Alumni Spotlight: Darcie Martin ‘06 Steps into Role of CEO of United Way of Southern Chester County

With nearly 20 years worth of experience in fundraising and nonprofit work, alumna Darcie Martin ‘06 begins her work as CEO of United Way of Southern Chester County.

As of January 2025, Darcie Martin ‘06 has taken on the role of CEO of United Way of Southern Chester County (UWSCC). The organization is dedicated to supporting programs that effectively move people from crisis to independence, ensuring everyone has access to good schools and jobs in southern Chester County.

With a history of strong fundraising and leadership work, Martin is excited to be working with UWSCC’s team and to have the opportunity to help the community more broadly.

“United Way is really a connector for broader organizations and agencies in the area,” Martin said, “and…that transition to health and human services at a time where that’s so needed really fulfilled my wishes to help.”

Working Across the Country

A Pennsylvania native interested in becoming a teacher, Martin attended York College of Pennsylvania after hearing about its engaging teaching program. While there, she became involved in different activities and experiences that allowed her to forge strong connections, such as the YCP Ambassadors program and the Tennis team.

Martin completed an internship with the York County Heritage Trust organized by a now-retired professor, Dr. Paul Doutrich. She loved attending his classes, and his internship introduced her to museums, archives, and architecture in York. Not only had the internship been a great addition to her résumé, but it also influenced her education and guided her to develop skills to help her pursue work in the arts and culture for a long time.

“I think that having a liberal arts background is helpful, and having strong writing skills has always helped in my career,” Martin said.

Martin graduated from York College in 2006 with a degree in Secondary Education Citizenship and a minor in Spanish. The following year, she obtained her MA in American Studies with a Concentration in Museums from Penn State University.

From there, Martin traveled from state to state, assuming various leadership positions. She began in North Carolina, where she spent a year teaching before falling in love with informal education and museum work. Soon enough, she found herself in the role of Executive Director of the Orange County Historical Trust in Hillsborough, North Carolina, a small museum with an active board of directors that Martin enjoyed working with.

She then went to Denver, Colorado, where she became the Director of Education at the Molly Brown House Museum, a building named after a Titanic survivor and frontline advocate during the women’s suffrage movement, among many other amazing things. After that, she traveled to New Mexico and became a Development Manager at the New Mexico BioPark Society, where she focused on fundraising matters.

“Prior to all of this, I was [more on] the education side, but then also writing grants,” Martin said. “And so, it was just a natural inclination for me to move into development and fundraising.”

Finally, Martin moved to Delaware, where she has lived for nine years. For eight of those years, she worked at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science as the Deputy Executive Director. There, she helped fundraise $10 million to renovate their exhibits, gallery spaces, and the museum itself. Afterward, Martin took on the CEO role at UWSCC in January 2025, a move she found with a small but reliable staff and a nice transition that allowed her to shift her focus to health and human services.

Putting Passion to Work

Martin said she was drawn to nonprofit work because of her original goals: to become a teacher and to help others.

“It stems for me from education,” Martin said. “I see it as a great way of educating people, and that’s how I took and thought about it. When I started in museums, it was education-based, and I think that’s always how I view myself as an educator, even now. Because it’s just so important to have everyone experience them, whether it’s arts and culture and richness and history…That mission just helps you rejuvenate and keep on going.”

So far, Martin has been enjoying her new position and the responsibilities it upholds. Though there are challenges, she is happy to have a reliable team.

“It’s been a lot, but it is definitely a great community. It is very close-knit and very embracing of making sure that we’re all going to get through this together,” Martin said. “That’s something that is very welcoming and just so nice to see.”

Since beginning at UWSCC, Martin has been assisting with their grant process. In March, she heard from 31 programs being considered for the process. Community members would help with the decision-making, and after UWSCC vetted the projects/presentations, they would help decide where the grant money should go in the community. They will announce the winners in May.

Martin will also be turning her attention to recruiting more board members and implementing strategic planning for the institution.

Martin credits York College as impacting her and making her who she is now.
She also remembers Doutrich and a late adjunct instructor, Mr. Bill Kralowetz, who had taught at York College for 16 years, was her student-teacher advisor, and was a true inspiration and supportive presence for her.

“I would also say that teaching - while I haven’t necessarily used that degree, I have definitely used that perspective,” Martin said. “I have used the ability to stand in front of a room and talk to people off the cuff or scripted, and that has helped in that way.”

The Importance of Involvement

Martin emphasized that involvement and taking the opportunities presented to you are always important, especially when getting into volunteer work. She sees the work as part of a ‘passion-driven industry,’ and although there is a lot to get done with differing amounts of access to the necessary resources, anyone dedicated to volunteering can make a difference, big or small.

“I highly recommend if there is an internship…to volunteer,” Martin said. “If you want to get into nonprofits, that’s always something that is greatly needed. And then you get to see the culture and the feel of the organization because, like I said, it’s not necessarily for everyone, but it is such a great line of work and deeply rewarding as well. So I would highly recommend being involved in any way you can with an actual nonprofit.”