Whitney Sandusky is the senior recruiter and talent acquisition manager at FNBO. She currently serves as the chair of Champions for College Possible, an affiliate board made up of young professionals who are helping to support College Possible initiatives, increase awareness and visibility of College Possible in the community, and engage a younger constituency with the organization. Continue reading to learn more about Whitney and her Champion’s experience.
I have always loved to serve my community. As a teenager, I would volunteer all the time, and when I give my time, I give it my all. After being introduced to College Possible while participating in a career panel, I knew I would love to participate and help the organization. Still, I always left wondering what more I could do to help. How can I be a benefit to the organization? With the relaunch of Champions, I knew it would be an excellent fit to mix my passions and give back to my community.
During my time as an undergrad at Eastern Kentucky University, I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. I finally graduated with a degree in general business before receiving my master’s degree in adult and higher education from Morehead State University. With my experience in higher education, from administration to recruiting, I knew serving on the Champion’s board as a leader would be a good fit for me.
As we work to relaunch and rebuild Champions, my goal is to set the foundation under our feet for years to come. Once the foundation is placed, we can meet any future goals of supporting College Possible and its students. We strive to put on solid events for AmeriCorps members and students to show others what Champions is all about. I hope that our events expose them to a new vision for their college experience, career path or life goals.
Our first event of the year was a financial basics training panel we put together for AmeriCorps members Oct. 22. The panel consisted of Daniel Padilla with Lending Link, Karissa Jyles with Financial Beginnings Nebraska, and Dan Kline with FNBO. We also plan on having career panels at College Possible’s partner high schools and a mental health/self-care training for AmeriCorps coaches.
If you have a genuine passion for your community and helping students in the next phase of their lives, then Champions is the group for you. We are looking for committed and passionate individuals ready to help others expand their horizons and futures. Our group is made up of great people who will help you grow your network and work alongside you as you impact someone’s future along the way.
Champions for College Possible is led by our executive committee, which includes:
Vice-Chair, Mark Batt, deputy county attorney of Sarpy County; Treasurer, Juan Padilla, community development manager at Canopy South; and Secretary, Maddie Moore, mental health therapist of student counseling services for Creighton University and College Possible AmeriCorps alumna. Additional members include: Jacquelyn Peterson, small business specialist and talent solutions at LinkedIn; Brooke Geyer, nonprofit account director at LinkedIn; Catherine Bogacz, senior analyst at Kiewit Corporation; Beth Kalal, benefits coordinator at Triage; and Justin King, stockbroker at TD Ameritrade.
If you are interested in joining Champions, contact Allyson Triplett, College Possible Omaha’s donor relations manager and staff liaison of the group: ATriplett@CollegePossible.org.
