This week was one of the most exciting weeks in my fellowship thus far because I got to put preparation into action. Namely, I conducted two out of the four interviews for the Women and the Origin of the Social Sector project!

Tuesday morning, I went to Mary Lazarus’s house along with Jenna and Matt to film the first interview of the project. Mary had so many wonderful perspectives to share. It was very special to talk to someone with deep, lifelong ties to philanthropy in Columbus. I felt so supported by the two mentors who attended the interview with me. For example, Jenna noticed that the squirrels outside the window behind Mary were a little too distracting and paused the interview to shoo them away. Matt, observing the interview, synthesized some new questions based on Mary’s and my conversation that made her light up. We also took some breaks in between questions, drinking water, and chatting. It made me realize it was okay to slow down in an interview, especially when things can be edited. I have more experience in print journalism, and so I feel more comfortable taking pauses and going off on tangents in interviews when I am just casually recording audio for quotes. For some reason, the added presence of a camera made me feel like everything had to be formal. These little breaks, interruptions, and lightbulb moments during the interview with Mary reaffirmed a value that I had forgotten: an interview is really just a conversation.

I put this reaffirmed value into practice when I interviewed Kelley Griesmer on Thursday. The interview probably felt more casual and natural because I see her around the Women’s Fund office. However, I found that I was able to pause, transition between questions more easily, and pivot when a question wasn’t working.

I have begun editing these interviews, which, as I predicted in last week’s post, are taking a little longer than the much shorter summer party interviews. However, they are so rich with content that I am having a wonderful time sifting through it all.

Although my main focus this week was those two interviews, I kept reading and taking notes on LOIs, which came in a burst on the day they were due (the 15th). I was amazed at how many great ones there were, and how many the Women’s Fund team (specifically Arielle) would have to weed out for the next step in the grant-making process. I am learning so much about the nuance that goes into considering LOIs and how important it is to be selective around what best aligns with the Women’s Fund’s mission and grant-making objectives.

Lastly, the list of thank-you cards to write is still quite long. I enjoy working on them intermittently throughout the day because they not only give me a break from computer screens but also connect me to the Women’s Fund’s donor base. I especially enjoyed writing a thank-you card to Mary Lazarus for interviewing with us. I am so grateful for the generosity and kindness of everyone involved in this project.

I have two more interviews next week, and much more editing to do, so wish me luck!

Eva