Hello! My name is Kindall Benjamin. This summer, I will be working with The Overwatch Partnership. This is a local non-profit that provides support for military veterans by connecting them to a mentor for nine months who specializes in what they are interested in. I am very excited to be working with them because my goal is to be a social worker in the future. I didn’t know what to expect going into this fellowship. My first week working at The Overwatch Partnership has been extremely pleasant. The people that I have met so far have been very helpful getting me acclimated to the position. This week, I met with Mr. Gentzel on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He told me to write down my goals and what I would like to get out of the program this summer. I already feel very supported! It seems like everyone wants me to get something meaningful out of this experience. I want to do my very best and make a lasting impression. 

This first week has honestly been a lot of fun, and so far I have had a great experience. On Monday, June 2, all the fellows had orientation at The Columbus Foundation. This year’s group is composed of all women, which I think is extremely empowering. It was nice to learn about everyone’s passions and why they chose to apply for this fellowship. We’re all here to make a difference in people’s lives. One thing that really stuck with me was the TEDxTalk video that Dr. Lomax showed us. The speaker—Simon Sinek—said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” This quote really put things into perspective for me. I can’t make a difference in this world without knowing why I want to make a difference. I have decided that by the end of this summer fellowship, I want to have created both a mission and vision statement for myself. It was Eric Gentzel—the co-founder and Executive Director of The Overwatch Partnership—who explained what these were to me. A mission statement is focused on the present and defines why you are doing it. A vision statement is focused on the future and describes the desired outcomes. Creating these statements will solidify my “why.” 

I am very excited to keep learning and growing this summer, and I can’t wait to connect with more people and hear their stories. Thank you for reading mine!  

Until next time,

Kindall Benjamin