Caroline Horstmann
Illumination Foundation
Orange, CA USA
"You don’t need to travel the world to get out of your comfort zone—you can do that right in your own community. You can meet people that will help you see the world through a different lens...a better lens."
Career Roadmap
Caroline's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Business, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I strongly believe in listening to your heart and trusting your intuition. We only get one chance at this life. Take risks! Seek out a mentor, someone you admire within your desired profession. Stay curious!
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
Loyola Marymount University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Director of Volunteers & Community Engagement:
Bachelor's Degree: Human Services, General
Bachelor's Degree: Sociology, General
Graduate Degree: Social Work
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I've always been a passionate volunteer for causes I care about and have made volunteering an integral part of my life from a young age.
2.
Attended Loyola Marymount University (LMU)—when I first started college, I was an education major with the goal of being a teacher.
3.
I was unsure about what direction to take with my career and was fearful of getting “pigeon-holed,” so I switched my major and graduated with a degree in English.
4.
While at LMU, I took part in a service project in East Los Angeles that supported nonprofits serving the homeless population of that area.
5.
This sparked my interest in nonprofits and led to an internship with Chrysalis, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that creates pathways to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals.
6.
After graduating, I began working for the Illumination Foundation as a site coordinator for their housing program.
7.
Decided to take over a year off in order to pursue my dream of traveling the world.
8.
When I was done traveling, I returned to the Illumination Foundation, where I now work as the director of volunteers & community engagement.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Why do you want to take off and travel around the world?
How I responded:
I strongly believe in listening to your heart and trusting your intuition. We only get one chance at this life. Take risks! Seek out a mentor, someone you admire within your desired profession. Stay curious!
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was originally an education major and wanted to be a teacher. I ended up freaking about this and wasn't sure that was the right choice for me, so I switched my major to English.
Working with the homeless is tough on you emotionally. It is something that you constantly think about and it weighs heavily on you. You never feel like you are doing enough and your impact can take a while to be felt.