University Of Texas At Dallas: TI Fellowship Turning Comets Into Tomorrow's Nonprofit Leaders

Coppell TX

23 April, 2022

6:43 PM

Description

Press release from University of Texas at Dallas: Daniel Steele April 22, 2022 Throughout her life, Sreoshi Chowdhury BS'21 has devoted her academic and volunteer work to serve others. Now, as the fourth Texas Instruments Founders Leadership Fellow at The University of Texas at Dallas, she is gaining intensive experience in nonprofit management and fundraising operations to prepare her for the next step in her career. "Even though my background is in a STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] field, my passion lies in nonprofits," said Chowdhury, who began the fellowship while completing her degree in psychology and speech, language, and hearing sciences in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. "I've seen that passion across all the teams I've worked with at UT Dallas. They are incredible people, and they really care about the University." The yearlong Texas Instruments Founders Leadership Fellows program, made possible by a gift from the Texas Instruments Foundation in 2018, trains Comets for careers in the nonprofit sector as they work in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. The three previous fellows — Archie Nettles BS'11, MPA'18, Jessica Howell BA'19 and Tiffany Page Carter BA'21 — now work full time in the nonprofit and public sectors. "I've had the opportunity to manage this program for the last five years, and I'm incredibly pleased to see how it's helping forge career pathways for new nonprofit leaders in North Texas," said Julie Piccirillo, senior director of corporate and foundation relations at UT Dallas. "This program's principal goal is to encourage talented individuals to explore and join the nonprofit workforce. With supportive mentoring and comprehensive training, we aim to produce well-rounded, empathetic and committed servant leaders who will elevate their chosen fields and serve their communities," Piccirillo said. As a student, Chowdhury was president of the UT Dallas chapter of Pratham, which helps provide children in India with access to quality educational opportunities, and a member of Wishmakers at UTD, a student group that supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. She also has worked as a medical scribe, pharmacy technician, behavioral technician, hospice bereavement coordinator and hospital volunteer. As a TI Fellow, Chowdhury, who plans to pursue a master's degree in psychology in the fall, has taken on responsibility for several projects, including grant submissions, and served as a volunteer leader during Comets Giving Days. Her experiences as a fellow have given Chowdhury a behind-the-scenes look at the factors that have contributed to UT Dallas' rapid growth. "As a student you really don't get to see these things, and it took me a while to realize that these buildings and programs don't just appear," she said. "I've gotten to see where that money comes from, who our donors are, how to build the relationships we need to make all this possible. All these things are truly important." Supported by one of the University's most important philanthropic partners in Texas Instruments, the program is paying forward its benefit to the UT Dallas community. "I could not be prouder of Archie, Jessi, Tiffany and Sreoshi for their hard work and dedication," Piccirillo said. "I can't wait to see how the next five years unfolds for them and this wonderful program." This press release was produced by University of Texas at Dallas. The views expressed here are the author's own.