Social Impact Fuels Career Growth

Helping people is a mainstay for anything Alexis Barbalace puts her mind to. This drive began when she was a member of Alpha Phi Omega while earning her theater and communications undergraduate degree from Christopher Newport University.

Although it may seem to be a small act of kindness, putting a smile on someone’s face can have a huge impact on turning a frown upside down. So when she landed her dream jobs as a performer at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Nickelodeon, Alexis began her career path to making today’s world a little brighter.

Unfortunately, disaster stuck when she injured herself during a show, which meant it was time to adjust her career aspirations. Not willing to give up her passion in helping people, Alexis found satisfaction in moving into the nonprofit sector. Her first gig was as a marketing and events coordinator at Montgomery Housing Partnership (Silver Spring, Md.). As anyone working at a nonprofit will tell you, responsibilities are not limited to just your title—you wear multiple hats.

“As a fundraiser, you need to know marketing data, digest analytics and know how to make your work palatable for your audience,” Alexis says. “Communication and marketing go hand-in-hand.”

To be sure, whether it was focusing on community outreach and donor engagement, putting creative chops to work on print and digital communications, or managing social media platforms and digital campaigns, Alexis was fully entrenched in all things marketing. But without the foundational knowledge, she started her search for masters-level courses without the time and financial commitment needed for an actual master’s degree.

And this is how you found our marketing certificate. Why did you choose our certificate program? What were you looking to achieve?

I was Googling master-level classes that didn't have to be a part of a master’s degree program. UC Berkeley Extension came up as one of those options. It was the more affordable option, was only five to six courses and would give me the tools I needed to succeed in my job without worrying about investing in an entire master’s program.

It offered great flexibility to fit into my schedule even though I was on the East Coast. I also needed fully remote courses due to living in a very rural community for my husband's work; I was commuting an hour-and-a-half one way to my nonprofit at the time. This was before COVID, when it was a bit more forward-thinking to offer online access to classes. Because I live on the East Coast, I needed that flexibility. I had one class from 8 to 10 pm, but it was worth it!

The certificate would give me the tools I needed to succeed in my job without worrying about investing in an entire master’s program.

That just speaks to your commitment! What was your experience going through the certificate?

My instructors were very helpful and the students had diverse backgrounds and stories as to why they were seeking this certificate. I met a few nonprofit-based students and we would bounce benchmarks off each other.

I was working full time when taking the courses and liked that I had up to five years to complete the program—I could take my time and not put extra stress on myself or worry about not being able to perform well at my job.

I had several promotions during the five years while taking and applying my knowledge from my courses. At Lowcountry Food Bank, I started as a marketing manager of strategic initiatives, then annual giving officer, then development officer and now I’m a major gift officer.

I have been at this nonprofit for nearly seven years. I believe strongly in our mission and will continue to excel and grow in my experiences here. I am very fortunate to see continued growth in my career at my organization. I hope to continue to help my team members grow programs that I am no longer in charge of using the knowledge I learned while they continue to apply that knowledge so that we are sustainable for years to come. 

I had several promotions during the five years while taking and applying my knowledge from my courses.

Congratulations on the promotions! Any examples you can provide on putting lessons learned in class to your work?

Yes! I started an online campaign program for my current nonprofit, which by its third year had annually raised more than half-a-million dollars for the organization. It now equals or surpasses our direct-mail program. I use my marketing certificate daily in figuring out what makes a donor passionate about our cause and how we can partner together to support our community.

Our team still uses my templates and data to make informed decisions about what emails appeal to our supporters.

The application of what I learned has been vital in my day-to-day roles.

What does earning this certificate mean to you?

I knew I needed to further my education and this certificate allowed me to get the most up-to-date information on marketing. The application of what I learned has been vital in my day-to-day roles.

What advice would you give to a student who is starting the certificate? 

Focus on your capacity and flexibility. Once you discover how much time you can dedicate to this certificate, take as few or as many classes as you want at a time.

There were options of a few different courses in the certificate that were added in the middle of my program. I enjoyed this and it allowed me to take classes that I was more interested in and could be applied to my job.

This coursework can be a springboard to a new career start and it allows you to  advocate for yourself and explain the depth of knowledge you have gained from the experience.