Alumni Volunteer Spotlights
Click on the volunteer's name below to read their full spotlight
BANC has been a great experience. I plan to continue working with BANC and will be a project leader in the upcoming round of projects. As rewarding as it has been to simply apply my skills and knowledge for a useful cause, it has also given me fun and opened opportunities for direct experience in areas that I was unfamiliar with.
My experience was so gratifying and worthwhile that I joined the BANC Operating Board as a Co-chair of the Operations Committee. I encourage anyone who is looking to leverage their background and skill set in a philanthropic way to consider volunteering for BANC. It is a great way to network, to learn and to give back.
I’ve craved having the time to give back (other than with donations) and liked the project work most for this reason. I enjoyed my first project so much that I applied for the most recent round and am now starting my second project. My advice to Booth alumni considering a BANC project is try it! The time investment is modest. The benefit to the non-profit is enormous and the connection with colleagues is energizing.
When I decided to apply to BANC, I was focused on the impact I was going to help deliver to the nonprofit. There aren’t many volunteer opportunities out there that allow you to get deep with a well-defined scope to create a big impact but over a short time frame. Getting to know, work with, and learn from so many talented Booth alumni with such a breadth of professional backgrounds and skillsets has been the most enjoyable part of BANC for me.
I have been very active on BANC’s Steering Committee. Working with very talented cohorts, I had been quite removed from Booth, but the fellow alumni I have met over the past few years instilled a greater pride in the school I attended so long ago. I highly recommend BANC to all alumni interested in helping to make a difference and expanding their professional contacts and Chicago Booth relationships.
BANC projects provide opportunities to gain experience in another area of the business and at the same time help nonprofits make a positive impact to our community. If you're still on the fence, just give it a try. Chances are, you'll enjoy working on a BANC project and wonder why you didn't volunteer sooner.
I highly encourage anyone looking for a great community service experience to join a BANC team. There are lots of opportunities for volunteer work, however BANC is unique in that it allows you to use your talents in a meaningful way. The projects are short-term but your impact on these organizations can provide ongoing value for years to come. The bonus is to discover the reward of connecting and working with other Booth alumni from different industries and classes.
One thing I did not expect when I first participated was to be so blown away by the contributions of my team members from both projects. Everyone provided ideas, did the work, and helped to provide stellar products. I would advise anyone interested in giving back, working with other Booth alumni from different years and with different expertise, and learning about interesting and impactful Chicago non profit organizations to try one project. I guarantee you will come back for more!
While our work was well received by the client, the BANC team was concerned about the organization's ability to absorb and act on our recommendations. Working alongside Booth alumni, engaging intellectually and debating with the team was truly the highlight of the experience. I would definitely engage in future projects and recommend BANC as an avenue for skills-based volunteering, which is often more satisfying than many other volunteer opportunities.
I really enjoyed working with my BANC team in the post pandemic environment (remote). Though the youngest in the team, I was an equal contributor to the group and brought in my expertise around data gathering from social media and general data analysis. BANC is a unique avenue to give back to our communities beyond the traditional means. It has allowed me to explore and contribute to organizations and causes that might otherwise not have been on my radar.
If you are on the fence about applying for a BANC project, I would highly recommend you do it. I have found that so many skills from the corporate world are transferable to the nonprofit world. Both sectors are trying to do similar things, just approaching it a little differently for obvious reasons; the framework & methodologies are just as applicable. I have a ton of respect and gratitude for BANC and the opportunities they give to others and unique contributions they make to nonprofits here in the Chicago area.
BANC fulfills a need for connections, to give back and to grow in confidence. Here’s the data to prove it: Despite everything that we all juggle, as many as 25% percent of BANC alums re-up for another project. Several serve on boards of nonprofits. As an entrepreneur, I have a lot on my plate every day now. And it all started with Judy, Gayle, and the promise of brain food at BANC.
I have found it very rewarding to apply my analytical skills to benefit BANC’s nonprofit clients. And I haven’t stopped. Since my first BANC project for Court Theater, I led projects for Prevent Blindness, One Million Degrees, and IMD Guest House. As a current member of BANC’s steering committee, I’ve been part of a small task force working on a strategic plan for the organization. For me one of the best things about BANC is learning about the workings of our nonprofit clients and their specific sectors.
I sought out BANC to fill a void and desire to give back. To apply what I’ve learned in decades of healthcare and B2B analytics marketing to a nonprofit organization that was doing good in the world. What I completely underestimated was how much the experience would give back to me, connecting with Booth alum to bringing back so many elements of what I loved being a Booth student: the challenge of lightning speed learning, critical thinking and dialog across a team with varied experience and perspective. If you’re thinking about participating in a BANC project, don’t wait!