Sports communication internships lead 2019 graduate to nonprofit leadership

KOKOMO, Ind. - When Allie (Ault) Tomlinson earned her communication degree from Indiana University Kokomo, she dreamed of a job in a sports-related field.

However, internships she completed as part of her degree program led her in a different direction.

"During that time, I was really emphasizing the sports areas, but as time went on, I realized I was doing a lot of foundation work for both," said Tomlinson, B.A. '19.

She helped the Indiana High School Athletic Association Foundation raise funds for leadership development, and worked with Indiana Fever standout Tameka Catchings and her Catch the Stars Foundation.

"I thought it was really cool to be working in sports, but it turned out I was building the steps to a career in nonprofit work," she said. "I'm grateful it led me to this, where I have a role that allows me to give back through my job and not just outside of work. It's not what I expected to be doing, but I'm grateful my pathway lies here."

Nearly six years after graduating from IU Kokomo, Tomlinson is director for campaign communication, marketing director, and events coordinator for the United Way Serving Howard and Tipton Counties. She oversees the annual fundraising campaign, which provides funding for the organization's mission of addressing community needs and finding long-term solutions. She manages its social media, creates publications, and is the voice for the United Way in the community.

She and her husband Riley Tomlinson, B.S.'21, live in Kokomo. She grew up in Russiaville and is happy to have a career that's allowed her not only to live in her home community, but to make it a better place.

"I always thought I would make my way back here," she said. "I knew this is where I would establish home. I'm glad I've stayed here and made Howard County my home, just like it always has been."

Her IU Kokomo education prepared her well for her career, she said, specifically citing Christopher Darr, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and professor of communication; Erin Doss, associate professor of communication arts; and Karla Stouse, teaching professor in English and humanities, as influential.

She also participated in a KEY (Kokomo Experience and You) trip for communication majors in Chicago, where students met IU alumni who worked in communication at Wrigley Field, visited a Chicago radio station to explore career opportunities in media, and learned about targeted ads at a marketing firm.

"My professors and experiences helped me grow educationally and professionally," Tomlinson said. "They set me up to be prepared to be in the real world and showed us how to conduct ourselves as professionals. I learned about social media and communication, which prepared me for the real world and working well with others as we grow our leadership skills."

As a member of the IU Kokomo Class of 2019, she's one of the alumni who will receive the National Alumni Career Mobility Survey (NACM), which will be open through December 15, seeking career satisfaction and insights from college and university alumni who completed their degree in calendar years 2014 and 2019. The data collected by this survey will be used to help our institution better understand the professional pathways of our graduates and prepare future alumni for continued and improved career success. If you are a 2014 or 2019 graduate, look for an email from us before December 15.

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