Carol Nicotra

Carol Nicotra

Assistant Director of Donor Relations at Penn State Behrend. 

About her job: I work on creating opportunities for donors, alumni, and community members to engage with Behrend in a mutually beneficial way. This includes hosting events on campus, including arranging meetings with students, speaking opportunities, and recognition events.

Family: Three children: Michael, Katie, and Adam.

Founding WEC: A coworker, Britt Daehnke, Associate Director, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and I came up with the idea of the Women’s Engagement Council because we wanted to find ways to connect with our female donors, alumni, and employees and provide opportunities to showcase great leaders within Penn State and the Erie region.

Most important traits for a professional woman to possess: The ability to delegate without guilt. If you are the only one who is always doing the work, then you do not have time to lead, and may not be asked to sit at the table.

What she wishes every woman understood: Supporting other women benefits everyone involved.

Speak up: One of the things I’ve learned the hard way is to ask for what you want. If you don’t ask, you will never know if you could’ve had it.

Advice she received in college that she wishes she had ignored: I was told that I didn’t need an internship. I really should’ve taken one.

Walk this way: I love to walk and to travel. I have walked a portion of The Great Wall of China.

Most interesting place she’s visited: Singapore, in southeast Asia.

If she had a whole day to herself: I’d spend the morning walking and relaxing at the beach, have lunch poolside, and spend the afternoon at the spa. I’d wrap it all up with an elegant dinner out.

 

Carol is happy to connect with you and is open to mentoring. How to reach her: