Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Hello!

My name is Ryan Fisher and I have the fortunate opportunity to serve as the Fundraising & Development Fellow for United Schools Network (USN) at the Columbus Collegiate Academy- Main Street Campus.

Columbus Collegiate Academy (CCA) Main Street Campus is a college prep charter school that provides educational opportunities to underserved students, Grades 6-8, in Columbus, Ohio.

What is Fundraising & Development?

I believe that working in Fundraising & Development means moving the organization forward in respect to its mission, vision, and values. Development entails utilizing multiple aspects of the organization, such as communication and alumni services.

What do I do as a Fellow?

On the first day of work I learned more about the behind-the-science operations of CCA. After getting an idea what my Fellowship would be all about I was excited to get started on the following projects:

• Grant writing
  • proposing a $30,000 grant for a new playground at the CCA- Dana Ave. campus
• Social media strategizing
  • utilizing multiple social media platforms to promote USN’s Annual Campaign
• Event planning
  • help organize sponsorship packages for Launch Bash, which is an event that takes place next May and celebrates the LAUNCH of USN’s students into college and the LAUNCH of the 8th grade cohort into high school.

This experience so far has made me appreciate the efforts of United Schools Network to not only close the achievement gap for low income and high need students, but to also give students the skills to gain a degree from the most demanding high schools and colleges.

I look forward to being a part of this movement! Stay tuned for more updates in the future.

Hello All! I’m Connor Hooper and I have the pleasure of serving as the Fellow for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium! I was incredibly excited upon hearing my placement with the Zoo—the organization has such a tremendous reputation locally and nationally for excellence and creating meaningful impact.

At the Zoo, I serve as a member of the Philanthropy team and report to Directors of Philanthropy, Cheryl Lesko and Mayme Norman, who focus on major gifts and annual giving, respectively. At the onset of the Fellowship, the following were identified as the primary goals to accomplish:

• Assist with creating a new social media focused donor stewardship program
• Create and explore new commemorative gift options for donors of certain levels
• Expand aspects of the Jack Hanna Legacy Society for planned gifts
• Focus on expanding appropriate donor recognition for capital campaigns

With the help of Cheryl, Mayme and Donna Zuiderweg, our Vice President of Community Engagement, I developed a timeline for the first month of my Fellowship which has helped guide my work and keep me on track. However, before jumping into these projects, it has been important, and valuable, to take the time to learn as much about the Zoo, its mission, its impact, its programs and services and its future trajectory. Understanding all these elements of the Zoo enables me to make more thoughtful recommendations in my work.

The first projects I have delved into as part of my Fellowship have been creating a plan for social media focused donor stewardship and assessing the greater donor recognition practices of the Zoo.

As I write this post, these projects are ongoing. In regards to assisting in the creation of a social media focused donor stewardship plan, I started by assessing the Zoo’s current social media presence and focuses and then performed a SWOT analysis which should help guide the development of the plan. I look forward to sharing more about the progress of this project as we move forward!

In assessing the donor recognition practices of the Zoo, I have been frequently touring the Zoo, exhibit by exhibit, detailing all of the instances of donor recognition and returning to compare them against giving levels and other exhibits at the Zoo. Although this project is ongoing, the goal is to deliver an analysis of current donor recognition in the Zoo with “best practices” and innovative options for future naming opportunities.

One of the most comforting aspects of the Fellowship thus far has been the willingness of the entire philanthropy team to check-in, provide assistance and lend their institutional memory to ensure that I am empowered to do the best work possible. With thoughtful planning, commitment and their continued support, this Fellowship will surely allow for me to grow professionally while providing a substantial contribution to a vital community anchor.

Hello There,

My name is Yasmin Radzi and I am the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio’s Development/Fundraising Fellow. This week marks the third week of my fellowship and I have had such a blast. I’ve been learning how to operate through Raiser’s Edge and other Blackbaud products. Through these two programs, I’ve been learning about  gift outreach, gift records, and project development.

Every week I attend a Development Committee meeting that involves the Volunteer Coordinator, the Annual Gift Manager, and the Director of Development. During these meetings we talk about different events to hold in Columbus and different ways to reach out to a diverse population. Currently we are working on a “Helpers for the Holidays” Campaign which will act as peer to peer fundraising via a Blackbaud product. For this project, I’ve been tasked to design the website layout, make the donor solicitation letters, and the donor thank you letters. I’ve also been researching on different Furniture Bank of Central Ohio “Swag” items to act as incentives for volunteers who recruit the largest teams!

I also have the responsibility to manage all of the social media updates: twitter, facebook, and instagram! This has been a bit challenging because I have to remember day to day to finish all of my daily tasks on top of social media postings. I’m thankful that I have hopefully mastered time managing and will be on top of this as the weeks progress!

I am grateful for such a great start at such a great non-profit. The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio has helped 8,000 families over the past year in order to fill empty houses with furniture. It’s been a great first three weeks to help create a positive impact on the families in the surrounding area that are in need.

I’m looking forward to work tomorrow and work in the future!

#BedsForKids #FurnitureBank

The Foundation is currently seeking college or graduate students to fill the Fellowships at a wide range of Franklin County nonprofit organizations. The deadline to submit a student application online is Friday, December 4. To qualify for a Fellowship, applicants must be a college junior, senior, 2016 graduate or graduate student in the fall of 2016, and be a Franklin County high school graduate or pursuing a degree at a Franklin County college or university.

Selected students will be placed with a nonprofit for the length of the Fellowship Program, from May 31–August 5, 2016, and receive a stipend of $5,000. Highly desired qualifications for Fellows include a strong academic record (preferably a 3.0+ GPA) and strong verbal and written communications skills.

Further information:
Application & Process
Host Sites & Project Details

The Columbus Foundation is now accepting applications from eligible college seniors for the 2015-2016 Fundraising and Development Fellowship Program. This Fellowship serves to link students with meaningful experiences at 8 potential area nonprofits. Projects have been selected to allow for the Fellow to have a meaningful contribution to the organization’s needs, while learning a substantial amount about the fundraising and development profession. Through a special partnership with the Central Ohio Association of Fundraising Professionals, Fellows will have access to exclusive networking, continuing education, and select AFP membership resources.

It seems like it was not that long ago that I walked into ECDI for the first time, excited and nervous and not quiet comprehending the impact that this summer would have on me. Fast forward ten weeks and I’m writing this final blog post from the lobby of a hotel in Paris. It’s been a crazy, amazing and challenging ride, but I’m happy to say that it’s all been worth it. This past week has been such a blur of proposal drafts, powerpoints and packing that I don’t think it’s hit me that my time as a Columbus Fellow is over. Even though I’ll be continuing on at ECDI, I’ll miss the chance to catch up with people after learning sessions and the sense of community. Following our final presentations, I rushed back to my apartment to finish packing. I had been so focused on getting the Women’s Fund TA draft finished this week that I barely had time to polish up my presentation, let alone do all the planning and organizing needed to pack we’ll for a 10 day trip abroad.

Even though I’ve spoken French for most of my life, I’ve never been to France. I knew that this trip, as ill-timed as it may have turn out, could probably be the only chance I get to finally see Paris. Throwing everything I could think of into my suitcase, I caught the 8 hour flight to the city of lights with my sister and grandpa. Things I forgot: power adapter, rain gear, hair ties and sunscreen. Of course, within hours of our arrival it started drizzling, making the cobblestones glisten and our hotel lobby seem all the more cozy. As I sit here sipping my coffee, I can’t believe how perfectly this summer has come to a close. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the people who have made this all possible. Many thanks from Paris!

I’ve always wanted a chance to use the corny line “Commencement does not mean and ending, but rather it is a beginning.” that is used in every cliched graduation speech and now it seems is my chance! While I am not exactly graduating this summer, my time as a summer fellow with the Columbus Foundation is coming to an end. I am beginning, however, what will be a new adventure as part-time education coordinator, here at the Pizzuti Collection,  for the upcoming year. Yes, it is corny, but commencement feels like a very fitting term for what is occurring in my life right now.

This summer was one of many interesting experiences. It was my first summer not living at home, my first summer living by myself, my first summer being full-time employed, my first arts museum employment, my first summer in Columbus, and a myriad of other firsts. It has been quite the journey.

I learned so much this summer, working with 6 area teens and training them into Junior Docents for the Collection. They have all truly transformed this summer into much more confident, well spoken, and professional young adults over these last 8 weeks. We will be having a small graduation ceremony for them, signifying the end of their official training and the beginning of their time as our first class of Junior Docents. It has always been important to me to make a difference wherever I am. Working with my JDs this summer, I really feel like I have left them with at least a small sampling of “the real world”, what it is like to have a job, and some valuable skills that they will hopefully use for the rest of their lives. If I impacted just one person in a positive way, then I consider this summer a success.

When I first told my family and friends that I would be moving to Ohio for my graduate studies, the response was usually a quizzical look on their faces followed by “Why?” And at that time, the only answer I really had was the opportunity to continue my studies at a well known University. This summer, though, I learned that Columbus is so much more than just Ohio State. It is a vibrant and beautiful city with a rapidly expanding and amazing cultural landscape. Every city has its issues, but Columbus has truly started to feel like a home for me, which as a young 20-something trying to find my place in the world, is a very VERY welcome feeling.

Thank you for following along on my journey this summer. I will say that it is not ending, however, but rather I am commencing onto more opportunities, more expereinces and more time in this beautiful city of Columbus, Ohio. Thank you for coming along for the ride!

I wanted to save blog number ten for tonight so I could have a full recap of the summer and process my thoughts after the reception this afternoon. First and foremost, thank you to everybody at the Columbus Foundation. This summer has been a tremendous experience and everybody associated with the Columbus Foundation and the Summer Fellowship Program have been fantastic. Having a front row seat to watch some of the best in the business work their magic has been an inspiring experience and I am truly thankful to have been given this opportunity.

Seeing the City of Columbus come together for common good is remarkable. I have seen the work from the outside during my time at Ohio State but now I know that was a limited lens. Being able to participate in tangible and substantial change has made this summer worth my while and then some. It was my first summer staying in Columbus and — other than the weather — it lived up to expectations. The city, the campus, the people, and the progress make Columbus a shining light in the Midwest and it’s no secret why people flock to this town by the thousands each year. It’s a beautiful place with many world-class educational opportunities and I firmly believe that anybody who ever has the opportunity to call Columbus “home” has it better than most.

To the people of Clean Fuels Ohio — you’re rockstars. The work this organization accomplishes may seem less tangible than other nonprofits but I promise the impact is real and massive. I have learned so much in ten weeks about nonprofit management and alternative energy and I feel so much more prepared to take on that intimidating “REAL WORLD”. There’s a simple motto I try to live by, that has meant more this summer than ever:

Make a difference.

Clean Fuels Ohio makes a difference. The Columbus Foundation makes a difference. The 2015 Summer Fellows make a difference. Look out, “REAL WORLD”, there are 13 talented and inspired youngsters on their way to make an impact.

Looking back week by week, I was so amazed and proud of the growth and learning I have had. I detailed below my experience at KidSMILES this summer with a few important milestones from each week, with links out to each weekly blog post.

Week 1: I got acquainted with the procedures and working environment at KidSMILES and started working on our outreach expansion by examining Ohio Department of Education schools data to prioritize schools we would like to visit.

Week 2: I led and coordinated my first outreach visits successfully. I survived and succeeded!

Week 3: I continued my outreach visits. I reached out to potential partners, including the Central Ohio Association of School Nurses. I attended the Franklin County Free Clinics Roundtable organized by the Ohio Association of Free Clinics.

Week 4: I visited a focus group meeting organized by the Bhutanese Nepali Community of Columbus with the Columbus Police Department. Our two new AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers, Eric and Tionne, began at KidSMILES began.

Week 5: I shadowed one of our board members, Dr. Jeff Milton, a pediatric dentist practicing in Powell, Ohio. I continued our visits and had a fantastic visit with WARM.

Week 6: I called and emailed all the principals for the schools we would like to prioritize visiting for our outreach expansion. I finished a complete draft of the outreach brochure.

Week 7: I finished the research project examining staffing, organizational structure, and funding sources at other non-profit and free/reduced cost clinics in Ohio and across the US. I shadowed another one of our board members, Dr. Sakamoto, who is a periodontist, a dental specialist, in Blacklick, Ohio. We had a Summer Fellows Learning Session with Mr. Douglas F. Kridler, President and CEO of the Columbus Foundation.

Week 8: I completed a draft survey for assessing our outreach program effectiveness and piloted the survey successfully at our outreach visits. We hosted our Open House, with many current and interested outreach volunteers attending the event.

Week 9: We had our Goodie Bag stuffing event and stuffed about 1,000 goodie bags to use at our upcoming events. I completed a couple small projects around the clinic and organized our clinic and outreach materials to prepare for my transition out. I also led our largest outreach event of the summer where we visited about 135 children.

For my final week, I wrapped up a couple tasks for the week and completed my final visit. I spent a lot of time preparing for my final presentation. I gave my final presentation at our Columbus Foundation Summer Fellows Closing Luncheon earlier today. It was great to hear about the experiences of the other Fellows. I had a good idea of what everyone was doing at their Fellowship sites and their future plans after the Fellowship, but it was really interesting to hear about their complete experience in a comprehensive presentation format. Giving our presentations in the Pecha Kucha format, where we had 20 slides with 20 seconds for each slide, kept our presentations concise and to the point.

My presentation at the luncheon today focused on an introduction of who I am and why I pursued this fellowship, a history of KidSMILES and its co-founders, an overview of my goals, my main accomplishments and challenges, and a thank you to the Columbus Foundation, the KidSMILES staff, and for all of the guidance and mentorship of Laura Zuber. I was so happy that Julie, Norma, and Laura could attend the closing luncheon.

I’m so happy Laura, Julie, and Norma attended the Final Luncheon!

Overall, I had such an amazing experience at KidSMILES that challenged me in a meaningful and purposeful way. However, this is not my last goodbye. After I return from vacation for the next two weeks, I will be volunteering as much as I can at KidSMILES to help with as many projects as I can!