A Career in Community Service

ALLISON

“Mission driven is working for organizations that have a purpose you can stand behind and believe in,” explained James. “At Girls Inc. of Worcester, we inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Every decision I make, I do with that mission in mind.”

James’s commitment to service was nurtured during her time at Assumption, where her education and psychology classes inspired her to pursue a career working with youth in a nonprofit setting. “I knew through these classes that working in a classroom setting was not something I was going to do, but my passion for supporting youth in a positive way was a direction I wanted to go in my career,” she said.

Girls Inc. serves 1,000 girls each year, 66 percent of whom are from low- to moderate-income households and more than 70 percent of whom are girls of color. According to James, the organization provides programming for girls to keep them healthy, both physically and mentally, and to make them strong; exposes them to STEM programs and utilizes the organization’s new technology center to support their academic success; and encourages them to be bold with programs that inspire independence, violence prevention, and economic empowerment.

“I learn more from the girls I work with at Girls Inc. than they do from me,” said James. “They inspire me to be stronger, smarter, and bolder every day.”

The organization’s enduring mission and providing these services for girls among the city’s most vulnerable populations during the pandemic allowed James’s liberal arts education to shine. Not only did she keep Girls Inc. on track with its strategic plan and conclude its capital renovations during the hard months of the pandemic, but, more importantly, she kept it fully operational, providing a safe space for girls to learn. For her extraordinary efforts, James was recognized by the Worcester Business Journal in its “40 Under Forty” list this past fall.

“The greatest challenge during the pandemic was planning for the unknown,” said James, who was the COVID-19 manager for the organization, a responsibility she took very seriously, leading with the safety of the girls and staff as the highest priority. “The greatest success was adapting our programs to support the current needs of the girls and families. We reduced our costs and offered a full-day learning hub when the schools were closed. This not only gave the girls a place to learn but allowed parents to work.”

James credits her education and experiences while at Assumption for preparing her for success. “With the liberal arts education, I learned to problem solve effectively, think broadly, and do all of this with a desire to give back to the community,” she said, adding that her time studying abroad in Ireland “fostered more independence and a new view of the world.”

James not only gives to the youth at Girls Inc., but collaborates with other nonprofits in the city, particularly with the Worcester Together group, which was formed during the pandemic, and as a member of the 2021 Leadership Worcester Class.

“I could not see myself in a career outside of the nonprofit realm,” she affirmed. “I incorporate the Assumption mission in my career choices and in my personal volunteer and philanthropic choices. It is important to me that I work for organizations that are doing good work and supporting youth and families in a variety of ways.”