When this fellowship first started, I read the blog posts of past fellows to get an idea of what I was supposed to be posting. Many of them wrote about how quickly their ten weeks went, and now here I am, in the same position as they once were. The ten weeks are over, and the fellowship is finishing up.

I have had the most incredible time at ARC Industries over the summer. I have had the pleasure to work with an incredible leadership team that continues to do everything in their power to ensure I am getting the support that I desire and need through this work. They have provided me with numerous opportunities for leadership and development, as well as given me the chance to sit in on meetings that provide me insights that will be helpful to me in my future career. Additionally, they have been there every single week with me, checking in to ensure I am alright. So, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to Jessica Garrett and Amanda Smith, the two incredible women who have not only been there for professional support, but who have also given me words of encouragement and affirmation throughout my time here. I got lucky with this team!

Additionally, I have gotten the chance to spend the past ten Tuesdays with the ASPIRE program, where I worked with not only an amazing staff, but amazing participants as well. Each day, I found myself looking forward to working. I developed relationships with these participants. I learned about their passions, their families, and even shared parts of my own life with them.

I believe that this internship gave me experiences and skills that I would not have ever been exposed to if I was not placed at ARC. This work is unpredictable, as most work is when you are working with people. I experienced participants having great days– days where they spent the entire time smiling. However, I also experienced some not so good days– days where someone became overwhelmed or days where someone got so frustrated that they couldn’t communicate their needs that they self inflicted harm. Yet, I have learned from all of it.

I have learned more than I can put into words from the amazing staff at ARC. I believe that there are only certain people who can handle this sort of work. It takes mass amounts of patience and compassion. There are days where I have been astonished at the grace these employees had in light of the situations they were put in. These employees spend their work day doing every job imaginable. They are nurses, teachers, friends, and so much more all wrapped into one.

After having the chance to sit in on some professional development meetings, my main takeaway is money, of all things. I wish I could snap my fingers and gift a billion dollars to ARC, and even more to the entire DD field. These employees deserve great pay, and the participants deserve to have whatever resources they may need (enough staffing, enough transportation, enough opportunities to get into the community). Unfortunately, similar to many other non-profits, there is simply not enough money to create a perfect system. When I first came into this roll, I found myself frustrated with these facts. After all, I am a college student who happens to be an idealist rather than a realist. My answer was always, “Just give them more money. It’s that simple”. However, after gaining some experience and actually learning what some of the red tape meant, I am slowly coming to understand how difficult “just giving them more money” can actually be. Everyone– staff, board leaders, and participants– all have the same goals. Everyone wants these participants to have meet their outcomes and have access to things that can enhance their lives. Yet, achieving all of that is much harder than it seems at the surface level.

So, in my final words as a summer fellow, I would like to say thank you (again). Thank you to the Columbus Foundation for providing me with this opportunity and placing me at ARC. Thank you to my supervisors, who have made this experience rewarding and fun. Thank you to my other fellows, who have been great peers throughout the summer. But, most of all, I want to thank the participants at ARC that I have had the pleasure of meeting. These participants have given me a new lens to look at the world through, and for that I am so grateful.

To my fellows, I wish you luck in your futures, and we are going to crush these presentations!