Human Security and Resilience Amplifies Alumna's Nonprofit Career

Motivated by Human Health and Security

Madelyn Rivest (’24) found her niche in the nonprofit sector after earning her M.S. in Human Security and Resilience (MSHSR) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Long tied to organizations such as Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity through family and as a volunteer, Madelyn developed a strong commitment to strengthening community resilience and security at a young age.

As an undergraduate student, she studied Public Health and completed a volunteer coordination internship with her local Meals on Wheels branch. Madelyn was originally interested in starting her career in human resources or industrial hygiene, but she fell in love with community engagement.

"I just thought, 'This is something that I can do for the rest of my life,'" she said.

Madelyn's husband was a student at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus at the time, which ultimately led her to work in the campus' Office of Alumni Engagement. She would soon enroll in the MSHSR at Embry-Riddle Worldwide's College of Arts & Sciences after accepting the position.

The university's philanthropic focus, along with its strong reputation and community, made it the perfect place to start Madelyn's career and further her education.

"I had a job offer from another organization in Daytona Beach and decided to work at Embry-Riddle because I wanted to build connections with people on campus."

A Draw Toward Something More

As Madelyn's professional skills and confidence grew, she became ready to take on more. She initially enrolled in Embry-Riddle Worldwide's M.S. in Leadership, later switching to the MSHSR to build on her nonprofit background and further specialize in health and human safety. 

While finishing the program, Madelyn began working for an organization focused on addressing homelessness in DeLand, Florida. There, she pivoted back to volunteer coordination.

Her community engagement work was where the lessons from her MSHSR classes truly came to life.

"We spent an entire course working toward a collaborative community implementation project plan, which focused on connecting community-based organizations with funding opportunities and other ways to make a greater impact," she said. "It pushed us to think, 'How can you make this a communal effort?' The MSHSR program and that project in particular shape how I approach my work, even now."

After navigating personal health issues during high school and earning her undergraduate degree in just two and a half years, Madelyn was thrilled to be in a program that fit her timeline, enriched her career and offered her a sense of normalcy. The professors and coordinators behind her program were instrumental in making that happen.

“I truly felt like the professors cared,” she said. “They knew who I was. I was not just a number or an e-mail that was added to their inbox.”

Tying Education to Community Impact

The coursework and projects — including resilience planning, environmental security and large-scale conflict resolution topics — gave Madelyn a holistic, applied understanding of how human security takes shape across the world.

Now a resource development and engagement director at United Way of Anderson County, South Carolina, Madelyn can identify, understand and communicate human and community needs from all viewpoints.

“My ability to tell the story of what people are facing or how we may expect people to respond in certain situations makes me 100 times better at my job,” she said. “Understanding the high-level thinking behind government agencies versus what populations are telling us is best for them has taught me how to build and explain programs to donors.”

Madelyn leads fundraising events and initiatives, workplace campaigns, donor relations, corporate engagement and more for United Way. She is on track to surpass the organization’s annual campaign goal for the second consecutive year.

“Working in development, I’ve learned that everybody has something to give,” she said. “I love being able to watch someone recognize that they can give back to the community they love because they live here, they work here and their children go to school here.”

The MSHSR prepared Madelyn to combine her passion for fundraising with community-focused initiatives and resilience-building efforts in her day-to-day work. The program’s focus also aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those addressing poverty reduction, food security and sustainable communities. Through her work at United Way, Madelyn advances these priorities by mobilizing resources and helping strengthen the communities she serves.

“I cannot say enough phenomenal things about the Human Security and Resilience program,” she said. “You're not going to find this program anywhere else.”

Ongoing Growth and Resilience

Higher education has not only impacted Madelyn’s nonprofit career but has also shown her how much she enjoys learning and teaching in a collegiate setting. After earning her master’s degree, Madelyn taught a term at a college in DeLand.

She has kept instruction at the heart of her work ever since. In her current role, Madelyn facilitates poverty simulations, which are immersive, interactive learning experiences designed to help participants gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges and stressors that low-income individuals and families face.

“I am drawn back to teaching because I want to see students love their programs as much as I have.”

Whether teaching, fundraising or leading community engagement, Madelyn is protecting and advancing human safety, security and resilience — work that transforms communities and changes lives.