made a mark in their communities after leaving the 40 Acres:
- Amy Moore (BHP ’92), Austin Partners in Education
- Ashley Haustein, Miracle Foundation
- Isha Paul (BHP ’12), KIPP Austin Public Schools
- Jorge Galan, Teach for America
- Will Robison (BHP ’08), Capital Impact Partners
Our conversations varied wildly. I chatted with Will about how his experience in investment banking, a popular career choice among BHP students, helped him launch his career in the social sector. Isha shared some impressive insights on how McCombs students can bridge the gap between the corporate and nonprofit worlds. Jorge told me stories about how he transformed a rambunctious high school calculus classroom into an innovative learning environment. Every conversation was different and each as exciting as the next.
When the event came to a close, it was hard to wrap up our discussions. The entire room was buzzing with energy — we were swapping ideas for new social impact projects and daydreaming out loud about possible career paths. Sometimes, as a business student, it’s hard to pursue nonprofit interests when everybody else seems to be laser-focused on Wall Street and the prestigious companies that recruit from our Ford Career Center. But nights like this remind me that my BHP education is a strong toolkit and platform to change the world: We’ve certainly seen our alumni embody this ideal, and I can’t wait to see how my BHPals will someday too.
