09/03/2026
Please join us in welcoming our new DCEDC intern Alejandro Ramirez, we're excited to partner with DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership and The Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies at NIU for this fall semester! Here is a little bit about him:
Hello, my name is Alejandro Ramirez.
I've always believed that taking an interest in your community is the best way to be involved in it. I learned that growing up in Evanston, where I worked in the City Clerk's Office and saw up close how local government touches people's everyday lives, and I've carried it with me to DeKalb while studying at Northern Illinois University. Connecting with people in my community is what gets me up in the morning ready to make an impact.
I'm currently a senior at NIU studying political science with an emphasis in public administration, plus minors in nonprofit studies and Spanish.
What interested me most about DCEDC was seeing how a nonprofit could create economic impact not just for the city of DeKalb but for the county as a whole. I've always held the belief that if Americans were given the choice to work a dignified, well-paying job, they'd take that opportunity in a heartbeat. That's exactly what DCEDC makes possible. They bring businesses, workers, community members, educational institutions, and governing bodies together to create lasting economic growth in DeKalb County, and the result is that someone gets a sense of purpose in their life. I believe giving someone a purpose is the most important thing in the world.
In my free time I enjoy reading, writing about politics, going to music festivals, taking long walks, and playing pool. Over the next 25 years I'd like to help nonprofit organizations secure grant funding, do meaningful work as an immigration lawyer, and eventually serve in public office.
