Kennesaw State Grad Helps Make-A-Wish Serve Ill Children

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Dec 15, 2021

Kennesaw State grad helps Make-A-Wish serve ill children

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Dec 15, 2021) — Kennesaw State University senior Ashley Francis has always considered herself a helper.
Knowing that about herself, she planned to become a nurse, but later decided she could
help more people through a career in human services.

This week, she is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in human services focused on nonprofit leadership and social innovation. And she’ll keep using those
skills in community events with Make-A-Wish Georgia, where she worked as an intern
this year.

“I found that I liked being a part of a large nonprofit organization where I got to
plan community events and show potential supporters that we are a charity worthy of
support,” said Francis. “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to continue my work
with them.”

Francis said the education and experiences she received in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services has prepared her well for the opportunity awaiting her after graduation.

During her junior year, she took a class in grant writing that involved making a fundraising
pitch for Cobb County nonprofit Kidz2Leaders, an organization in Marietta dedicated
to ending the cycle of generational incarceration. Francis and her team won $15,000
for Kidz2Leaders in the annual SPARK Competition conducted by United Way.

“The College and my program did a really good job of giving us real life experiences
and not just doing classroom simulations,” Francis said. “It was such a cool thing
to write a grant from start to finish. I was so passionate about my group and our
mission that I truly realized this is what I want to do.”

In addition to Kidz2Leaders, Francis demonstrated her leadership skills as president
of the KSU chapter of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, through which she earned
a $2,000 scholarship and a paid internship. She also served as president of Alpha
Xi Delta sorority and interned at Communities in Schools of Cobb-Marietta, where she
helped K-12 students stay on track toward graduation.

“I knew I wanted to help people, but through my studies and the experiences I have
had, I realized that I also want to change lives and be an advocate,” she said. “The
human services program turned out to be my calling.”

– Dave ShellesPhotos by Jason Getz

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.