Meet Chloe Rekow, a 2013 Denison alum familiar with nonprofit work!
During her time at Denison, Chloe majored in both Communications and Spanish. Her academic disciplines, in her own words, “offered me a variety of diverse courses and unique experiences that prepared me for life after college.” Outside of academics, she was also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and played a leading role in establishing the Business and Entrepreneurship Club. Within the Business and Entrepreneurship Club, Chloe especially enjoyed the ability to engage and collaborate with community members and outside organizations. Through this experience she experienced firsthand that, “business can be a more creative, innovative process.”
Chloe did not go immediately into graduate school following her graduation from Denison. She worked for a significant period of time with different organizations including a nonprofit called the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Peace Corps in Morocco, and Minnesota’s Second Harvest Heartland through AmeriCorps. Chloe decided to go to grad school in 2020 and she received her Masters in International Development from the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver earlier this year.
Both during and after finishing her program at the University of Denver, Chloe has served as the Volunteer Lead at Metro Caring, an anti-hunger nonprofit organization based in Denver. In describing her duties, Chloe says, “I manage volunteer shifts and ensure community members have access to healthy food options and local support services. In addition, I am also a digital marketing consultant providing social media management to local organizations and businesses.”
Looking ahead to December, Chloe will begin a new job with the State of Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration as a Strategic Marketing and Outreach Specialist. Within this position, she will, “Design and direct term-limited marketing campaigns on youth mental health, crisis services, 988, and Coloradans’ behavioral health concerns due to COVID.” Chloe has had ample experience in the nonprofit sector and will soon be employed in government within the State of Colorado. Nonprofit and government tend to overlap and often set up individuals to succeed in both types of work.
When discussing her career thus far, Chloe states, “All my professional experiences have really shaped me, but I would say my time at the Downtown Denver Partnership had the most impact.” Her first job out of Denison, Chloe immediately went from Granville to Denver to intern for the DDP. As an intern, she was based in the Marketing and Communications department and soon accepted a full-time position on the team. In her own words, “It was an exciting time where I was able to apply what I learned in the classroom in a real world setting and be part of creating a more vibrant and energized center city.”
When asked about what advice she would give to Denison students, Chloe touched on a variety of important topics. Within the context of Denison, Chloe suggests, “Get involved on campus and find opportunities to engage with diverse communities and experiences.” Chloe was able to find success with the meaningful experience with the Business and Entrepreneurship Club, which allowed her to try out the process of outreach that set her up to succeed in her various jobs.
She also shares another important insight, “I found that many of my personal values and interests also aligned with my professional values and interests, and identifying those and how they changed has been transformational for me.” This is especially important within the field of nonprofit work, as these organizations are often cause and value-driven.
In reflecting upon her career path thus far, Chloe says, “My path has not been direct, but I have truly enjoyed what each opportunity has taught me. My path has been much more like an assorted collection of experiences that have helped me identify what brings me joy, and how my personal and professional life are connected.“
