Katy Sides

Katy Sides '07

VP, Operations & Finance of the Institute for Child Success

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How did you find your way to where you are today? Share a little about your professional journey.

I completed undergrad and then moved to North Carolina, where I worked as an executive assistant for an education nonprofit for about a year as I prepared for graduate school.

I then received my Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia, specializing in nonprofit management. I found a job after graduation working for the City of Toccoa, Ga., doing downtown development and planning.

I was living in Greenville and commuting, so after a year and a half, I was grateful to find a job working for Greenville County in the Soil and Water Conservation District doing public awareness/outreach campaigns on water quality.

I then joined the Institute for Child Success (ICS) as the director of research and grants. As ICS has grown, my role has changed, depending on the needs of the organization.

While I have been here less than three-and-a-half years, I have moved from that role to director of operations and grants, and then to vice president, operations and finance.

What inspires you?

I am inspired to make the world in which I live a better place. My career demonstrates that inspiration, though it has manifested itself in some unusual ways.

My experiences at Furman changed my career desires. I went in thinking I wanted to be pre-law, but then I went on study away. A three-month trip traveling around Europe learning about the European Union changed me. I saw how European cities were so different from the ones I spent most of my time in growing up.

I loved the ways in which cities worked for their citizens and began comparing that to the rebirth of Greenville that was beginning when I returned from Europe. I saw how the decisions of the citizens and the government—as well as the natural and built environment—could shape the experiences of an entire community.

While my jobs have been vastly different—from downtown development to environmental issues to early childhood development—my intention has always been to improve the community in which I live so that others may benefit from the place they call home.

When providing advice for professional development, what are some tools or resources one should consider?

I have been lucky to go to graduate school and receive a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University. Both of those opportunities honed my skillset and enabled me to learn applicable tools for being better at my job.

I have participated in a young professionals group through the Chamber, am actively involved with my church and serve on the board of the Junior League.

I think the most important advice I can give is to not be shut off from learnings outside your field. Furman was such a great place for me because it taught me to think globally, appreciate the skills of my colleagues and never shut myself off from learning.

I think one of the most important things I have done was to learn Excel. It comes in handy in everything I do at work and has allowed me to access jobs that I likely would not have just based on my education and experience.

My ability to be interested in improving myself and learning things for the betterment of the organization—rather than just myself—has been essential in my moving ahead in my career.

How have mentors impacted your professional development? How did you develop those relationship?

Mentors have been essential in my professional development. My first mentors were two Furman professors who truly took the time to get to know me and invest in my life and career aspirations. They helped guide me and my time at Furman so that I was ready for the workplace after graduation.

I think because I graduated from Furman with a true liberal arts background and mindset, others have been willing to invest in me. I have had bosses who served as mentors. Other mentors have been members of the Junior League and members of my board whom I have connected with and found similar mindsets and ways of doing my job.

I think I naturally want to learn from others and people appreciate that willingness. I ask questions, truly listen to the responses, and appreciate other’s perspectives and the lessons they have learned from their careers.

It is amazing how much people are willing to help you just by you noticing all that they have accomplished and the ways in which they carry themselves while achieving their success.

How would you recommend someone interested in the same career/vocation pursue a similar path?

Interning is huge. Furman gives you the opportunity to test drive potential careers and that was essential for me. I determined that I was not interested in a legal career and that I was interested in economic development through internship opportunities.

I also had the chance to enlist the advice of my professors. The conversations I had with Furman professors meant that I could talk to someone with a larger perspective than I had. Take advantage of those opportunities and stay engaged with your professors after graduation.

I think in nonprofit work, you also should be willing to start in a lesser role. I graduated with high expectations of where I should begin my career, but could only find an administrative job. Taking that job gave me deep insights into the way nonprofits work and made me a better supervisor and member of the senior management team because I have lived those roles.

What do you wish you would have known getting started in your field?

Conflict is inevitable. People’s personalities matter even when everyone is on the same team.

There will be some people who just don’t like me, but their opinion of me should not impact my view of my own self-worth. I will never be able to accomplish everything I desire, but that doesn’t mean that the work I do isn’t impactful and meaningful.

What additional education or certification is required/recommended?

A graduate degree certainly helps. Getting experience anyway you can—internships, volunteering—is helpful.

How has your liberal arts background shaped your career path or supported your success?

It has been essential for me. It shapes the way in which you look at the world, the work you do and the problems you face. I think those of us who have a liberal arts background are naturally more willing to take on heavy loads, are efficient in getting our work done, appreciate the work of our co-workers and can function well as a team.

What extracurricular activities helped you develop professionally?

Anything in which you can take on a leadership role is very helpful. I was in a leadership role in my sorority and it helped prepare me for the nonprofit world because I understood the decision-making process, boards, Robert’s Rules of Order and taking minutes.

Any time you have the opportunity to be a leader will help you be a leader in your organization and field.

Why do you make giving back to Furman a priority for you and your family?

Furman changed my life in so many ways. It is where I met my husband, developed my passion for my career, found my home (Greenville), and met some of my best friends. I cannot imagine having gone anywhere else for school or what my life would be like without Furman.

What are your priorities when it comes to Furman and your giving?

Studying abroad, internships and mentors really are the things that changed my life at Furman, so I have always wanted to give in those areas. We have given to Furman Advantage since the beginning because those experiences changed me and set me up for success.

I want to help others have those experiences and be able to look back and say, “That is why Furman made me who I am.”

What impact do you hope to make with your giving to Furman?

I hope that others will have the same amazing experiences at Furman that I did and have the options to choose what opportunities are best for them and the path they want to take in their careers and lives.

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