HDO 301 | Third Blog Entry

As my time as an undergraduate draws to an end, I have begun to ask myself where I will be in the next five to ten years. After becoming a Human Dimensions of Organization (HDO) major this past semester, I have been able to self-reflect and figure out what my future career path looks like. This semester I was accepted into the ADV 320 course, advertising for non-profit organizations. It has without a doubt been one of the most helpful courses in my three years at UT and has been a major contributor in deciding where I want to be moving forward.

            The course was comprised of case analyses and a final project. The end-of-year project required us to work with an organization and help them re-brand and further develop their business. I worked with the National Organization of Women Austin chapter to help provide them with an outline to expand their organization. I, along with a few of my classmates, conducted market research, interviewed potential members, and devised a business plan.

            After presenting what I spent months working on to the NOW chapter founder, I was ecstatic. I loved the feeling of helping a local organization and having my ideas be truly heard. The founder made note of each of the strategies we pitched and seemed to have every intention of implementing them. In that moment I was able to picture myself doing this every day in a professional setting. Being an HDO major has given me the skillset to understand my client and their motivations. Using this I can combine it with my passion for advertising and communications to have a career in marketing.

            Through analyzing cases each and every week I was able to think outside the box and curate solutions to problems that were unconventional. Each week I was tasked with communicating to my class what I had discovered. Afterwards there was a facilitated discussion where the entire class compared and contrasted ideas. In the end we would settle on a few things the company or organization could utilize to make their non-profit stronger.  Being able to sound board off of my peers definitely made me step away from traditional answers and take more creative approaches. Mandatory participation made me better prepared and I worked really hard to make my answers well-thought out.

            I loved the challenge of stepping outside my comfort zone and the vulnerability of throwing out ideas that I created. I have also had to learn to be open to criticisms and use that to my own advantage. It is for this reason that I applied to the bridging disciplines minor that will allow me to take even more courses tailored to my interests. I believe non-profits and social change will be great in developing positive connections for the future, due to the fact that I am required to complete two research projects with an organization of my choosing. I am thankful for the experience I have gained, and I can’t wait to see how it translates into my life years from now.