WMU wins a place on national humanics advisory board
Jan. 27, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University student Colleen Kurmas is one of only five students nationwide to be selected for the 2003 American Humanics Management Institute Advisory Council.
Working closely with the American Humanics certification program, the American Humanics Management Institute is designed to prepare and train students who are planning careers in the nonprofit arena.
During the organization's annual conference held in January, universities are invited to nominate one student to apply for a position on the national advisory council. During this year's conference in Las Vegas, Kurmas, of Sterling Heights, Mich., was among five students who were chosen from a pool of more than 65 candidates, representing the nation's finest universities.
Kurmas, who is the volunteer coordinator of WMU's American Humanics Student Association, attended the conference to fulfill certification requirements, which include membership in the American Humanics Student Association, completion of a 300-hour internship, attendance at one American Humanics Management Institute conference and successful completion of three humanics classes.
The certification program at WMU is geared toward anyone interested in working for a nonprofit agency or organization. "The program enrolls students with many different backgrounds, including communication, social work and education. It prepares students for writing grant proposals and other situations they will encounter in nonprofits, which can be very different from those found in the corporate world," says Kurmas, a senior majoring in interpersonal communication and creative writing.
Kurmas is the daughter of Kathleen Crowell, also of Sterling Heights, Mich.
Media contact: Tonya Hernandez, 269 387-8400, tonya.hernandez@wmich.edu