Show Your Professional Certification Swagger

Mary Aquino
Mary Aquino Blackbaud Employee
Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant
in Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT® General Discussions

Greetings Community members! In conjunction with our awesome Blackbaud Community team, Blackbaud University is giving you a chance to snag the swag!!

Share your journey, thoughts, experiences, hopes, and accomplishments in the comments below!

  • Tell us your why you got Pro Certified
  • Tell us what impact it has made in your professional growth
  • Share your certification journey with the Community!

The reply with the most Community Likes between now and Sept. 1,2021 will get some cool Blackbaud University swag – and who doesn’t love free stuff?

Bonus: Here’s something exciting – everyone who replies to this thread and achieves Professional level certification by Sept. 1, 2021 will be invited to attend a special Q&A webinar with one of our Blackbaud University rock star Financial Edge NXT Specialists. So tell us about your journey to Financial Edge NXT Professional Certification and enjoy this great perk!

Comments

  • Angela Tuttle
    Angela Tuttle
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 January 2026 Monthly Challenge Name Dropper

    Being Certified is important to me. I like to feel comfortable with the product and help others any way that I can. I am the Assistant Controller and as needed the FE Database Admin I also sometimes help answer RE questions and run queries/reports in both systems.

  • Sylvia Cook
    Sylvia Cook
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    Being new to Blackbaud and implementation, I needed to understand everything I could about FE and NXT. The classes were thorough, well laid out and the virtual teachers were great at making everyone feel a part of the class. I like that I can go back and review items over again as well.

  • Liz Hall
    Liz Hall
    Fifth Anniversary Facilitator 1 bbcon 2022 Attendee Blackbaud Pro Certified

    I came into an organization that had just implemented RE database view and was in the midst of implementing FE database view. (And the accountant quit the week before the audit started and three weeks after the FE go live date……..) I had to learn both the organization and the software at the same time. Needless to say, it was like drinking from the fire hose.

    As time went on and I got more comfortable with the system I wanted to stretch myself a little (And to be honest the gal who heads up the RE side of things showed off her certificates of completion for being PRO certified….and I thought if she can do it, so can I!) The whole certification effort didn't take too long and the learning has proven valuable.

    Now I find myself recalling some of the quick tips I learned in the interactive classes and don't mind clicking around till I find the solution I need. The classes are great exposure to other people who do similar work, and use the system similarly--or different--and a great opportunity to LEARN!

  • Mary Aquino
    Mary Aquino Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    First off, I want to remind you that tomorrow is the final day for this opportunity to grab some swag and be invited to the Q & A webinar with some Blackbaud U product experts.

    Second, you may wonder “what's in it for her” with regards to Professional Certification? I'll admit I write some of the questions for the exam…but not all of them. Believe it or not, I am excellent at creating close but not quite right answers. That's kind of my specialty. So, I can trip MYSELF up too!

    When we brought about Financial Edge (and then Financial Edge NXT) Professional Certification, I felt as if it was a fantastic way to show the world what I know. I've spent almost 25 years working with the Blackbaud financial product (and I know some of you from my years in support!) So to have a way to certify my knowledge of this SUPER POWERFUL product - and show the world I kinda know what I'm talking about, certification was the right thing for me. I don't have to certify. It's not a stipulation of my job. I do it because I want the ability to put a stamp on my knowledge - both figuratively and literally.

    I truly am interested in your journey, as are the rest of the members of the Blackbaud U team - I hope a couple more of you share your “why” - even if you haven't certified yet.

    And as always, if you have questions about certification or any other training topic - please let me know. Send me a message on here or reach out via email (mary.aquino@blackbaud.com).

  • Mary Aquino
    Mary Aquino Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    CONGRATULATIONS TO @Angela Tuttle who is our winner of the contest!

    I appreciate you, @Sylvia Cook, and @Liz Hall participating!

    I've reached out to each of you individually - check your messages!

    Congratulations on being Professionally Certified too!

    Mary

This discussion has been closed.

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