Nancy Sowders, Prospect Research Analyst, Kenyon College

What was your first job?

I worked summers during college at Star Island Conference Center, which is located on an island 7 miles off the coast of NH and Maine. Around 90 college kids staff the hotel and other buildings with jobs ranging from housekeeping to carpentry workers. Each week staffers entertain the conferees with a talent show. 

What’s your favorite thing about what you do or where you work? 

I like discovering and bringing information to our development officers that help them make a connection with a possible donor or volunteer. It's a whole team effort and it's great to know I had an important part when the team gets a WIN!

What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation? 

Budgeting and saving money by running your home like a business. We are so busy these days that we forget to take the time to plan a household budget – and stick to it! If we implement routine maintenance for our homes (appliances, HVAC, roof, etc.) and our vehicles we're not constantly playing $$ defense when a disaster hits. So many people don't save or save enough, for retirement, too. We need to bring the goal-setting tools, tips, and tricks we use to streamline our work lives into our home lives.  (Hmmm, apparently I could go on and on and on.)

Where’s the next place on your travel bucket list and why? 

I want to visit all the lighthouses on the eastern seaboard. I plan to climb to the top of the lighthouse observation decks in as many as possible.  I climbed the 219 steps of the St. Augustine lighthouse last year – whew! America's early maritime history is found in the stories of our many lighthouses. And, well, they're all by the ocean – who doesn't love that?!