Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

When she was young, Nancy Riedl ’91 considered herself fearless. It was no surprise that, as a first-year communication student, she took a job calling the generous donors who fund University of Dayton programs and scholarships — people she didn’t know.

So, it caught her off guard when she was a little overwhelmed upon moving to New York after graduation.

“Moving somewhere as an adult was so different than going to UD where I didn’t know anyone,” said Riedl, who quickly found an answer — and a volunteer calling — by turning back to her alma mater. “To feel more connected I joined the New York Metro Alumni Community and my first event was Christmas off Campus.”

Riedl has gone on to serve in nearly every volunteer capacity the University offers, including as leader of the New York Metro Alumni Community and as a member of the University of Dayton Alumni Association Board. She also gives back as a Peer-to-Peer Ambassador.

Her career also evolved. That time she spent talking with UD donors inspired a career as a fundraiser for iconic, nonprofit institutions like the Bronx Zoo and The New York Botanical Garden. Eventually, she ended up in the “space where I belong” as the chief development officer for a New York-based organization called Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter.

She now spearheads a project looking for solutions to the nationwide issue of homelessness among college students. Once again Riedl found her UD experience nudging her toward service and, for the first time, began volunteering directly with current Flyers.

The University’s IACT program pairs UD mentors with current students. One of the overall goals is to help current Flyers develop the creative competencies that many jobs now require. In 2019, Riedl teamed up with IACT students, including mechanical engineering major Ethan Owens ’20, to find real ways to help college students experiencing homelessness in New York.

Owens says his time with IACT and Riedl did more than help him solve real problems with his degree — it helped him find the humanity in his chosen profession.

“Most of the time you’re learning something new on the job that you didn’t learn in school,” said Owens. “Connecting students and volunteers with that real-world experience early on is super helpful.”

And it’s not just helpful for the recent graduates.

“So much of the volunteering I do for UD feels like I get as much out of it as I’m putting into it,” said Riedl. She is still looking for solutions for college students experiencing homelessness but, even with that important mission, Riedl has no plans to slow down when it comes to volunteering at UD because she can set her own availability.

“What sets UD apart is creating citizens of the world and their communities. That fosters people who want to give back so it would be hard to imagine a world without UD volunteers,” said Riedl.