During my second week of my fellowship, I had the opportunity to engage with my cohort members, attend an in-person event, develop my digital marketing skills, and interact with entrepreneurs.

During our professional development session, I was able to discuss and hear updates from each of my cohort members about their fellowship sites. We also engaged in an in-depth discussion to learn more about The Columbus Foundation and its impact on the community.

On Wednesday, I attended a Showcase Event in Cleveland. There, I engaged with entrepreneurs who had recently completed the Northeast Ohio Social Enterprise Accelerator program. I had the opportunity to observe their pitches and witness participants winning cash prizes. This event was incredibly insightful because I gained a deeper understanding of what it takes to run an organization. I also connected with other SEA Change employees who work in the Northeast Ohio region. I enjoyed learning about their roles within the organization and hearing about their experiences.

Furthermore, I was able to listen in on a training session for entrepreneurs in the Columbus cohort. I learned a variety of new terms and concepts that are important in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. This week’s topic focused on measuring impact—essentially identifying the metrics entrepreneurs use to evaluate the success of their organizations. During the session, I was able to connect concepts from my master’s program to strengthen my understanding of data evaluation and performance measurement. Additionally, I learned more about the entrepreneurs’ business models and how they were navigating challenges related to effectively measuring their organizations’ success.

Lastly, I focused on creating social media content and evaluating the employee onboarding process. With SEA Change hosting the Festival for Good in September, the organization is working to increase awareness throughout the summer. I created a graphic using Canva and edited and posted a video. With no prior experience using Canva, I have enjoyed learning the platform and developing a skill that I can add to my resume. Additionally, I continued reviewing the onboarding process to identify redundancies and inefficiencies. I have already begun updating the process and incorporating my recommendations for improvement.

Gaining practical experience and exposure is crucial to my professional development. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity because I am learning a wealth of knowledge while simultaneously strengthening my technical and professional skill set.