Since last I posted, the world has changed drastically following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent lockdown. After finishing my last semester virtually, I graduated from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy with my Master’s in 2020, and since then I’ve been involved in a few short projects to stay busy in quarantine. I wrote an article on the coronavirus response, and I have been adding to my skillset through some online courses - I’ve done courses on contact tracing, data visualization, and Python, and I picked up Tableau - a cool little data visualization tool that I hope to use in my career in the humanitarian field.

While I and many other people have gotten used to life in lockdown, I am definitely looking forward to a future where we can move around freely. This experience has been a test in resilience, but I know that we’ll make it through. AmeriCorps members are strong, resilient, and dedicated to this country and its people. I remain dedicated to serving others, and right now the greatest service we can give right now is to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and help our hospitals and medical staff combat the virus so the world can begin rebuilding.

Samantha Chen, OKCNP AmeriCorps - Program Assistant
Originally posted on June 30, 2018

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.” – John Wesley

I first heard this quote from the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits CEO, Marnie Taylor. This idea resonated with me, because my future aspirations are to protect human rights and solve crises all over the world. This quote is a perfect representation of the heart and soul behind nonprofit missions, and I intend on taking this mantra and applying it globally.

I worked as an AmeriCorps member for OKCNP for two years. As a program assistant, I was responsible for training implementation in the programs department. Through this experience, I received an in-depth look at nonprofits and how they work, as well as a broad look at the sector as a whole. I learned from every nonprofit that entered our workshops, and gained connections as well as lifelong friends. I was nominated for NextGen by a co-worker from OKCNP, and I feel that this position has prepared me for my future career. I am currently a graduate student at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. I am studying Conflict Resolution and Humanitarian Studies, which will give me the tools I need to succeed in my future career. I intend to do international nonprofit work upon graduation, and I am grateful for the foundation I built at OKCNP. I learned much about the importance of nonprofit work, and I believe in the missions that lead them; this is one of many reasons why I am proud of what I have accomplished at OKCNP.

As a 2018 NextGen winner in the Nonprofit category, I am honored OKCNP recognized my work and pushed my nomination forward. I appreciate the opportunities this award has afforded me. I value the time I’ve spent at OKCNP, and I have applied many of the skills I learned in my studies. These last few months, I’ve helped with conferences led by our school, and I am on the planning committee for a conference this fall. I look forward to applying all that I’ve learned in my future career, working for the good of humanity.

To learn more about AmeriCorps Oklahoma visit https://www.okamericorps.com/
To nominate someone for a NextGen award visit https://nextgenunder30.com/nominations/