Alumni Profile: Violet Ricker

 

Violet Ricker earned her degree through a combination of online and in-person classes at the Chicago and Grayslake campuses, and like other nonprofit management majors, she has moved into an interesting and fulfilling career. Today, she is executive director of Waukegan Main Street, a nonprofit organization that works for community and economic development in Waukegan, Illinois.

The degree program brings together many disciplines, Violet says. “I understand the connectedness of volunteer development, fundraising, communication, and community outreach,” she says. “To have that in a program versus learning on the job is very valuable.”

At North Park, Violet was able to learn not only from her experienced professors, but also from other adult students. “The best part for me was the collective expertise from my fellow students in the program,” she says. She’s still in touch with her classmates, trading advice and sharing business ideas.