From growing up in Madison, to attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Danielle Wendricks knew that her future career was meant to be rooted in community.
Wendricks quickly fell in love with community engagement through her studies in community and nonprofit leadership alongside history—which initially drew her to the Morgridge Center and its programs. Throughout her undergraduate years, she was a Badger Volunteer, peer advisor, Community-based Learning (CBL) intern and worked at the South Madison Partnership during her senior year.
The vast variety of community engagement experiences provided her with a strong drive to assist vulnerable communities beyond her time at UW-Madison.
“It helped me realize that people want to help others in tangible ways,” says Wendricks. “And it’s okay to ask for help.”
While at the Morgridge Center, Wendricks developed several strong relationships that have been preserved since graduation, including a friendship that has traveled with her all the way to the East Coast. Her current roommate, another former Morgridge Center intern, is a big part of why Wendricks’ larger takeaway has been the importance of creating community.
“I’ve met a lot of really amazing people that I continue to see every day, and so that, I think, also shows me the power of long-standing community,” says Wendricks.
Upon graduation, Wendricks felt a strong draw to New York City. She began making arrangements to work within the nonprofit sector to gain experience, while also living out her East Coast dreams. Her first position out of college came from a single phone call to a local organization called Health Advocates for Older People.
While inquiring about their need for volunteers, Wendricks was offered a full-time role as the company had been struggling with limited employees and the overwhelming uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the effects of the pandemic began to subside, Wendricks enrolled at New York University (NYU) in the master’s of social work program, sparking a return to assist college students and work in higher education.Her first position with NYU was as a college advisor in the city’s public schools, a position that aligned with many of the tasks she encountered as a peer advisor. She credits the Morgridge Center with the ability to communicate well with others, gain new ideas through open collaboration and improve interviewing skills.
“I like working with people, and to no surprise, I stayed working in higher education,” says Wendricks.
Receiving her master’s this spring, Wendricks’ commitment to community is never-ending. Her main ambition for the future includes helping all people find a career or a purpose as fulfilling as her own.
“I want to continue doing meaningful work, and I want to help other people find meaningful work,” says Wendricks.