Week 7 somehow arrived much faster than I expected, and it has me feeling both accomplished and a little sentimental knowing this experience is beginning to wind down. I’ve found myself trying to stay as present as possible over these last few weeks, appreciating not only the projects I’m working on, but also the people and leadership I’ve had the opportunity to learn from.

One of the highlights of my week was sitting in on multiple all-staff meetings led by our CEO. I found myself taking many mental notes, as I genuinely wanted to analyze such an effective leadership style and how it looks like in practice. Throughout this summer, I’ve learned so much about leading a team, staying on top of countless moving pieces, cultivating organizational culture, and maintaining strong relationships with staff. One aspect of his leadership style that has stood out to me is his transparency. During discussions and decision-making processes, he consistently invites feedback and ideas from the entire team rather than limiting those conversations to senior leadership. Seeing that level of trust and openness has given me a much clearer picture of the kind of leader I hope to become.

A large portion of my week was spent helping prepare supplies for one of Besa’s partners in Orlando, which will be leading a massive service project assembling meal kits for seniors, children, and families in their community. Our team unpacked, sorted, repacked, and loaded thousands of cans, snacks, cards, and other supplies onto a truck headed south. While much of the work was behind the scenes, it was rewarding to know that our efforts will help support such a large-scale community impact.

I also had the opportunity to volunteer with FLOW at their Worthington tree nursery. It was refreshing to spend time with people who are so passionate about something that often doesn’t receive much attention. Their enthusiasm for tree planting and environmental stewardship was contagious, and it reminded me how inspiring it is to be around people who genuinely care about making a difference, regardless of whether their work receives recognition.

Another project this week involved helping brainstorm and research groups that could fill the remaining volunteer opportunities for the CHALLENGE concert that Besa is supporting alongside Abercrombie. I researched universities across Central Ohio, youth organizations, and other service groups before compiling a list for my coworker and me to begin reaching out to. I had never heard of this annual fundraising event before this summer, but learning more about it has been exciting, and I’m looking forward to seeing it come together.

Toward the end of the week, I had a meeting with my social work field supervisor from Ohio State, my supervisor at Besa, and another Ohio State staff member to reflect on the learning that has taken place throughout my fellowship. Receiving such thoughtful and encouraging feedback from two supervisors who have each worked closely with me in different ways genuinely meant a lot. It was one of those moments where I felt seen for the work I’ve been putting in this summer, and I left the meeting feeling both encouraged and grateful.

I also wrapped up another major milestone by presenting the data analysis from the volunteer fill-rate project I’ve been working on over the past few weeks. After spending many hours working in Excel, creating charts, and analyzing trends, my supervisor and I discussed what the findings might mean for the bigger picture, how they could be useful for staff, and when we should share them with the rest of the team. It was exciting to see the project move from raw data to conversations about real organizational decision-making.