Oglethorpe University spotlighted alumna Melody Confer in a profile published July 8 after she was named one of Atlanta's 30 Under 30 nonprofit leaders earlier this year.

Confer, a 2020 graduate with a bachelor's degree in English and creative writing, received the 30 Under 30 award from the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta at the organization's Ann Cramer Civic Leadership Awards Ceremony on March 27 at the Atlanta Area Council, Scouting America.

She works as a member engagement specialist at Professional Photographers of America, a nonprofit trade association founded in 1868 and headquartered on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. PPA serves more than 35,000 professional photographers across 70 countries.

"I usually describe my role as two-pronged," Confer told Oglethorpe in the profile, written by Michelle Geiger. "I focus on membership retention, as well as a lot of community engagement initiatives."

Confer's path to PPA started during her senior year at Oglethorpe, when she landed an internship in the organization's marketing department writing website content and member-facing resources. After graduating in 2020 and gaining experience in digital marketing elsewhere, she returned to PPA full time and advanced through the membership department.

Finding her voice on Peachtree Road

At Oglethorpe's 1,500-student campus, Confer said the small, discussion-driven classes helped her build confidence. A first-generation college student from Augusta, she served as president of College Democrats, joined Tri Sigma sorority, worked in Career Development and completed multiple internships.

About 36% of Oglethorpe's student body is first-generation, according to the university.

Confer credits the intimate setting with shaping her professionally. She said she grew comfortable speaking up and contributing in small classrooms, a skill she now uses daily in her engagement work at PPA.

Giving back to Atlanta's nonprofit community

Beyond PPA, Confer is active with YNPN Atlanta and volunteers with Girls on the Run, a nonprofit focused on empowering young girls through physical activity and confidence-building programs. She is also working to connect current Oglethorpe students to opportunities in the photography and nonprofit sectors, mentoring peers and building partnerships between the university and Atlanta organizations.

That mentoring work keeps her tied to the Brookhaven campus where she found her footing. Confer told Oglethorpe she wants to help current students access the same kinds of internship-to-career pipelines that launched her own path at PPA.

  • Oglethorpe University is located at 4484 Peachtree Road NE in Brookhaven. Learn more about alumni events at oglethorpe.edu.
  • YNPN Atlanta hosts networking and professional development events for young nonprofit professionals. Details at ynpnatlanta.org.
  • Girls on the Run serves metro Atlanta with seasonal programs. Visit girlsontherun.org for information.