Thanks to everyone for their insight into gaining experience in financial development… I am in the same situation as the original poster… graduating with my degree in Art History (and Economics!) in the coming weeks. And like her, I've been struggling to get some experience in fundraising - a field that, to me, doesn't seem to offer a lot of entry-level potential beyond being an admin assistant. But anyway, someone recommended doing development volunteer work for another type of non-profit - and he or she mentioned the Red Cross in passing. So I have to pipe in here… I've been volunteering in the financial development department of the American Red Cross in Chicago, and it's been nothing but a positive experience… I've been stuck with a little bit of dirty work (filing, etc) but have also learned a ton, from prospecting to third party fundraising to grantwriting to donor acknowledgement to charity auctions (and the all important Raiser's Edge!)… so if you are observant and show up to work with a smile and a sense of professionalism (even though it's "only" volunteer work), you'll hopefully be treated like part of the team. And I have no doubt that my experience here will translate beautifully to fundraising work at a museum (which, like the original poster, is my ultimate goal). So, as someone who is doing it now, I'd recommend whole-heartedly to volunteer for a large, well-known non-profit in ANY field… your skills will translate. And you can do it with minimum time commitment (I do 6 hours a week)… they will be so happy to have your help, that they'll try to be flexible! Best of luck, Cindy Northwestern University '01 P.S. Does anyone know of any listservs similar to this one, but for fundraising professionals… and especially those in museums? Thanks! ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).