Tia Asher: The Intersection of Business Skills and Non-profit Work
As a student in Santa Clara’s business school and as an intern at Veggielution, I’ve had many incredible growth and learning opportunities. In the same way you need business skills to succeed at school, you also need a broad set of skills and resources to succeed in the non-profit sector. Although these two areas of work require different expertise and knowledge, they build on each other and teach you things the other can’t. As my supervisor says, you need to learn how to maximize success with limited resources when you work at a non-profit organization. In my time at Veggielution, I have also been exposed to a variety of responsibilities in ways I never have before. I’m able to help different departments in unique ways and everyone is always so grateful for the work I do. I’ve recently become aware that everything I’ve learned at the Leavey School of Business has made my success at Veggielution possible. Since I assist in different areas at Veggielution, I’m able to draw on what I’ve learned at school from broader topics like marketing and finance to more specific areas such as critical thinking and communication to meet the needs of every task.
Veggielution is a non-profit in East San Jose that encourages entrepreneurs and builds community through food and farming. If you had asked me 5 months ago what skills I thought would help me provide the most value to this organization, I wouldn’t know what to say as I had limited experience with non-profits. Now, when considering what has helped me thrive most at Veggielution, the two strengths that come to mind are communication and problem-solving. I am given a lot of freedom in how I complete tasks and projects, so asking questions and using my best judgment has allowed me to deliver to the best of my ability. The combination of these two skills has also helped me create value for the organization. Asking questions and having a fresh set of eyes on a project allows me to come up with ideas or approaches that others don’t always think of. Although I’m just an intern, the people at Veggielution have not only been supportive and encouraging but also value what I have to say and make me feel proud of and appreciated for the work I do!