FTG 0013 - The Power of Philanthropy: A #GivingTuesday Chat with Penn State's Tina Flint Hennessey '93

Guest Bio:

Tina Flint Hennessey ’93 Com is an Assistant Vice President for University Development at Penn State where she oversees alumni relations and development work at 14 of the University's Colleges, Campuses and other units, including the Schreyer Honors College. Before returning to her alma mater in 2009, Tina worked first as a newspaper reporter and editor for 10 years, transitioning to higher education fundraising, holding positions at Arcadia University and Montgomery County Community College, both in suburban Philadelphia. Tina earned a BA in journalism with Honors in 1993. She earned her MBA from Arcadia University in 2007. She is happy to discuss fundraising or her beekeeping hobby. Feel free to connect on LinkedIn.

Episode Specifics:

In our conversation, Tina provides insight through her story on topics like:

· Choosing to start at a Commonwealth Campus close to home

· The value of starting in the College as a second- or third-year student at Penn State

· Using your involvement in campus organizations as professional preparation

· Leveraging your thesis in job interviews

· Identifying what you are good at that can be a transferrable skill, like writing

· Recognizing the signs when you need to make a career or industry change – even lateral or backstep moves

· What major gift officers are and what they do for organizations like Penn State

· Saying “no” to focus on honing your skills and learning all parts of a work unit

· Balancing leadership and technical responsibilities as you move up in an organization

· How to tackle the challenge of being a leader of disparate teams

· Fostering environments for leadership to grow without formal titles

· How an MBA is helpful working in a non-profit & higher education setting

· How and why Scholars could get into fundraising and university advancement work

· Approaching mentorship as a mentor and mentee

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Schreyer Honors College Links: 

Website 

Facebook 

Instagram 

LinkedIn 

Upcoming Events 

Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment! 

Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer 

Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars 

Join the Penn State Alumni Association 

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Credits & Notes:

This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer). 

The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer. 

The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License. 

The theme music is “Conquest” by Geovane Bruno, accessed via Pixabay and used under Creative Commons License.