Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Hi everyone! I am wrapping up my fifth week with the Center for Disability Empowerment, and we are now halfway through the Summer Fellowship! These past five weeks have gone by so quickly, but have been filled with valuable learning experiences and personal and professional growth. I have become much more confident in my own skills and voice at work, and have gained a much better understanding of the inner workings of the nonprofit world. I am looking forward to continuing to grow and develop, both personally and professionally, during the second half of the Fellowship!

In CDE news, we are now just one week out from the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the ADA that I have been helping plan for the last five weeks. I feel really good about the work we’ve done so far and I am excited to see everything come together next Friday. I think the Celebration event will be a great way to come together as a community and focus on something positive. With all the uncertainty, hate, and divisiveness in the world and in our communities right now, it is important to remember to not take for granted how far we’ve come and to continue to fight to protect what we have now. 

Jackie, Sue and I have been working on tying up any loose ends with event organization. We have finally got in contact with all of our sponsors about attendance, which was a huge relief and something I was struggling to get responses for. I have also been really focusing on volunteer coordination this past week, and I think that we have a thorough good plan and a good team joining us that will help the event run smoothly. We are in a good place right now with the planning, and will just be focusing on making some final touches next week before the event on Friday evening!

Until next week, 

Rachael McCague 

Though this week was shortened due to the holiday, it was still filled with important insights into the inner workings of Zora’s House and how growth happens behind the scenes. I can’t believe I am already halfway through my internship!

I continued my work cataloging and organizing Zora’s House library. This week, I focused on aligning the library with existing resources and possibly connecting it to their existing membership portal. The goal is to create a sustainable system that enhances access to knowledge and supports future use.

During our all-staff meeting, I received a comprehensive overview of July’s upcoming events and the logistics involved in organizing them. I was especially interested in seeing how responsibilities are distributed among the team and how programming decisions are made with intention and community needs in mind. One topic that stood out during this meeting was the importance of training and organizational development. Staff emphasized how continued professional development is essential, not just for individual growth, but for strengthening the entire organization. It reminded me that thriving community spaces are built by well-supported teams.

I also met with the staff member who leads Zora’s House’s membership program. We discussed strategies to sustain existing members while growing the base, balancing personalized engagement with scalable outreach. Membership isn’t just transactional here; it’s relational. The conversation deepened my understanding of how membership models can serve both community building and organizational sustainability.

Another key project this week was drafting a Request for Proposal (RFP) for an upcoming facilitator-led program. While I’ve submitted RFPs in academic settings, this is my first time writing one from the organizational perspective. It’s been a rewarding challenge, learning how to clearly outline expectations, timelines, and compensation, while ensuring the language is inclusive, inviting, and aligned with Zora’s House’s mission. Writing an RFP is more than just a technical task; it’s about setting the tone for the kind of partnership the organization wants to build. I will be presenting my draft to the Managing Director next week for review.

Even in a short week, I’ve seen how intentional planning, care for people, and attention to detail keep this vibrant space moving forward.

Until next week,

Asia

This week has felt like the heart of the Customer Journey project. Conversations are coming to life, insights are surfacing, and next steps are starting to take shape. I began the week by preparing a summary of completed interviews, upcoming schedules, and key findings to share at our strategic planning committee meeting. After weeks of listening, analyzing, and writing playback sheets, it was rewarding to see the project’s progress shared with leadership and board members who care deeply about the organization’s growth.

Throughout the week, I conducted seven interviews, including longtime and newer volunteers, the kitchen team lead, a weekend driver supervisor, and a corporate volunteer from Nationwide. Each story added something new, whether it was a suggestion, a concern, or a moment of impact. As I continue creating playback sheets, I’m noticing recurring themes that will be important to bring forward during the final half-day session we’re planning, where we’ll share findings and brainstorm solutions together with Meals-on-Wheels program staff.

One highlight of the week was attending the strategic planning meeting itself. Listening in on conversations about LifeCare Alliance’s future while contributing updates on the Customer Journey project gave me a unique perspective on how the work I’m doing fits into a larger vision. I also began early work on the Meals-for-Kids customer journey by reviewing past interviews and creating questions that will help us form a clear problem statement.

From a marketing perspective, I continue to gain insight into the importance of communication style and delivery. Several volunteers shared how they’ve used social media and word-of-mouth to spread awareness about Meals-on-Wheels, often inviting family or friends to join them on deliveries. It reminded me how powerful storytelling can be, especially when coming from those directly involved.

One idea sparked this week from multiple interviews: adding branded insulated bags for volunteers to carry meals from their cars to client homes. It’s a small but meaningful improvement that supports the client experience and shows volunteers that their needs are being considered too.

As I move into Week 6, I’m feeling the weight of the calendar. There are still interviews to schedule and voices left to hear so we are considering extending the Calendly link another week to extend our interview timeline. With each day, I’m more aware of the time I have left, and more determined to make it count.

Until next week,
Kat Jolley

Good evening fellows,

Please pardon my delayed update—I’ve been managing some recent health issues that briefly interrupted my daily rhythm. That said, I’m thankful for the continued opportunity to contribute meaningfully at Big Brothers Big Sisters and to share my progress with you.

This past week, I focused on an important project in collaboration with my supervisor: developing an AI-powered quality assurance (QA) template. This tool is designed to enhance the consistency and effectiveness of support provided by Match Support Specialists (MSS), ensuring key program benchmarks are met across the board. With guidance, I successfully conducted and submitted two QA Spot Checks through the organization’s match support system, MatchForce. These checks provided individualized feedback and performance insights for two MSSs.

While the initial work was well received, I was reminded of the scale of the task ahead—QA Spot Checks are expected monthly for two MSSs at each agency site, totaling approximately eleven reviews. The feedback challenged me to not only maintain the quality of my work but to increase my output and efficiency moving forward.

One of the most valuable lessons I’m learning through this fellowship is the difference between time management as a student and as a professional. Academic life taught me how to prioritize, but this experience is showing me how to lead with adaptability, accountability, and endurance. It’s a humbling and motivating shift—and I’m learning not to let missteps define me, but to use them as a foundation for growth.

In addition, I had the chance to support a colleague who is leading an upcoming initiative for Bigs and mentees. I contributed training resources and helped develop activity modules that center on child safety and effective match relationships. We’re now refining the content to address the complex “grey areas” that often arise in real-world scenarios—an important step in supporting our mission responsibly and sustainably.

This fellowship continues to stretch and inspire me. Every challenge is a lesson, and every task is an opportunity to grow—not just in skill, but in character. I’m reminded that leadership isn’t just about what you produce; it’s about how you respond when expectations rise and comfort zones shrink. Here’s to rising to the occasion, learning with humility, and leading with purpose.

Let’s keep the strive, onward to week five! 

Hello again! I truly cannot believe that we are already four weeks into this experience, I feel like I have only blinked! This was the week where I felt like I settled into my confidence through leading activities for the girls which was a learning curve.

Although most activities are pre-planned and have instructions to go along with them, some of the transition activities are games and exercises we come up with on the spot. One thing I learned is that you have to read the room and the participant’s abilities before choosing activities. This week one of the transition games I chose was the wrong choice as many girls were left confused and disengaged. This was a learning lesson for me because it may have been more natural if I allowed the girls to have input on what they wanted to do rather than deciding for them, especially because the age group was six to nine year olds. 

Other than that, because the age group was slightly smaller this week, I was able to connect with individual girls and learn about who they are beyond just camp. One girl and I bonded over the Columbus Blue Jackets and it was so fun to see her get excited and share her opinions on the draft this weekend. Another girl was a big fan of the Wings of Fire novel series which was helpful to know as we often used the topic as a tool to help her calm down when she was upset. The staff even participated in some activities to see how well we knew the girls to insight some friendly competition while also prioritizing getting to know each girl. 

This week’s theme was Forest Fairies which included many structured activities such as making fairy houses out of pots, terrariums, fairy wings out of pressed flowers the girls collected, and a fairy party at the end with campfire cooked snacks. The girls even received notes and gifts from the camp fairy “Kamp” which was a joy to watch. 

Walking out of this week, I am excited for a bit of a break as next week will look a bit different due to no traditional STEM Camp. However, I am excited to pick back up STEM Camp soon with more knowledge and confidence.

Best,

Madeleine Auch 

Hello there! Long time no talk. I wanted to ensure I prioritized reflection throughout this week so I could provide more in-depth takeaways. Week three was the first week of STEM camp where there were two camps going on at the same time, which led to more responsibility for me in guiding the girls. I was assisting the Daisy and Brownie girls (ages 6-10) in a Dreamhouse Design themed camp, so the girls had the opportunity to create their own dollhouse. 

The girls were gifted a plain dollhouse and were able to paint and create anything they wanted for their dollhouse including using 3D-printed designs they were able to choose from. Due to the big age gap between girls, it was interesting to see how their creative ideas and execution differed from each other which helped me to determine how best I could aid them without overstepping. One of the younger girls may have needed help mixing paint to be the exact color they wanted whereas an older girl may have just wanted an extra hand to hold an item in place while they continued to construct it. 

This was the week where I started to figure out how best to command different girls’ attention by paying attention to what they respond to. I also learned that asking for help when an approach may not be working is always the best option. Some girls connect better with other adults and their character than others and that should be used as a strength.

My standout moment for this week was getting to see relationships build between the younger and older girls and the guidance that occurred. I went into the week nervous that there would be a divide and walked out experiencing the complete opposite. 

This week was very much girl-led, so there was a lot of adaptation that we had to do, but in the end, the girls had an amazing week and got to walk away with a creation fully their own. Looking forward to sharing about week four.

Best,

Madeleine Auch 

This week marked a turning point in my fellowship experience as I fully stepped into the rhythm of conducting Customer Journey interviews. After three weeks of preparation, I interviewed seven participants: two volunteers, four staff members, and even LifeCare Alliance’s CEO, Chuck Gehring. Each interview added a valuable piece to the puzzle, giving me deeper insight into both the strengths and challenges of the Meals-on-Wheels program from multiple perspectives.

I spent much of my time this week reviewing transcripts, listening back to recordings, and developing playback sheets that summarize key themes from each conversation. While the process is time-consuming, it’s rewarding to see patterns begin to emerge and to know these insights will help improve volunteer and client experiences long after summer ends.

Outside of interviews, I continued supporting outreach efforts. I attended another Lunch & Learn event with David, the LCA Client & Community Engagement Liaison, at Mt. Vernon Plaza, where we shared hot meals and information about the Savor & Select program. Watching David engage with building managers, residents, and case workers gave me a deeper appreciation for how relationship-building fuels community outreach. These events have taught me a lot about marketing and how trust is built through conversation, consistency, and genuine care.

Several new ideas began to take shape this week. I learned about RouteXL, an app that could help optimize volunteer routes. I also heard from volunteers about the importance of consistent experiences across devices and the value of creating an online spaces like a discussion forum or social media group where volunteers can connect. Other ideas included adding double-sided inserts to meal delivery bags highlighting LCA’s programs or offering school volunteer hour credit to attract younger volunteers. One of my favorite concepts is expanding LCA’s “Being There Matters” campaign through a social media movement where volunteers share selfies from their routes, tagging LCA and helping boost awareness and engagement.

Though I’ve run into a few challenges, like the time it takes to process each interview, I’m finding ways to work more efficiently. More importantly, I’m seeing how this project is already making an impact, not just through what I’m learning, but through the voices I’m helping to amplify.

Until next time!
Kat Jolley

This week was my first week back at Green Columbus after vacation, so there were several updates this week!

This week, I visited the tree nursery and saw how much the tree samplings had grown. We had only planted the samplings ~4 weeks ago and they’re already so tall which was great to see. Green Columbus has its annual tree giveaway in October each year, so it’s great to see that the trees will be ready for residents to take them home. The dates were also finalized for the tree giveaways so I was able to start doing some outreach to spread the word. I also began designing some new signs for the tree nursery on Canva this week.

Because of the heat advisory this week, Green Columbus had to cancel a volunteer event. I also attended a Zoom meeting hosted by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce about preparing for the heat advisory. Green Columbus and many other community stakeholders are concerned about the heat because of the many health issues it creates, and it was very interesting to hear everyone’s perspectives. Green Columbus is particularly concerned with the heat advisory because it disproportionately impacts communities of color in Columbus because of historic disinvestment. Trees are a great way to combat heat, which is why Green Columbus does tree giveaways in these communities. Extreme weather is going to become more and more common due to global warming so it is critical that this issue is addressed.

Last Sunday, The Overwatch Partnership had their annual golf outing. It took place at New Albany Links Golf Club, which is a really need facility. I was in charge of helping with the silent auction table. There were some really good auction items, such as a house in Hilton Head and signed Cleveland Browns footballs. I helped create some of the bidding sheets for extra items that we received. There was also a 50/50 raffle. The winner won over $400! Overall, a lot of money was raised. It seemed like everyone had a great time. We ate catering from the golf club, which was really good. It was a taste of the south, so there was mac and cheese, chicken, coleslaw, salad, and more. The lemonade they made was my personal favorite! 

While everyone was golfing, I rode around in a golf cart with board member Katie Foster. We took pictures and videos of all the golfers and got a lot of great action shots. While talking, we had the idea to put together a promotion video for next year’s golf outing. Katie said it would help for people to see the actual course and what they’d be doing, and that would help to get more people to sign up. l met with Katie later this week for an interview and it’s apparent that she has a ton of great ideas. She works as a healthcare consultant, and she told me that she loves solving people’s problems. One idea she had was doing before and after videos of people that go through the OWP mentorship program. I’m very glad doing this fellowship introduced me to her, as I am not only very inspired by her but I think she is a great connection to have! 

After recovering from the 95 degree heat at the golf outing, I worked on correcting data in the OWP system and doing more interviews with board members. I also researched more grants to apply to, and I am going to start emailing current mentees to gauge how their experience is going with their mentors! I am thoroughly enjoying my time working with the OWP, and I am already was thinking about how it will all be over soon. 

Thank you for reading, 

Kindall Benjamin 

Hi again! I just wrapped up Week 4 of my fellowship, and this week was all about movement (literally and creatively).

I’m continuing to work on the 2025–2026 season subscription packets, carefully shaping how we present ticketing options and packages in a way that feels clear and inviting. I also started developing flyer concepts for the Children’s Dance season, which has been a fun shift in tone. I’m thinking through how to communicate with families, make information accessible, and visually reflect the playfulness and learning that happens in our youth programs.

At the same time, this was a major transition week for the company as a whole. OYO officially moved into its new space! The old studio was packed up, and with the help of the team (and a lot of heavy lifting), everything was transported to the new home. The heat was intense but the energy and teamwork honestly made it enjoyable. Everyone showed up, stayed positive, and helped get the job done, which created this really beautiful sense of shared momentum.

Seeing the new space for the first time was one of the biggest highlights of the week. It has this open, loft-like atmosphere that immediately felt creative and alive. There’s something about the natural lighting, the flow of the space, and the rawness of it that makes it feel like a blank canvas ready to support bold ideas. Even just standing in the space sparked a bunch of content and design ideas. I could instantly envision rehearsals, photoshoots, creative campaigns, and community gatherings taking place there.

What struck me most was how much this physical space actually reflects the energy of the upcoming season. There’s a feeling of renewal, experimentation, and expansion and I think audiences are going to feel that too. I’ll be heading back on Sunday to help with setup, and I’m honestly so excited to see how it continues to evolve.

Week 4 reminded me that design, strategy, and logistics aren’t separate, they’re all part of the same process of building something meaningful. Whether I’m laying out a subscription pamphlet or helping carry a speaker through the heat, it all contributes to what we’re ultimately trying to share with the community.