In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes Jasmin Graham, founder, president, and CEO of Minorities in Shark Sciences, for an energetic conversation about leadership, vision, representation, and yes, sharks. Jasmin shares how her lifelong connection to the ocean, her curiosity for science, and one fateful Twitter exchange with other Black women shark scientists helped launch an organization dedicated to moving people “from fear to fascination” while broadening participation in marine science. What began as a club quickly became a nonprofit after Jasmin and her co-founders planned to raise $24,000 in a year and instead raised it in a week. That is not a fundraising goal; that is a cannonball into the deep end of donor enthusiasm.
Bill and Jasmin explore how Minorities in Shark Sciences tackles both ocean conservation and systemic barriers in the scientific field. Jasmin explains that marine science often relies on unpaid internships or “pay-to-play” opportunities, creating financial obstacles for students and professionals who do not have a safety net. Her organization offers K–12 outreach, field trips, camps, workshops, internships, fellowships, and hybrid programs for people changing careers or returning after disruptions. The mission is beautifully twofold: conserve endangered sharks and rays while uplifting scientists and conservation leaders from communities that have historically been left out of the boat, off the dock, and nowhere near the grant-funded snorkel gear.
The conversation really gets its sea legs when Jasmin starts myth-busting sharks. While many people immediately picture Jaws, she reminds listeners that most sharks are about three feet long or less, many live in the deep sea, and some are downright adorable, including shy sharks, pajama cat sharks, and bonnetheads. Jasmin also offers a sobering statistic: sharks kill one or two people per year on average, while humans kill around 100 million sharks annually. In other words, sharks are not roaming the oceans looking for snacks; they have much more reason to fear us than we have to fear them.
Bill and Jasmin close by connecting her leadership journey to fundraising success. Jasmin reflects on building a team with different communication styles, noting that each staff member’s strengths naturally aligned with their role, from programming to operations to communications. She also offers a powerful lesson for nonprofit leaders: create a vision that is authentic to your mission, not one designed merely to “sell.” Early on, some people told her that Minorities in Shark Sciences was too narrow, but Jasmin stayed focused on the slice of the pie she was best equipped to change. The takeaway is clear: big ideas attract big support, but precise passion attracts the right support. Stay true to the mission, find donors who share it, and then go make waves.
