Career Path Of A Nonprofit Professional At A Nonprofit Organization
From a childhood dream of becoming a television news anchor, Kyle pursued this ambition relentlessly, landing a morning news anchor job straight out of college after accumulating relevant experience through various leadership roles, writing competitions, and internships at organizations such as the American Red Cross and NBC. However, feeling unfulfilled by this role, Kyle transitioned into the nonprofit sector, driven by a desire to be "a part of the solution" to the issues they reported on, ultimately dedicating their time to helping those in need.
Communication, Career Exploration, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Motivation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kyle Crognale
Founder
Parichute
Kent State University, 2017
N/A
Creative Writing, Journalism
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Kyle's career path demonstrates the value of pursuing passions early. From his self-professed goal at age eight to become a news anchor, he actively sought and leveraged opportunities throughout high school and college, including editing school magazines, participating in writing competitions, and anchoring student television shows.
2. His experience highlights the importance of diverse experiences. Kyle's career involved internships in both the non-profit (American Red Cross) and communications sectors (614 Media Group and NBC), which broadened his skillset and perspectives, eventually informing his transition to full-time non-profit work.
3. Kyle's journey emphasizes the significance of self-reflection and aligning one's career with personal values. Despite achieving his initial goal of becoming a news anchor, he recognized a desire for more hands-on impact, leading him to transition to full-time work in the non-profit sector. This highlights the importance of regularly assessing one's career fulfillment and making changes to pursue meaningful work.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experience in college? Do you have any internships or jobs you had before your current title?
I knew from the time I was eight years old that I wanted to be a television news anchor. From that day on, I really took advantage of every single opportunity that came my way.
All throughout high school, I became the editor-in-chief of our school magazine and entered various writing competitions. In college, I anchored a number of television shows for our student-led program, dabbling in news and entertainment. I also took a PR leadership role for my sorority and practiced my public speaking and communication skills any chance I got.
Additionally, I completed a few internships in both the nonprofit space and communications: one at the American Red Cross, another at 614 Media Group, and then another at NBC 4 News. Because of all that hard work, I landed my dream job of morning news anchor right out of college at WDTV in West Virginia.
After a few years, however, I started to feel unfulfilled on both a personal and professional level. I felt my position behind the news desk didn't allow me to make a positive impact within my community. While discussing issues on the news can bring value, I'm a hands-on person and wanted to be part of the solution to the stories of need and despair I was covering daily.
That feeling propelled me to break into the nonprofit sector instead. Now, I dedicate my time full-time to helping those in need.