Published: Thu, 11/15/2018 - 20:30
Aries Cyrus-Sims

“This program has just been such a great opportunity for me and I recommend it and suggest it for anyone in the nonprofit sector.” -Aries Cyrus-Sims, UNLV Nonprofit Certificate

Aries Cyrus-Sims has a passion for helping people. Growing up in Lansing, Michigan she was always seeking out volunteer opportunities and found great support from her philanthropic-focused family. She strove to make an impact on the lives of individuals. But how could she turn that passion into a career?

In 2007 Aries moved to Las Vegas to support her local pastor and his wife as they opened a sister church. Helping people was still her focus, but she also had to support herself with careers in the retail and hospitality industries. It was not until a friend recommended she get her foot in the door with a nonprofit company that Aries began to combine her passion with her career goals. She realized she needed to learn more about the business side of the nonprofit industry.

Aries researched her best options and in doing so she attended an introductory course at UNLV Continuing Education called An Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector. She quickly realized the comprehensive nonprofit certificate would open all sorts of new doors for her. She signed up for the classes and never looked back. It took Aries about a year to complete the certificate program.

Almost a year into her new journey, Aries is able to meld her passion with her career. She is supporting community members as they help themselves and each other.

Learn more about the Nonprofit program.