Finding Value in Her Values: Maia Blankenship and College Summit
By Net Impact
Maia Blankenship graduated with her MBA from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 2004. Having worked in management consulting with Ernst & Young prior to business school and establishing a nonprofit focused on entrepreneurship education; Maia’s goal was to follow her passion for community, empowerment and education by transitioning into the nonprofit sector.
Finding Her Focus
Maia took advantage of her first year at UNC to thoroughly explore the various opportunities her MBA program exposed her to. “Net Impact was the guiding force for me and my exploration, I chose to intern within the corporate sector that first year to put my new skills to test.” Through this initial exploration Maia was able to enter her second year very focused on a career in education reform with a nonprofit organization that would value the business skills she gained pursuing an MBA.
Following Her Interests
Maia focused on leveraging her network and the Net Impact community to pursue opportunities with organizations such as the New Teacher Project, Teach for America, and College Summit. She quickly found her fit in education reform as a Special Project Manager at College Summit. Maia now serves as the Director of National Partnerships and Investments at College Summit, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the college enrollment rate of low-income students across the country. In her role, she is responsible for building and maintaining College Summit’s relationships with both national foundations and private investors. In addition, Maia directly manages the organization’s “Proof Fund” (a $15 million growth capital investment) raised in 2005 from ten individual donors over the next four years.
Beyond the Office
Maia carries out her values in both her work and her personal life as she in an active leader of the Washington DC Professional Chapter Net Impact Leadership Team. Her work with College Summit is both challenging and rewarding, which energizes her to remain involved outside of her career focus as well. She volunteers regularly as a member of the National Urban League and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She also serves as financial literacy coach with Operation Hope. For others who are seeking to join their values and career path Maia recommends focusing on the issues that are most important to you by identifying and building relationships with experts in that industry or field. Professional mentors help you explore options and determine how to best leverage your skills to pursue your career interests.
Net Impact strives to improve the world by growing and strengthening a network of new leaders who are using the power of business to make a positive net social, environmental, and economic impact. With more than 125 student and professional chapters on 4 continents in 75 cities and 80 graduate schools, a central office in San Francisco, and partnerships with leading for and nonprofit organizations, Net Impact enables members to use business for social good in their graduate education, careers, and communities.