Elaine Charpentier Philippi
MJ Murdock Charitable Trust
Austin, TX USA
"Be uniquely you."
Career Roadmap
Elaine's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Education, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Social Work
Pacific University
Graduate Degree
Social Service Administration and Leadership
Portland State University
Certification
Nonprofit Fundraising
Willamette Valley Development Officers
Doctorate
Educational Leadership and Administration
Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Becoming houseless at 14 forced me to grow up quickly and taught me how to survive by building community around me.
2.
After barely graduating high school, I went straight into the workforce and spent years learning through real-life experience instead of in college classes.
3.
I was a single mom working as a high school secretary when a principal encouraged me to believe that college could still be possible for me.
4.
At 36 years old, I earned a full scholarship and began college, determined to create a different future for myself and my children.
5.
I studied social work, which helped me realize I wanted to create change at a systems level, not just one person at a time.
6.
After graduating, I went on to earn my master’s and doctoral degrees.
7.
My doctoral research introduced me to philanthropy and showed me how funding can amplify the work of educators and nonprofits.
8.
Today, I use both data and lived experience to help foundations invest in education programs that create meaningful impact for students and communities.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
Girls like you don't go to college.
How I responded:
I had a hard time in high school and was barely able to graduate with a low GPA, as I faced harsh realities like being houseless. One of my high school's administrators told me that girls like me don't go to college. For a long time I believed that meant my future was already decided. It wasn't until the principal at the school I was working at encouraged me to apply to college that I decided to reconsider my future. I earned a full scholarship and even went on to earn graduate degrees as well!
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I become houseless at age 14 and basically couch-surfed my way to my high school diploma. I barely graduated high school because I had to focus on other things—like finding a job—to make sure my basic needs were covered rather than going to class.