Katie Matonich

When she was still an Alma College student, Katie Matonich’s advice to students was “to remember that being an English major isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, but it’s what makes writing about rainbows and sunshine fun!”

Now, as the development coordinator for the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, she seems to have found her pot of gold.

“As development coordinator, it’s my job to educate others about what my company does through speaking engagements, press releases and other various forms of media,” she says. “It is imperative that I communicate clearly and exercise critical thinking in all of my daily tasks at the food bank.”

Matonich doesn’t just know how to do her job, though; she gets it done. Last year, her company was able to distribute more than 18.6 million pounds of food to 22 counties throughout Michigan.

She credits her current success to her Alma education.

“Almost every single day, I utilize my degree at work,” she says. “The things I learned from professors and peers are my greatest tools for mobilizing the public. I’m recruiting the next generation of leaders to make the changes necessary for bettering our society and future.”

Matonich, who graduated in 2008, is proof that chasing rainbows is no illusory dream.