Emily (Lowndes) Prauner
December 25, 2018
Emily (Lowndes) Prauner (2018)
Emily (Lowndes) Prauner seeks to live each day with gratitude, to be a lifelong learner, and to be a catalyst for connectedness in her community. Emily is passionate about the nonprofit sector, hiking in national parks, and working on 1,000+ piece puzzles. One day, Emily hopes to open a B&B in the mountains. When she is not fundraising for Habitat Omaha, you can find Emily working on house projects with her husband Seth or reading books with her 2.5 year old nephew. She hopes to adopt a dog early next year.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
I graduated Truman with a BA in Public Communication and minor in Environmental Studies in May 2012.
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
Like many Truman students, I fell into the trap of wanting to try everything!
Emily (left), Andrew, Carrie on their last day of classes (2012).
Not knowing it at the time, but joining Alpha Phi Omega (APO) co-ed fraternity as a first semester freshman at Truman turned out to be significant to my career journey. The mentorship I received and the leadership opportunities I stepped into helped shape my personality and long-term goals. By getting extremely involved in APO as a student led me to an internship at the national office of the organization and ultimately, to my first job after college graduation.
Seeking to fuel my competitive nature, I joined the women’s club rugby team (go Bullets!) and played for all four years. Being part of this team was an empowering experience. It helped me realize that everything worth accomplishing is better when done with others. Some of my best friends on earth were formed on the pitch!
As a Truman Student Ambassador, I had the opportunity to lead prospective students and their families on campus tours. It was truly an honor to represent the University and share my love for Truman with others.
The Communication Department offered many opportunities to learn outside the classroom. I was fortunate to work with Dr. Clark as a student facilitator in her Mass Communication course. I learned to tighten my writing while working on news stories with fellow communication student Carrie Nelson (Editor’s note – Carrie has agreed to be in our spotlight in the near future) for the student radio station, KTRM. I also had the pleasure of serving on the Lambda Pi Eta board and planning Communication Week activities.
What was your first job after graduation? Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
After graduating from Truman, I moved to Independence, MO to start my first job as a chapter consultant with Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. I traveled the country for nearly two years, creating and facilitating leadership development workshops and evaluating community service programs. I worked with students and campus administrators at 75 existing college campus chapters and expanded the organization to eight new campuses. It was very exciting to explore the country for work, though I do not miss living out of my suitcase!
At the conclusion of my consultant commitment, I was offered the opportunity to stay on staff and develop a brand new position at the APO national office, focusing on chapter growth and improvement. Accepting that job offer opened my eyes to the possibility of a career in nonprofit work.
While working full time at the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity office in Independence, I earned my Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. I was inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Societies at UMKC for outstanding scholarship and leadership, and I credit the work ethic I developed during my time at Truman for my academic success.
I love learning, so I always assumed I would go back to school one day, even if I didn’t have a clear picture of what I would study after I graduated from Truman. The break between undergraduate coursework and starting my masters allowed me time to find the right path.
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
Emily (left) promoting Habitat during the Omaha Gives campaign (2018).
I have always been passionate about community engagement and volunteerism, so nonprofit management is a natural fit. I have assumed the roles of program manager and volunteer coordinator prior to my current role in fund development.
I am currently a development officer at Habitat for Humanity Omaha. I moved back to my hometown of Omaha, NE after nearly five years of working in the Kansas City area post-Truman graduation. Being back in Omaha ten years later has certainly been an adjustment, but it has been rewarding to establish new roots in a familiar place.
At Habitat Omaha, I am fortunate to work on a team that develops meaningful relationships with our community partners and engages new partners to advocate for Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Bringing people and organizations together to use their strengths to contribute to a more equitable and accessible community is my ultimate career goal. I love being an ambassador of the mission to donors and volunteers, and encourage them to advocate for Habitat in their personal communities.
Outside of the office, I sit on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Omaha. I work to enhance the reputation of local nonprofit organizations and the credibility of nonprofit staff through events, membership expansion, and professional development experiences. Connecting members (nonprofit professionals) with engagement opportunities is a privilege.
I also sit as an advisory board member of the Business Ethics Alliance Emerging Leaders. Our group hosts monthly educational programming featuring ethical conversations and intentional networking opportunities with dozens of local CEOs and Executives Directors. Our goal is to learn from senior leaders’ experiences so that one day, we as young professionals can be the ethical leaders in the boardroom, C suite, and at every management level in a company.
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
The beauty of a Communication and Liberal Arts degree is that it is blank canvas – the possibilities are truly endless. I never would have imagined I would end up in fundraising (although my mom is now saying “I told you so”), but the reality is, development is all about storytelling. Without knowing it, my professors at Truman prepared me for career in nonprofit management and the art of wearing many hats.
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
The class I didn’t truly appreciate until after Truman is Rhetorical Criticism with Dr. Cianciola. I am breaking the rules of this question because I actually really did like it – it made me think differently about how I describe a situation or how I present myself.
Words matter. In the light of our current political discourse, they may matter now more than ever to uplift the dignity of others and to suppress hate. I sometimes reflect on the lessons I learned in that class at Truman and am grateful I took it.
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
During my time as an officer of the Alpha Phi Omega-Epsilon Chapter, I organized an alternative spring break trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I led a group of 22 student volunteers, and we worked alongside National Park Service crew to clear trails for one week.
I have always loved National Parks, but that experience helped me develop a deep respect for those who protect our public lands. It also brought me one step closer to becoming my fictional idol, Leslie Knope!
I appreciate that APO and Truman allowed (and trusted!) me to put together a trip of that magnitude.
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
Emily (right) and Carrie at graduation (2012).
Truman takes pride in its academic excellence. I not-so-secretly love that Truman has the faux nickname “Harvard of the Midwest;” the vast majority of students I know (myself included) proclaim themselves as nerds. Truman is a great place to study because it celebrates and embraces the learners in all of us!
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
For an entire fall semester, I lived and studied with international students in Florence, Italy. During this time, I had the opportunity to explore Italian culture through language, photography, and cooking classes. It was a very eye-opening experience – I learned how to adapt to a new environment and gained a broader appreciation and understanding of other cultures.
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
Nonprofit work is exhausting – you want to do right by the clients you serve and the community who invests in your work, and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. There is always something new to learn, often with little time to do so. While it sometimes might feel like your hair is on fire, the best thing you can do is be genuine, authentic, passionate and curious. Those characteristics will serve you well as a nonprofit professional, especially in fundraising.
Coursework is a good foundation, but there is no substitute for job experiences, so learn as much as you can. Internships are a great resource to find out what you do (and don’t!) like to do.
Finally, to all those considering a job in the nonprofit sector, definitely read the Nonprofit AF blog by genius Vu Le.
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
There are so many things I miss about the Truman campus. The walkability, the quad in autumn, and the rugby pitch all come to mind. However, the place I truly miss most is Pickler Memorial Library. I have so many fond memories of late night study sessions (most with fellow COMM major student Carrie Nelson), especially while we were cramming for COMM Law or COMM Theory.
Emily and Carrie recalling their “studies” on social media.
What tag line would you create for the COMM department at Truman?
“Show, don’t tell!” Shout-out to Dr. Yaquinto!
I have learned that to truly communicate in a meaningful way and evoke an emotional response in others, you have to paint a picture with your words.
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
Culture Shock – Planting New Roots in Old Ground (title pending)
The transition back to my hometown of Omaha was much more difficult than I imagined it would be. After graduating high school and moving to Missouri, I honestly didn’t know if I would ever move back home. Ultimately, I am grateful I have, and while many times it was exciting, developing a new-old sense of identity was also challenging.
I would love to teach a class about honoring the experiences you have had in one place and incorporating them into your new story in another place.
What did we not ask that you think is important for people to know?
I am working with fellow Truman alumni to elevate the Truman Omaha Alumni Club events and recruit new members.
Emily (left front) & the Omaha Alumni chapter on a service day with Habitat ReStore (2018).
Also, in my role with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Omaha, I am working with the Nonprofit Associations of the Midlands to develop a mentorship pipeline for mid-level nonprofit professionals to connect with seasoned professionals in Omaha. More to come in 2019!
If you would like to learn more of Emily’s story, you can follow her on LinkedIn.