It is one of my hopes that in ALE 3301 I will be able to continue on my journey of efficient writing. Here at Trinity I am pursuing a double major in both Theatre and Communication in the hopes of either continuing my education in Stage Management or working in the business side of Fine Arts Management. In both post-graduation paths, it will be very important that I have a secure understanding of the non-profit sector and how to work towards the greater goal of producing a final product. While I am somewhat familiar with grant writing for specifically fine arts endeavors through a previous internship and an Arts Management class offered at Trinity, I would like to continue learning all of the steps (finding appropriate grants, successfully submitting them, etc...) that go into helping any organization obtain the funds they need to reach their goals.
Growing up with a love of the arts, I have been involved with a number of non-profit organizations and fundraising efforts since before my high school days that have continued into my collegiate years. While I have always been a part of my home church's efforts to raise money for the Presbyterian Night Shelter of Tarrant county, I really began participating in fundraising that directly affected me my sophomore year in high school. Through a year long effort, my theatre program at Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas managed to raise $77,000 and send a group of 15 members of our theatre club to the Edinburg Fringe Festival in Scotland. Looking back on that year, I can identify that we utilized fundraisers that included letter writing campaigns, contacting private donors and hosting talent showcase events to reach our goal. In terms of being the responsible party when writing proposals, I have had some experience through the Arts Management class mentioned previously, the Public Relations course that teamed up with our advertising counterparts to complete an Integrated Marketing Plan for the Valero Alamo Bowl, writing an Honors Thesis proposal for our Communication department and, most recently, an internship with Preforming Arts Fort Worth, a non-profit organization that is responsible for managing the space of Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. At this point, I am comfortable with writing proposals and am fully aware that nothing is perfect on the first draft.
In my post-high school years, I have become very involved with Alpha Phi Omega, an international co-ed service fraternity. While I've held numerous positions within APO, I have most recently served as the Service Vice President and was responsible for coordinating and maintaining all of the service projects for our 200 member chapter. In our chapter of APO, we work closely with many local San Antonio and national non-profit organizations in the effort to make the world a better place through community service. The San Antonio Food Bank is one of my favorite destinations to work with and will fit in nicely with my personal goals for this course. Not only will I receive hands-on experience in the process of grant writing, I will also be able to continue refining my writing skills for all areas of my life.
