Brittany Juravich, M.S. ’18: The Art of Being Creative, Nimble and Strategic

Brittany Juravich, M.S. ’18 loves sharing hidden gems in Syracuse and Onondaga County – both with visitors and longtime residents looking for something unique to do in the area. Juravich is the special projects manager for Visit Syracuse. She supports the organization as it plays a critical role in implementing Onondaga County’s economic development strategy by growing leisure tourism, meetings and conventions, sporting and special events, and film and television production across the region. Juravich loves playing a role in helping local businesses to boost their revenues, create jobs and reinforce a sense of pride in Central New York. (Not surprisingly, she is a wealth of information about the region. One of her own favorite things to do in the area, she notes, is to go on a hike and then to grab a bite to eat.)

Like many young professionals, Juravich thought carefully about how she could use her passion and skills to make the greatest impact on the world around her. For her, that meant targeting her energies to a nonprofit entity. She began working for Visit Syracuse nearly a year ago. Today she helps maintain the organization’s social media presence, market the area to potential visitors, and maintain connections to local businesses. The summer – with its slew of festivals and the Great New York State Fair – is an especially busy time. But regardless of the season, Juravich loves using the skills she developed in marketing, finance, human resources and business management at Le Moyne to promote the area. What’s more, highlighting the things that make Syracuse a great place to live, work and visit allows her to be creative, nimble and strategic.

“I wear a lot of hats in this role,” she said. “Fortunately, my time at Le Moyne really taught me the ins and outs of working for a nonprofit and left me well prepared for this work.”

Her advice to others considering a career in the nonprofit sector is simple: learn as much as possible about everything you can.

“It’s great to have experience in a little bit of everything before finding a specific area that interests you, and I would also suggest finding a mentor,” she said. “Having support by someone who has been where you are and will help you get to where you want to be is invaluable.”