the Pursuit

Salutations!

My name is Nick DiColandrea. Welcome to my webpage for the experiences that I have had while searching for that great hot dog, taking time to walk in the woods, working in the nonprofit world, volunteering, enjoying company with old and new friends  in the South. I am not originally from below the Mason-Dixon, but I have found a strange passion for staying around and improving the lives of others here. I would believe that my personality is as diverse as my experiences have been. With that in mind, I will be posting news, events, ideas, social impact methods, pictures, and stop-me-i’m-musing-again-posts from the various fields that push do-gooders everywhere to achieve greater results.

My story has been nothing short of interesting. I grew up in New York City and finished my teenage years in North Carolina. The ability of having so many public programs available to me as a young person radically changed my look on the world once I understood what was happening. When you are young, even older, we don’t quite grasp the social safety net most people have been provided. It was with that revelation that pushed me to always be involved in my community. Having graduated from North Carolina State in the early part of this century, I sought out to find the best way to be involved as an educated person.

Now what took me a while to learn is that you can make a career of bettering your community. I have always been the “volunteer” guru in my circle of friends and family. I’d volunteer to tutor kids, build houses, pick up trash, paint buildings, you name it. But I always felt at my “work” that if I was not actively thinking about ways to give back, I was wasting a part of my day. How is that anyway to live?! So I decided to travel further south with my family and get a Masters in Public Administration. And what I have found is that there is a whole world of nonprofit management, education, and training of which to learn and give.

Free Time Nick

On my free time I enjoy kicking back and relaxing with my fiancé and dogs in our North Carolina home either cooking or running around the house doing chores. I have a life long goal of visiting every major and minor league ballpark in the country – which you can follow at The View From Home. My favorite part of the trip has to be the food and drink! I also love reading. Right now it is My Best Friend is a Wookie by Tony Pacitti, and The Road to Omaha by Ryan McGee.

I currently volunteer with:

Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of the Triangle as an Advisory Board Director

Coalition to Unchain Dogs of Wake County as a Volunteer Organizer