Friday, January 18, 2008
Erika Dvorske, University alumna, remembers the moment that inspired her to become more involved in her community.
She was in high school volunteering for an Angel Tree Christmas event when she found herself in a deep conversation with a quadriplegic man.
New CEO for the United Way, Erika Dvorske, mingles with visitors at the Eldridge Hotel Wednesday night at an awards ceremony. Dvorsky graduated from KU in 2000 with a Masters in English.
“We had a lovely conversation about the importance of people giving of themselves,” Dvorske said.
After the man left, another volunteer explained to Dvorske that the man was a star high school football player with a full-ride college scholarship.
“I realized that we all have the opportunity to impact someone else,” Dvorske said. “That opportunity might only come along once, so we need to take advantage of it.”
She is now the president and CEO of United Way of Douglas County. Wednesday night the organization announced that it raised $1.72 million in one year. That’s $20 thousand dollars more than the annual campaign expected, and 5 percent more than it raised last year.
It was a lot more than Chuck Warner, co-chairman of the campaign, expected.
“We were concerned when we started that the economy was really slow, but the town and the University and all the businesses in the area came together and did a really great job,” he said.
pullquote
I realized that we all have the opportunity to impact someone else. That opportunity might only come along once, so we need to take advantage of it.
-Erika Dvorske, KU alumna
United Way also announced it awarded a $47.2 thousand grant to the local Skills Builder Program, which helps widows develop skills for living alone.
Dvorse said she was unsure yet how the rest of the money would be distributed.
“I’m just trying to get my feet on the ground for now,” she said. “I’m excited to be in Lawrence and I’m excited to be working with these great people.”
Dvorske graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1995 and volunteered for the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. for a year in Sacramento, Calif. She eventually enrolled at the University and earned a master’s degree in Slavic Literature in 1998 and also earned a master’s in English.
Shortly after graduating in 2001, Dvorske started working for United Way in an unpaid research and marketing position.
She said her job was to ask the different agencies to report on what elements of their programs made the most impact.
“We need to measure our progress,” said Dvorske. “It’s not about helping ‘x’ amount of people.”
The United Way of Douglas County promoted her in 2003 to the director of community investments, which gave her full responsibility over the distribution of funds.
After working in that position for more than five years, she is now president and CEO the organization.
“I think she’s going to be wonderful,” Warner said. “Erika brings a lot of energy and personality to the job.”
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
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