Another week down the hatch! This week was smooth sailing for the most part, but in doing my tasks and talking with everyone in the office I came to a few realizations. One is that the 9-5 format is not what bothers me, it’s being in the office all day. I love being outside, especially in the summer, and you get approximately 4 hours of being in the office. As I went through the week, I recalled our conversation at our last session on the pros and cons of remote work. I’ve concluded that I love remote work because it offers you true flexibility within your day. Most tasks might take you 3-4 hours max if you stay focused, then the rest of your day is practically yours. In saying that, I do see the value of being in the office as you can connect with your team members more easily. I have gotten to learn a lot about the team during our chats in the office and if I was primarily remote those connections may not be as strong as they are.

Last Friday, the Letter of Intent application closed with a total of 100 submissions! This week, the team and I were able to read the grant applications that various organizations had sent for approval to move to the second step of the process. It becomes very difficult when reviewing applications because you can identify the need, the significance, and the thought behind each of the programs that closely align with The Women’s Fund’s mission. There were some programs that the team and I loved but lacked a detailed application that outlined what participants in a program would be doing. It was an incredible amount of reading and your eyes started to get cross-eyed by looking at the computer screen filled with small text for hours. Reading the submissions gave me a new perspective on the grantmaking process and more knowledge of non-profits in Columbus.

Through this fellowship experience, I have realized quirks about myself, the pros and cons of workplace cultures, and gained some newfound skills. Each of these realizations is shaping the way I want to move forward in my career which I am extremely grateful for.

Hoping everyone had a great week!

See y’all in the next one!

Kennedy Smith