UNC Career Center and The Graduate School are proud to host a Nonprofit & the Arts Symposium on Saturday, March 7, 2026. This event will bring together leaders and changemakers from across the nonprofit and arts sectors to share their insights and experiences with mission-driven work. Undergraduate and graduate students will have a unique opportunity to engage directly with professionals who are shaping the future of creative, community-focused work and explore how their own passions can align with meaningful careers.
“We are so excited to host our first symposium connecting Tar Heels with people who power nonprofits and the arts in our state. Both of these sectors are powerhouses of social and economic impact in our state, and offer an incredible depth of career paths,” said Julie Gaudet, Director of Employer Engagement with UNC Career Center. “Students will gain exposure to real-world examples of how arts and nonprofit work can create lasting change, and they’ll leave with practical tools to begin their own paths.”
WHAT: Nonprofit & the Arts Symposium
WHEN: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
WHERE: Steven D. Bell Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill
COST: Free
CLE ELIGIBLE
Breakfast & lunch provided by Med Deli
AGENDA
9:00 a.m. Arrive at Steven D. Bell Hall, Kenan-Flagler Business School
9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks
- Brian J. Rybarczyk, Associate Dean for Professional Development, The Graduate School
- Julie Gaudet, Director of Employer Engagement, UNC Career Center
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Panel Discussion: Career Pathways in the Nonprofit & Art World
Panelists:
Alison Friedman, Executive and Artistic Director, Carolina Performing Arts
Ms. Friedman is the Executive and Artistic Director of Carolina Performing Arts, the professional performing arts presenter at UNC-Chapel Hill. An internationally recognized arts leader, she curates innovative global programming while advancing the role of the arts in higher education. Her work bridges artistic excellence, social impact, and cross-cultural exchange.
Dr. Shandra Jones, Executive, Self Help Credit Union
Dr. Jones (PhD, MBA) is an executive leader at Self-Help Credit Union, a mission-driven financial institution dedicated to economic opportunity and community development. With expertise spanning finance, strategy, and equity-centered leadership, she brings a powerful perspective on how nonprofit and community-based organizations drive systemic change and expand access to resources.
Don Solomon, Vice President for Communications & Marketing, National Humanities Center
Mr. Solomon serves as Vice President at the National Humanities Center, the nation’s leading independent institute for advanced study in the humanities. He oversees programs that support scholars, educators, and public engagement initiatives, advancing the humanities’ role in shaping civic dialogue and cultural understanding.
Jill Straight, Assistant Director, Meals on Wheels
Ms. Straight is Assistant Director at Meals on Wheels of Durham, where she supports operations and community partnerships that ensure food access for older adults and neighbors in need. Her work reflects the vital role nonprofit professionals play in strengthening local communities through service, collaboration, and mission-driven leadership
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions (please choose one)
- Translating Your Skills for the Nonprofit & Arts Sectors (undergraduate student-focused)
Justin Golding, Assistant Director of Career Education, UNC Career Center
Carolyn Allmendinger, Interim Director and Director of Education and Interpretation, Ackland Art Museum - From Volunteer to Professional: Turning Service Experiences and Internships into Full-Time Nonprofit and Arts Careers (graduate student-focused)
Thomas Phillips, Senior Institutional Relations Officer, University Study Abroad Consortium
Daisey Samayoa, Program Manager, CORA Food Pantry
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:15 – 2 p.m. Breakout Sessions (please choose one)
- Translating Your Skills for the Nonprofit and Arts Sectors (graduate student-focused)
Representatives from The Graduate School @UNC-Chapel Hill
Stacy Ahua, Director of Strategic Partnerships, United Way - From Volunteer to Professional: Turning Service Experiences and Internships into Full-Time Nonprofit and Arts Careers (undergraduate student-focused)
Jacquelyn Gist, Assistant Director of Career Education, UNC Career Center
Caroline Cress, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Networking Mixer
How do I register?
Undergraduate registration: https://go.unc.edu/nonprofitundergrad
Graduate student registration: https://go.unc.edu/nonprofitgrad
Employer/nonprofit organization registration: https://apps2.research.unc.edu/events/index.cfm?event=events.go&key=CD3C
I’m a student at UNC, why should I attend?
Careers in nonprofits and the arts offer opportunities to blend creativity with purpose, allowing you to contribute to causes you care about while building sustainable, impactful careers. Come explore a broad range of careers, from arts administration to fundraising, advocacy, or program development. You’ll hear from alumni and professionals working in nonprofits and the arts around North Carolina about how success doesn’t have to mean choosing between passion and practicality—you can have both.
And if you still need CLE credits, this event is CLE eligible!
I represent a nonprofit organization, why should we participate?
Tar Heels are driven, talented, and passionate about their community. By helping to inspire students to pursue careers in nonprofits and the arts, you can fuel the next wave of bold, mission‑driven innovators.
Join us on March 7, 2026 for the Nonprofit & the Arts Symposium. Discover how creativity meets purpose, connect with inspiring leaders, and explore careers that make a difference.
The Nonprofit & the Arts Symposium is funded by the London Non-Profit Student Experience Endowment, to provide experience and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to gain a greater understanding of the nonprofit sector.
Art & culture is part of how we build community and bring about change.
— Barack Obama
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
— Jane Goodall
