Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

This week I worked in the Resource Development department at Homeport. Specifically, I worked with their Communications department. Throughought the week, I was asked to edit Homeports boilerplate, find new organizations for Homeport to follow on social media and to develop new social media ideas. Additionally, I attended another Homeport huddle where the office discusses updates and progress made in each of the different departments. I attended a programs and impact meeting as well as a Voice and Vision coordination meeting (Homeports yearly fundraising event). I also helped organize school supplies and prepare for volunteers arriving next week to put school bags together for children and teenagers. 

I also attended the first of two Homebuyer education courses this week. Here I learned about building credit, mortgages, budgeting, and more. Even though I was only auditing the course, I found all of the information extremely useful.  

Lastly, I began conducting interviews for my senior thesis this week. For this project I am interviewing Homeport residents about their housing experiences before and after working with Homeport. In particular, I am interested in the different kinds of stories residents told themselves during their different housing situations and how this influenced their mindset. So far I have conducted three interviews and have two more set up for next week.  

Time is flying by this summer and we are already done with Week 7 of the fellowship! I had another busy week with OSU student group meetings, 1-on-1s, and special events! 

On Monday, I met with Sterling, a PhD candidate in the History of Art department at OSU and Kandace, the incoming Director of Collaborations at the Ohio Union Activities Board. On Tuesday, I met with Ziggy, Liv, Victoria, and Matias from the Alternative Club, as well as Erik and Raynor from the Music Producers Club. Then, I organized a student visit group at the Pizzuti on Sunday, July 19, involving almost all of the clubs I’ve spoken with this summer! We had around 10 OSU club representatives in attendance, which is a decent turnout, given that many students are not in Columbus for the summer. The students were able to tour the Pizzuti, brainstorm ideas for future events, and connect with Julie and I. It was very rewarding to see my online engagement with the clubs come to fruition in person! 

For my 1-on-1s this week, I met with Hannah (Director of Interpretation and Engagement), Louis (Deputy Director of Operations), Amber (Design and Digital Comms Manager), Abbey (Associate Director of Campaign Giving), Kieran (Institutional Relations Manager), Kristin (Associate Director of Institutional Relations), Heather (Associate Registrar), and Lauren (Community Engagement Manager). As I continue to speak with individuals at the museum, I’m increasingly interested in a nonprofit career in development. In all of these 1-on-1 chats, I get a comprehensive understanding of the roles, previous roles, and educational backgrounds of individuals experienced in nonprofits. This kind of insight is currently helping me decide my own post-grad plans, as I apply to grad schools in the fall. 

Another couple highlights of my week included an Art Break with my coworkers Laura and Grace (art studio open to employees), as well as the Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services Coffee Ceremony that took place at the Pizzuti! 

-Muji

This week at TECH CORPS, I primarily worked behind the scenes. I am still an assistant instructor, but I decided to focus solely on being a curriculum designer. I planned out several future programs for TECH CORPS using my computer knowledge and taking into consideration what would be most exciting for students. I came to the conclusion to make a program that focused on Linux Operating Systems and Virtualization, both of which I believe students can find themselves lost in. I have not fully decided on a name for it yet, for now it is the working title is ComputerOps.

To give a brief description of Linux and Virtualization, Linux is a family of operating systems that allows extensive user modification. This had led users to create distributions (called distros for short) to personalize their experiences. Most distros are available to download for free. Popular distro choices include Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Arch. Virtualization is the emulation of an operating system in a controlled environment. Within the virtual space, users are able to freely do as they please without fear of putting their entire computer at risk. Some uses for virtualization include homelabs or debugging.

I believe the two subjects will work exceedingly well together and make for a phenomenal 3-4 week program. What motivated me to think about make this curriculum at all is my personal experience with Linux and observing tech trends over recent years. I have been using Linux for over 2 years; it has been a fantastic experience. The previously mentioned levels of personalization stand out to me as a tech enthusiast. Linux’s lack of constrictions allow for students to flex their creative muscles. Furthermore, Linux-based systems are seeing a worldwide surge in popularity after the past few years. Several countries around the world are making the switch to Linux systems in public and private sectors as well as citizens within those countries using it more in their individual lives. Many experts are expecting usage to only increase going forward, so I believe that it’s the best choice to prepare students for the more technical world ahead of them.

More than halfway through the fellowship! Early in the week, HSC submitted a comment to the federal Office of Management and Budget signed by more than 80 members. I helped our Executive Director compile the names and titles of CEOs, executive directors, presidents, and other organizational leaders as they would appear on the letter. It was exciting to see the strength of HSC’s membership reflected in one collective message and to better understand how advocacy can elevate the voices of so many organizations at once.

One of the biggest highlights of my week was helping distribute Bath & Body Works in-kind donations from IMPACT Community Action’s warehouse. Member organizations came to pick up items that they will, in turn, share with the communities they serve. I got to meet so many of our member organizations, help coordinate arrivals, check off pickups, assist with loading donations, and take photos for social media. It was an especially hot week to be working in the warehouse, but the experience felt incredibly rewarding.

This week also included two One Voice interviews that gave me the chance to hear directly from leaders doing meaningful work across Central Ohio. The first was with Dwayne Steward from Equality Ohio at the Ohio Statehouse. We talked about his work to disrupt and recreate systems so that all individuals are represented in policy, laws, and programs. We also discussed how he stays motivated during turbulent times and what allies can do to help create change, whether that means donating their time, sharing resources, or showing up at protests and rallies.

Later in the week, we met with Sangeeta Lakhani of Service! at The Line, a new restaurant in Columbus that is expected to open this September. Surrounded by construction ladders and overhead wires, we talked about the instability that hospitality workers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the human labor behind every meal. Sangeeta shared how, while food is important, her true product is the people she staffs, educates, and employs. Her perspective made me think more deeply about how often guests see only the finished product, without recognizing the care, skill, and labor that make the experience possible.

Week 7 somehow arrived much faster than I expected, and it has me feeling both accomplished and a little sentimental knowing this experience is beginning to wind down. I’ve found myself trying to stay as present as possible over these last few weeks, appreciating not only the projects I’m working on, but also the people and leadership I’ve had the opportunity to learn from.

One of the highlights of my week was sitting in on multiple all-staff meetings led by our CEO. I found myself taking many mental notes, as I genuinely wanted to analyze such an effective leadership style and how it looks like in practice. Throughout this summer, I’ve learned so much about leading a team, staying on top of countless moving pieces, cultivating organizational culture, and maintaining strong relationships with staff. One aspect of his leadership style that has stood out to me is his transparency. During discussions and decision-making processes, he consistently invites feedback and ideas from the entire team rather than limiting those conversations to senior leadership. Seeing that level of trust and openness has given me a much clearer picture of the kind of leader I hope to become.

A large portion of my week was spent helping prepare supplies for one of Besa’s partners in Orlando, which will be leading a massive service project assembling meal kits for seniors, children, and families in their community. Our team unpacked, sorted, repacked, and loaded thousands of cans, snacks, cards, and other supplies onto a truck headed south. While much of the work was behind the scenes, it was rewarding to know that our efforts will help support such a large-scale community impact.

I also had the opportunity to volunteer with FLOW at their Worthington tree nursery. It was refreshing to spend time with people who are so passionate about something that often doesn’t receive much attention. Their enthusiasm for tree planting and environmental stewardship was contagious, and it reminded me how inspiring it is to be around people who genuinely care about making a difference, regardless of whether their work receives recognition.

Another project this week involved helping brainstorm and research groups that could fill the remaining volunteer opportunities for the CHALLENGE concert that Besa is supporting alongside Abercrombie. I researched universities across Central Ohio, youth organizations, and other service groups before compiling a list for my coworker and me to begin reaching out to. I had never heard of this annual fundraising event before this summer, but learning more about it has been exciting, and I’m looking forward to seeing it come together.

Toward the end of the week, I had a meeting with my social work field supervisor from Ohio State, my supervisor at Besa, and another Ohio State staff member to reflect on the learning that has taken place throughout my fellowship. Receiving such thoughtful and encouraging feedback from two supervisors who have each worked closely with me in different ways genuinely meant a lot. It was one of those moments where I felt seen for the work I’ve been putting in this summer, and I left the meeting feeling both encouraged and grateful.

I also wrapped up another major milestone by presenting the data analysis from the volunteer fill-rate project I’ve been working on over the past few weeks. After spending many hours working in Excel, creating charts, and analyzing trends, my supervisor and I discussed what the findings might mean for the bigger picture, how they could be useful for staff, and when we should share them with the rest of the team. It was exciting to see the project move from raw data to conversations about real organizational decision-making.

I failed to mention this in the previous post, but last week I did another programmatic observation! It was for our only 2-week long camp this summer.  Students enrolled spend their time creating their own songs: beats, lyrics, and everything else! I would say I was a “fly on the wall” but I wasn’t really.  At first, I kept to my table, observing.  But the students were quiet with headphones on the entire time.  I was itching to know what rhythms they had come up with so far.  So, I began walking around and asking each student what they were doing! Many of them let me listen to their songs which were awesome! They’re so creative and they all sounded different.  I think walking around helped me get a better perspective on what they were doing.  Also, asking questions helped me know why they had chosen some sounds over others.  For instance, one student was adding a piano rhythm in her song because she had been playing piano for 7 years! This observation experience was my favorite so far this summer and it wasn’t even over!

As stated, this is a 2 week camp.  I went back into the program this week.  And again I walked around the room and asked each student about their songs.  It was more subdued as the students had their songs mostly completed.  There wasn’t as much creation as there was minor modifications.  They were also recording the lyrics to their songs and were less keen about sharing that part.  The next day (today), the gave presentations! I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to each of the students’ final creations.  It was awesome to see (and hear) the difference between what I heard the first day up to now.  And it was nice to see how supportive each students’ parents were.  When their child was presenting, the parents would whip out their phones and record, super sweet. 

I think out of this experience, it was cool to see a longitudinal-ish observation come to fruition.  It’s one thing to go in for 2 hours one day and another to visit multiple days.  What we see isn’t the full context of what actually occurs.  So it was good perspective to keep in mind when crafting my report! On the first day, there was little collaboration between the students, but the second observation session, two girls were working together on their combined song.  Which is a very different story than the week prior.  Without that, the story is a bit limited in a way. 

Next week is the 2nd to last week of the summer! It’s moving fast and I’ve got lots of reports to churn out soon. I’ll keep you updated. 

See you next week!

Danyelle Bumpus

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

We are officially one week out from the Fair and the office has been busily bustling with people all week! This week was mostly setup and preparing everything for next week. This looked different each day but mostly consisted of selling tickets, assigning and printing parking passes, and continuing to update the Fair app. On Tuesday Mila and I were assigned the task of delivering thank you gifts we packaged up last week to sponsors around the entire city. My job was to run in and individually speak with the sponsors and thank them for their contribution. After working for several weeks, on emails and processing checks and donations from each of them, it was so wonderful to see them face to face and be able to thank them for their support. 

Wednesday afternoon Mila and I got to walk around both downtown Hilliard and the Fair Grounds taking pictures and videos for our social media page. Since she started at the fair grounds, our social media has been doing so well! Our followers, likes and engagement have increased greatly! It has been so fun learning from both her and Sam about effective marketing/storytelling strategies. I have learned so much!

On Thursday I got to step out of the office again and help with setup for vendor booths in one of our buildings. Even though It was a different from my normal routine it was so nice to participate in prep in a hands-on manner.

One of the best parts of this internship is being able to see the contribution of the community, and see how everyone comes together to make the fair happen. Before this summer I don’t think I understood the importance of having a village/community of people to support large events like a Fair. It takes SO much preparation, monetary support, community involvement, and time. I am excited to see all our hard work come together just in time for the fair!

See you next week!

~ Elena

This week, I continued focusing on creating media content and supporting the organization’s marketing efforts. A large portion of my time was spent curating social media posts and editing video reels to promote the Festival for Good. This allowed me to strengthen my content creation and video editing skills while also thinking strategically about how to engage different audiences across social media platforms. It was rewarding to see how thoughtful messaging and visual storytelling can help increase awareness of both the event and the organizations participating in it.

In addition to content creation, I compiled and organized files within the organization’s shared drive. While this may seem like a behind-the-scenes task, it is an important part of maintaining an efficient workflow and ensuring that team members can easily access the resources they need. I also developed additional marketing materials using program curriculum and existing organizational resources to generate interest among our target audience. This experience challenged me to think creatively about how to communicate the value of our programs in a way that is both informative and engaging.

One of the most exciting experiences this week was working on an advertising campaign for our annual showcase event, which will take place in two weeks. It was fascinating to gain exposure to the planning process behind a paid marketing campaign and to learn how organizations allocate funds to maximize their outreach. I also enjoyed learning about the performance data and analytics that become available once a campaign goes live. Seeing how metrics such as reach, engagement, impressions, and click-through rates can be used to evaluate a campaign’s success gave me a greater appreciation for data-driven decision-making in marketing.

Overall, this week provided another opportunity to expand my marketing, communication, and organizational skills while contributing to meaningful projects. I have truly enjoyed my internship experience and have learned so much from working alongside such a supportive team. As my internship begins to wind down, I am excited to make the most of these final few weeks, continue learning, and contribute wherever I can before my time with the organization comes to an end.

It has been an exciting week back at CHA. As mentioned, we are in full planning mode for Taste to Remember 2026. This morning I had the opportunity to participate in CHA’s board meeting where we pitched some of our live and silent auction ideas to the board. They were able to provide us with a couple ideas of other businesses to partner with and make asks to. The learning experience was valuable to see how the development team interacts with the nonprofit. 

Anne Marie shared with me some of the decor that we will have for the event, which will be Casino Royale chic. Concurrently, I am also reaching out to other venues across central Ohio to see if they would be interested in hosting Taste to Remember in the future. I have become the direct contact with businesses that are donating items for our auction, and ensuring that we have a usable logo and an in-kind donation form for finance.

This week I had the opportunity to meet with our HR Director to talk about all things resumes, cover letters, and my LinkedIn. She provided me with thorough notes and amazing advice for the future as I begin to embark on applying for full time positions within the next two years. I also was assigned a project through our communications team of pulling usable testimonials from various surveys CHA has conducted. I am looking forward to exploring a new arm of the organization. 

Next week will be busy but exciting as Anne Marie and I go on various venue tours, and eat lunch with our growing development team. Recently, we have had an Americorp VISTA and  Development Director join CHA. I am excited as the Americorp VISTA will be heading up the volunteer program and I will be supporting her through that.