In two days, I will move out of my apartment and leave Columbus for an indefinite period of time. It feels strange leaving a place where I experienced so much personal, professional, and intellectual growth, but I am incredibly excited for the next stage of my life. 

This departure means that this week was my last week working in-person at Local Matters. Though I will still be working remotely for the next two weeks, Wednesday was my last day physically in the office. On Wednesday, I dropped my compost bin off and entered the education room to join the staff meeting for the last time. I spent Monday and Tuesday preparing for my presentation at this staff meeting. The operations manual is still in draft form, but in a state where I could comfortably present my work. As I delved into my research process and conclusion, I was met with a great deal of support from my coworkers. This was exciting and validating. It was great to see the potential impact of my work and feel the support of those around me. 

My job responsibilities were often challenging when creating this draft. It is difficult to come into a new environment and immediately begin looking for areas of improvement. Oftentimes, this critical lens disconnected me from the positive areas worth praising. My team members were all passionate about the mission of Local Matters and truly cared about the social issues the organization tackles. The work of Local Matters is stellar, and they have already developed a strong reputation in the community throughout their 13 years of operation. However, every workplace has a constant ability to improve their practices. I had to remind myself that I was assisting in the mission of Local Matters by helping them improve the efficiency and productivity of their operations.

My task would have been a fruitless effort if it had not been for the receptiveness of  Local Matters staff. I cannot emphasize enough how helpful my team members were through their willingness to spur change within the operations. I especially want to thank Executive Director Michelle Moskowitz Brown, Director of Operations Kerry Shaw, and Director of Programs Jessica Williams (my wonderful supervisor) for their openness to all of the ideas I presented and their constant assistance.  I will miss getting to see the talented, passionate staff at Local Matters each week.