While public and private sector employment rates are sagging, the job outlook is healthy in the nonprofit sector and a program at California State University, Fresno can help people land those jobs.

Now in its second year of accreditation, Fresno State’s American Humanics Certificate Program offers professional training and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. The program is affiliated with American Humanics Inc., a strategic alliance of 85 colleges and universities plus professional organizations and nonprofit agencies nationwide.

American Humanics assists in recruiting, training and placing students in management and leadership positions with youth and human service agencies.

Dr. Matthew Jendian, director of the American Humanics program at Fresno State, says there is an abundance of job opportunities with local nonprofit agencies. Nationally each year, nearly 30,000 new nonprofit agencies are established and 50,000 new entry-level professional positions are created, he said.

“In general, the job prospects are very good in this area,” Jendian said.

Fresno State affiliated with the national organization in 1998 and started offering classes toward a certificate in 1999. Last fall, the program received accreditation.

Students seeking the AH certificate come from a variety of majors, but most are psychology majors, Jendian said. There are currently 25 students in the program.

“What they have in common is that they are talented, passionate, committed individuals, thinking of ways to help improve society,” he said.

In May, the first two students with AH certificates graduated from Fresno State. One of them, David Aston (Business Management), was one of 21 students in the California State University system to receive the STARS Award (Students That Are Recognized for Service).

American Humanics students learn about grant writing and nonprofit management, as well as how to build community coalitions. The interdisciplinary certificate requires a minimum of 12 units and a maximum of 24, along with 300 hours of supervised experience with a nonprofit, community-based service provider.

Jendian works with each student to design a program to fit his or her interests.

The program collaborates with the Fresno State’s Kauffman Social Entrepreneur Internship Program, which helps students obtain on-the-job experience by placing them in start-up or established nonprofit organizations.

The Fresno State American Humanics is also part of a consortium of nine California State University campuses to facilitate collaboration, resource sharing and joint planning in the system. Jendian is director of communications for the consortium.

For additional information, contact Jendian at 278-2891 or see http://www.fresnostate.edu/socialsciences/departments/programs/am-humanics.html.

Research and writing assistance provided by University Relations student intern Stephanie Rodriguez.