Just months after graduation, Barry alumna Alicia Caraballo is living the life of her dreams. An English major with a specialization in professional writing, Alicia has moved on to New York University’s prestigious graduate program, where she will earn her M.S. in Fundraising and Grantwriting in the spring of 2016. Her long-term goal is to work with non-profits in arts, education, and the environment, dedicating herself and her abilities to improving the world around her. For now, she says, “I am very excited to learn about American philanthropy and how I can use my writing skills to raise money and awareness in fields that I love.”
Alicia’s talents were always apparent during her time at Barry, where she explored the field of creative writing before finding her niche in professional communication. Courses like Multimedia Writing, Technical Communication, and Writing for the Internet provided her with opportunities to hone her rhetorical skills by composing for different audiences and purposes across numerous media platforms.
When it came time to consider her options after graduation, Alicia turned to her mentors, Prof. Andrea Greenbaum, PhD, and Prof. Kathryn Comer, PhD, for advice. Based on her passion for volunteering and aptitude for clear, persuasive prose, they encouraged her to investigate a career in grantwriting for non-profits.
With their support, Alicia achieved an impressive feat: In addition to her acceptance to NYU, she also landed a job with United Jewish Appeals Federation of New York, where she helps local community groups obtain funding for projects that help elders, the poor, and the mentally ill: “I feel blessed and lucky to have found a job in the non-profit sector, especially since I will be studying this.”
Not surprisingly, Alicia’s own words best summarize her experience: “I couldn't be happier than I am right now. I live in the city I've always wanted to live, I have a job in the field I am looking to focus my career on, I got into the graduate school of my dreams, and I am genuinely happy. I have Barry University to thank for so much of this, and I will be forever grateful and appreciative that I studied under such wonderful and intelligent, dedicated people.”
In turn, Barry can be proud of students like Alicia Caraballo, who personify and share the university’s mission—by living a Barry life.