Seven local non-profit professionals entertained questions and explained their jobs to SMU students at Wednesday’s Career Center brown bag lunch featuring careers in non-profits.

The featured professionals included SMU graduates Casey Wetz of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Amy Taylor of TACA (The Arts Community Alliance) and SMU wellness professor Mandy Golman of Girls In Motion. The panel members also included two directors from Contact Crisis, an IT director for Baylor Healthcare and fundraising head for Buckner International.

The session began with each of the panelists briefly describing their current jobs and the paths they took to get there. Positions ranged from director of development to CEO to fundraising director.

Casey Wetz of Make-A-Wish explained her company’s mission to give terminally ill children the chance to have their wish granted. She produced a laugh as she said she would willingly volunteer to accompany a child on his or her wish to meet Johnny Depp.

Thomas Hutter of Contact Crisis explained how he relinquished his job in corporate America to work for a non-profit organization: “I’ve been in the business world most of my life, but found it really empty.” His sentiments were echoed by his colleague Caroline Boyd who said, “I wanted to do something I was passionate about.”

After each of the panelists explained their positions, they took questions from the students. One student in attendance inquired after whether these companies valued education or experience more highly when interviewing potential employees.

Golman of Girls in Motion said that it depends entirely on the circumstances: “Your masters may get you your first job, but it depends on specific skills.” Wetz agreed but added that her company and most non-profits reach out first for volunteers and interns “because you know that they care.”

Other questions addressed included the importance and availability of volunteers and what special challenges encountered in the non-profit field were as opposed to other types of businesses.

Les Swanson of Baylor Healthcare emphasized the impact of the economy on the non-profit industry as one of its particular challenges when he talked about the dependence of non-profits on funding and the scarcity of that funding when the economy is doing poorly.

The panel was concluded by a response to a question posed concerning the different environment encountered in non-profit companies. Jill Varnell, of Buckner International, spoke of the strong, inner motivation employees in non-profits have.

Of her particular job she said, “I know that children are starving all over the world, so I want to get out there everyday and do something about it.”

Her sentiment was echoed by all of the panelists; according to them, the non-profit industry requires a passion for the cause of your company and the vision and desire to make a difference.