Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Hello, my name is Kaia Lewis and I am a junior at The Ohio State University majoring in Marketing. This summer I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of The Columbus Foundation’s Summer Fellows. For 10 weeks from June 3rd-August 9th I will be interning at City Year Columbus assisting their development department with prospective donor research, social media/communications, and fundraising operations.

The first week working with City Year Columbus was full of learning opportunities. Although I was just beginning my time with the organization, the past week marked the end of their 28 Americorp member’s year of service.

Americorp members at City Year Columbus ages 18-25 years old work specifically with Columbus City Schools students to keep them in school and on track to graduate by offering individualized academic support, near-peer mentoring through their focus groups, and school-wide engagement initiatives. Throughout their time at City Year Columbus, Americorp members complete 1,700 service hours, including 300 hours of applicable business skills and professional development.

City Year Columbus partnered with Champion Middle School, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy, Mifflin High School, Starling K-8, Trevitt Elementary School, and Windsor STEM Academy this past year. There were 450+ Focus List students, 3,100+ students served and 51,000+ hours served annually.

Leading up to their graduation on Friday, members first participated in a field day at Windsor STEM Academy on Thursday, June 6th that I helped set up. There was a variety of activities including a survivor-style relay race, minute-to-win-it games, and even kickball. I’m glad I was able to help contribute to the festivities as the Americorp members deserved a break/reward for all the hard work they’ve been doing and time volunteered throughout the school year.

Thursday evening I headed over to Top Golf for our Drive Student Success fundraising event. To show our appreciation each person that attended had a decorative towel, pen, and stickers in their bays. Overall the event was a great time to relax after the work week, connect with prospective individual donors, and further cultivate corporate partnerships.

However, Thursday evening wasn’t the last major event of the week. Friday evening was graduation night for the Americorp members where they celebrated their time served and the impact made with City Year Columbus this past school year. Although I wasn’t able to stay for the duration of the event I was able to help set up a collage of pictures documenting all the wonderful experiences members had.

I am grateful for a successful first week with City Year Columbus and am looking forward to learning further about the nonprofit world, professional development, and career skills with The Columbus Foundation.

Hello! My name is Josephine Cacciato and I am from Granville, OH. I graduated in May from The Ohio State University with a degree in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability. I am very excited to be the summer fellow at Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW)! This week I was able to explore much of the watershed and learn about the current projects within FLOW. I am very much looking forward to being involved with their work this summer and to make an impact on our local environment.

When first coming into the FLOW office, I was greeted by director Laura Fay and the current Americorps Member, Maggie. With the nonprofit being mostly volunteer based, the majority of my time is spent with Maggie and Laura along with community members. Additionally, our new office is located in The Franklin County Soil and Water building. This has allowed me to meet amazing people in the environmental field and have access to many useful resources.

My main project that I will be working on this summer is finding homes for 1800 native trees that FLOW is growing in their tree nurseries. I had the opportunity to visit both nurseries which are very impressive. I was introduced to the main volunteers that help assist in the nurseries and was able to learn about their past experiences with their tree giveaways and growing cycles. I have learned so much in a few short days and am thrilled to have the opportunity to spend my weeks both in the office and the outdoors.

One of the highlights of my week was attending the first Franklin County Pollinator Pathways meeting. Franklin Soil and Water hosted the pathways meeting for the county due to high interest from community members. More than double of the expected people showed up and held a lively 2 hour meeting about the establishment of a pollinator group. It was amazing to observe a group so passionate and witness the beginning steps of a new community group.

I have loved my first week with FLOW and am excited to see what the rest of the summer brings!

Gia An Thach | Fellow at Bridgeway Academy

Many new things are in the works at Bridgeway. As we start off strong with the beginning of our summer program and planning ahead for our upcoming 20^th year anniversary of our organisation, we are embracing the changes with creativity.  

The Bridgeway summer program spans over a period of 8 weeks. Lead by our staff member, Rachel Nicelley, the summer program will center around a theme each week where each student participates in hands-on activities while they continue their learning from the regular school year. We kicked off the first week of the program with art week. This week, students exercised their creative ability by making self-portraits in different art styles. Rachel explained that this idea was inspired by a previous art piece that was displayed in the previous building. The art piece was a wall made up of unique ceramic portraits that gave the building a unique character. Though Bridgeway was unable to bring the ceramic piece into the new building, Rachel wanted to bring a different version of it through student-made portraits. These portraits enable our students to celebrate their unique individuality as well as exercise their leisure, sensory, and fine gross motor skills. Similar to how the ceramic portraits were displayed in the old building, we want to collect these portraits and compile them into a collage that will be displayed in our gym so that staff and visitors can celebrate the creative ability of our students.

In this way, we are using nostalgia from the past to create something new and true to our current identity. This is a reflection of how we want to approach our 20^th anniversary celebration.

From starting as the Helping Hands Center years ago to starting operations in our new building, we want to recognise the accomplishments and values that brought us to where we are today. Though we are using this anniversary to celebrate our history as an organisation, we want to use it as an opportunity to look into the future with hopefullness. We want to view our past as an indicator of our dedication to serve our community for the 20 more years to come.

With many events happening in the next couple months, communications becomes an important focus for the Advancement team at Bridgeway. The team met this week to create a content calendar for the summer to strategise best ways to communicate the stories and work that happens within the organization. Needless to say, the many exciting projects will soon be showcased on our social media.

Hello! My name is Gus Middendorf, and I am a fourth-year Public Affairs student who is excited to be a part of the Columbus Foundation Fellowship Program this summer! After a week, I am confident in saying that my placement, Legal Aid of Southeastern and Central Ohio, is going very well, and I am looking forward to the coming weeks working with the Development and Communications teams down in their office in German Village.

I have come into the organization at a significant time, as it seems they are in the later phases of a very large and complex merger between two historically connected yet separate orgs: the Legal Aid Society of Columbus and Southeastern Ohio Legal Services. This decision to merge has resulted in the challenge of bringing eight offices across the state under and as one unified group. By the time I arrived, it seemed like people of LASCO have done a lot of thorough work in this process, but there is still work to be done—work which I have the privilege of assisting in.

So far, I have been able to sit in on many internal meetings focused on grant applications that Legal Aid has been applying and reapplying for under their new name. This has been a very interesting process, and I feel like I have already learned much about fundraising of an organization as large and well-run as LASCO. In addition to this grant work, I have started working with the Communications Team to help launch new social media campaigns under the united LASCO brand. I have very much enjoyed this work, especially as I get to be a part of such a new and exciting moment for the organization.

Besides my main duties, I am really excited to have the opportunity to dip into some of the clinics that Legal Aid provides the Columbus area. As someone who one day wants to advocate for social and economic justice through legal work, I am excited to see it in action in any way I am able. All in all, this has been a great week, and I am excited for the rest of the summer!

Howdy! My name is Kenny Anderson, an MPA candidate at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Policy. I am a recent graduate of Ohio State’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy. This summer, my host site through the summer fellowship is at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) as a Water Research Fellow.

In my first week of work, it became evident that MORPC is a great organization. All throughout the office, there are kind faces who are eager to meet you and learn about you as a person. This was a refreshing experience for me as I haven’t encountered an organization who was this friendly and people oriented. To show an example, during my first week at MORPC, the office held a putt-putt golf tournament throughout the office. Staff was asked to build holes that reflected their work. Everyone in the building were then able to play these holes during work that day. This was definitely one of the most unique and creative community building techniques that I have seen in a professional setting. Even though I was completely new to the organization, I was able to meet many individuals who I would have never interacted with throughout my work. However, I am now familiar with individuals working in IT, economic development, community investments, and senior staff thanks to this event.

Beyond the tournament, MORPC also had their intern orientation. This is an event where interns get to network with one another and hear from senior staff about their operations and the organization as a whole. After this event, we were invited and honored at an economic developer networking session at a local brewery and eatery downtown. As someone who specializes in economic development and wants to pursue a career in this field, this was a fantastic opportunity. Developers from all around central Ohio introduced themselves to me and told me about pointers and lessons that they have learned throughout their time in the field. This networking event also allowed me to have a lot of 1 on 1 time with senior staff in MORPC as they tried to meet all of the interns.

All in all, this first week and a half have been fantastic. MORPC cares about their interns and their ability to be successful moving forward. I am loving the work that the organization is doing. Central Ohio is definitely lucky to have a regional planning commission as effective as MORPC.

Hello everyone! My name is Aayushi Soni, and I am a senior at The Ohio State University, majoring in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability with a specialization in Community Development. I’m thrilled to share my experiences from my first week at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center (GIAC). I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Columbus Foundation for matching me with this incredible opportunity and to the GIAC team for welcoming me with open arms.

My first day at GIAC eased me into the 9-5 lifestyle. I started off by touring the facility, which is way bigger than I anticipated. I then set up my email and received the login information for social media and other accounts. Additionally, I met with my supervisor, Sandy Libertini, the Engagement Manager, who will be my mentor throughout the summer. We discussed my objectives, and I couldn’t be more excited about the projects lined up.

On my second day, Sandy arranged for lunch to be catered for everyone. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the all-women staff and learn about their roles. It was a lovely, informal way to integrate into the team and understand the collaborative spirit that drives GIAC.

Half of the third and fourth days were spent with the pre-K kids at our summer camp. Watching the kids learn and play outdoors was inspiring, and yes, I did get attacked by pool noodles! It was a fun, chaotic experience that reinforced my desire to pursue educational outreach in the future.

The rest of the time I worked on social media by creating posts for various events at the center, like the Worthington Area Art League exhibit. One of the highlights was posting about our center’s first MOTUS success, which is a wildlife tracking system. We tracked our first official bird, a White-throated Sparrow, that flew all the way to Cleveland!

Towards the end of the week, I tackled a completely new task: writing a press release for our upcoming Juneteenth event. This was my first time writing a press release, and it was both challenging and rewarding. I’m proud of how it turned out and am eager to receive comments on it, so that it can be officially released.

Throughout the week, I felt a bit like a pesky intern, frequently popping into Sandy’s office to ask questions or get my next assignment. I hope she doesn’t mind too much! But every time I stepped in, she was patient and helpful, guiding me through my tasks with a smile.

I look forward to the adventures ahead and the chance to grow both personally and professionally. Thank you for following my journey and stay tuned for more updates!

Hi there, my name is Austin Gray. This fall will be my senior year at The Ohio State University pursuing a degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Logistics Management at the Fisher College of Business. This summer, I will be working as a fellow with Leadership Columbus.

I’d like to tell you that I had an easy and laid-back first week where I could ease my way into the feel of things, but unfortunately I can’t do that. As my title suggests, I was more thrown into the fire with everything that went down this week. I just so happened to join the team during one of our busiest weeks of the year. On my second day at work, Tuesday, June 4th, we publicly announced our new executive director, Kate Bauer, whom I am very excited to start working with this summer. And just yesterday, June 6th, I had possibly the best experience of my professional career I could ever ask. I was lucky enough to be a part of the closing ceremony of Leadership Columbus’ Signature program. You might be asking, “Austin, what is the signature program?”. I could give you a really long answer that would probably lead to me getting sidetracked on a whole bunch of different topics (I’m still trying to process everything), so instead I’ll let a quote from our website do the explanation better than me. The Signature program is “a 10-month civic-minded program designed to give participants the tools they need to become active and influential leaders in the community”.

I showed up in the morning not knowing what to expect at all. First, I had caused a traffic jam at the. main gate of the venue because it wouldn’t open, *sorry to everyone behind me*, until a worker finally opened the gate for us. Then, I got to watch the class present their community impact projects. I was able to learn so many engaging topics related to the Columbus community ranging anywhere from food insecurity to the Amtrak and intracity rail plans to the public art scene in Columbus. Once lunch hit, I didn’t really know who to sit with because my fellow coworkers were busy putting out a fire. It’s kinda like when it’s your first day in the lunchroom and you don’t know anyone. I was gracious enough to land a spot at the table with the Public Art group where I was able to connect with all of them and they even let me go on a nature walk with them after lunch. All the graduates I met yesterday were extremely nice and welcomed me with open arms. After several more individual and team building exercises, it was time to get ready for the main event, graduation!

On just my 4th day being a part of the team, I then got to meet our wonderful board members of Leadership Columbus during the graduation ceremony. It was so impactful and rewarding to be meeting my board this early into my program experience. At first I was nervous to meet them, but I soon realized there was nothing to be afraid of. Each and every one of them personally welcomed me to the team and I look forward to working with them throughout my time here. I could tell they truly care about me being a part of their team and all the work they do in the community.

After a night of celebrations, it was finally time to award the class for their 10 months of exhausting (but rewarding) work. To the Signature Program Class of 2024, if any of you read this, I was honored and am so grateful that you let me be a part of your wonderful celebration. All of you that I had never personally met before, I thank you for going out of your way to make conversation with me and give me an experience I will never forget. To my supervisor and program coordinator, Collin Ries, thank you for allowing me to come to this beautiful celebration and congratulations to another successful year of the Signature Program.

Until next time,

Austin Gray

I applied for the Columbus Foundation 2024 Summer Fellowship Program with a keen interest in leveraging my background, which includes a degree in English and Education from Otterbein University, to contribute meaningfully to philanthropic endeavors and community development initiatives. My longstanding dedication to supporting those in need aligns well with the values of the fellowship program. I am appreciative of the opportunity to collaborate with the Community Shelter Board, a nonprofit organization committed to the noble cause of ensuring housing for all members of our community. As my initial week with the organization draws to a close, I am pleased to report a gracious welcome and comprehensive training, which have facilitated a seamless transition into the nonprofit sector and integration into the coalition’s ethos.

During the initial phase of my fellowship, I have engaged in introductory meetings with colleagues across various departments, gaining valuable insights into their respective responsibilities and contributions to the organization’s operations. Although my primary focus lies within the Communication and Brand department, acquiring an understanding of each team member’s role has underscored the significance of collaboration, effective communication, and organizational unity within the nonprofit sector. I have had the privilege of collaborating closely with our Chief Communication + Brand Officer, Sara Loken, who has served as a mentor, articulating expectations, and equipping me with the necessary resources for achieving success in my role.

My initial assignments entail projects integral to our forthcoming Founders Awards event scheduled for this September. These tasks primarily involve crafting comprehensive documents that encapsulate the profound impact of our honorees on the lives of individuals within the Columbus community who are grappling with homelessness. Additionally, I am tasked with outlining the rationale behind CSB’s decision to recognize and honor these individuals. Furthermore, I have developed informative materials to be disseminated to the honorees, elucidating the expectations regarding their attendance at the event and their participation in an interview facilitated by NBC4, which aims to shed light on the coalition’s endeavors to address homelessness. I am deeply committed to this endeavor, recognizing its significance in acknowledging community members who exemplify our shared values and demonstrate exceptional dedication to alleviating homelessness. This project resonates with me as it underscores the potency of collective action and collaboration towards achieving common objectives within our community. I am privileged to contribute to such meaningful initiatives.

**Calling All College Juniors, Seniors & Grad Students: Paid Nonprofit Internships with The Columbus Foundation**

Get ready to level up your nonprofit leadership skills and make an impact this summer through our Summer Fellowship Program! Work alongside top-notch organizations matched to your interests in a *paid* and career-focused program.

📅 10-week fellowship from June 3 to August 9, 2024.

💼 Match with a Franklin County nonprofit based on skill set and interests.

🎓 Eligible students: Juniors, Seniors, May/June 2024 graduates & Fall 2024 grad students with a Franklin County high school or college connection ✨ Preferred qualifications: 3.0+ GPA and strong communication skills in English

Unlock professional growth with five development sessions and present your achievements on August 9. Plus, you receive a stipend during the program!

Apply now for this exciting 2024 Summer Fellowship Program. View the exciting list of host sites here. Don’t miss the deadline – click here to submit your application by 11:59 EST on December 8, 2023.

Secure your spot today and become the nonprofit leader of tomorrow!