Online Organizational Leadership Alumna Serving as Manager of Baldwin Township Alumni Profile
Meet Nina Belcastro
- Job Title & Employer
- Manager, Baldwin Township
- Major/Program
- Organizational Leadership
- Graduation
- December 2016
- College Activities
- Vice President of Programming for Campus Activities Board
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Hills)
- High School
- North Hills High School
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Hills)
- Hobbies & Interests
- Reading, musical theater, volunteering and yoga
"On her initial interview, Nina presented herself to the board in a very professional and positive manner. Her background, expertise and knowledge in municipal government was also a huge plus. I feel strongly that Point Park University's organizational leadership program prepared her very well. Nina has taken on and made some significant changes for the office and township environment."
"The organizational leadership program enabled me to take courses focused on leadership and management, but also allowed me to take courses in public administration. This meant that I could get myself up to speed on new management practices and also gain a deeper knowledge of the public administration/local government career path."
How did your Point Park degree help you become manager of the Township of Baldwin?
When I attended Point Park University, I was also working full time in a law firm as a municipal assistant. I knew I liked working within local government, but also had a knack for management.
The organizational leadership program enabled me to take courses focused on leadership and management, but also allowed me to take courses in public administration. This meant that I could get myself up to speed on new management practices and also gain a deeper knowledge of the public administration/local government career path.
What factors made you select our fully online organizational leadership program?
I was drawn to the flexibility of the fully online organizational leadership program. As a working parent with very little free time, a traditional program was not going to work for me. The online program allowed me to complete my course work during the hours that actually fit my busy schedule.
What was your favorite class or classes in the program and why?
I truly enjoyed all of my classes! Public Administration was one of my favorite courses because it really dove into the historical concepts and framework of the field.
As an online student, you were also involved on campus. Tell us about your experiences.
While I enjoyed the flexibility of the online program, I also wanted to get to know Point Park University as a campus. Being a member of the Campus Activities Board helped me to maintain that sense of flexibility [of being fully online], but also allowed me to enjoy the Point Park campus and community. There were certainly moments when I felt like I was way out of my element and very much out of my comfort zone, but those were the moments that challenged me and helped me to grow the most.
What advice do you have for our current online students?
Stay organized and don’t let yourself fall behind! Even the most daunting tasks (including the many annotated bibliographies you will encounter) will help you along your path.
Take a course or join an on-campus group that truly challenges you or maybe makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable — that is where you will discover your strengths.