Annalise Botnen
Major: Human development and family science
Graduation Date: Fall 2027
Job Location: Make-A-Wish North Dakota
Driven by her desire to make a difference, Annalise Botnen shadowed Make-A-Wish North Dakota to learn more about the non-profit world and explore career paths related to her major in human development and family science.
Botnen originally graduated from Concordia College in 2012 with a degree in graphic design, but soon after her professional journey took a turn.
“Shortly after graduating, I found out I was expecting, and as a single mom, my career path shifted in a different direction. Instead of continuing in graphic design, I worked in a variety of administrative roles to provide stability for my family,” said Botnen.
Botnen is currently in her third year studying human development and family science. She contemplated returning to school years ago, but she could not manage it while raising her child and balancing work. Because of flexible online programs she is now able to work full time while continuing her education at a pace that fits her life.
“Over time I began to feel stuck in my current position and knew I wanted something more meaningful. I took time to reflect on what truly mattered to me and realized I wanted a career where I could make a difference in someone’s life,” Botnen said.
She chose the job shadow opportunity at Make-A-Wish to see different career opportunities in the non-profit world and wanted to get an inside look before committing to an internship.
Botnen felt that the process of fulfilling wishes both opened her eyes and gave her confidence in her choice of study.
“I had no idea how many steps there are or how many people are involved behind the scenes. It’s not just the staff doing the work, there’s also so much support from volunteers and the community, which was really inspiring to see,” claimed Botnen.
Botnen notes that volunteers and community involvement are the backbone to non-profit work. Without that support many non-profits would not exist or have the capacity to make such a large impact on the people they serve. “It is such meaningful work and truly something I could see myself doing as a career.”
Botnen feels that job shadowing is valuable for students because it allows them to explore different careers in a short amount of time. She encourages other students considering a job shadow experience to step out of their comfort zones and “do it” because it provides great information and can further career exploration.
