Besa had a busy week between coordinating a large number of volunteer events around the city, discussing organizational transitions, and holding an end-of-the-week all-staff meeting.

I started the week by assisting a coworker at an event with AEP as part of their Week of Service, during which the company participated in around 20 different volunteer activities. We built dressers for Columbus families in partnership with the Furniture Bank, and it was cool to see the president of AEP Ohio jumping right in alongside the other staff members. Later that afternoon, I helped facilitate an experience that included packing meal kits for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and partnering with United Way’s card-writing initiative for seniors. This event took place with Cardinal Health interns, and I played a large role in planning the logistics, as well as leading a post-volunteer reflection and discussion about how to make volunteerism a more consistent aspect of our lives. I was pleasantly surprised by the interns’ intentional engagement and thoughtful reflections.

The second half of the week was filled with meaningful discussions and meetings with both my fellow summer fellows and my colleagues at Besa. Our learning session this week provided a great opportunity to hear from CEO Tashia Safford and discuss the importance and meaning of “positioning.” I had several important takeaways and loved hearing Mrs. Safford’s advice, perspectives, and story of how she got to where she is today.

One of my biggest takeaways from this summer is that our progress, career journeys, and overall lives are rarely, if ever, linear. Recently, I have had several opportunities to ask successful individuals what they would change about their twenties if they could go back. Each time, the answer has been the same: nothing. There will likely be a few pivots along the winding road, and that realization has given me more confidence. I do not currently have one concrete plan or a single career goal in place, but I am going to start where I can, adjust, adapt, position myself, and continue learning. I can trust myself more than I might realize.A few other takeaways from our learning session included the idea that luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity, the importance of positioning yourself well, and how the word “no” should not always be perceived as something negative. Hearing “no” can lead to growth, demonstrate an attempt rather than inaction, sharpen us, and teach us valuable lessons.

That same night, we had a networking dinner where our cohort had the chance to share a meal with several former summer fellows. It was very interesting to learn about their wide variety of backgrounds and the paths they took after completing the fellowship. I also enjoyed continuing to strengthen my relationships with the other members of my own cohort.

To end the week, Besa held its monthly all-staff meeting. During the first half of these meetings, our CEO, Matthew, brings in a guest speaker. This week, we heard from a successful and impactful Columbus restaurant owner who shared how her perspective has evolved throughout her career. Her emphasis on finding meaning and success through relationships and the people she has been able to impact carried over into a later lunch I had with Matthew. During lunch, I picked his brain about his leadership perspectives, ideas, Besa, relationships, advice, and much more. It was an impactful conversation for me, and I truly value his way of thinking, along with how he approaches both his work and the people around him. I look forward to seeing how not only Besa as an organization, but also each individual staff member, grows over the next several years.

This has been an incredibly fulfilling opportunity, and I am excited to have the chance to communicate the impact it has had on me during our presentations and closing lunch later this week.

On to the final week!