Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Week 9 was my second to last week of the Fellowship, and it felt fitting in a number of ways. While I again spent most of my time working independently and quietly on my review of the Crime Victims Rights Toolkit, the week was bookended by out-of-the-ordinary afternoons on Monday and Friday. On Monday, our Fellows group had our longest and in my mind, most rewarding, professional development session yet – this time a consideration of leadership that included intriguing Ted Talks, insights from Dr. Lomax, II, and our most extensive full-group discussion to date. While Dr. Lomax intentionally ended the session without a firm conclusion, a few themes have remained in mind.

Building Capacity

We spent a good deal of time discussing power, starting with the premise that we, as humans, are innately powerful but need to understand and own that, especially to lead others. Dr. Lomax shared the Four Agreements from Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. The first few agreements (“Be impeccable with your word. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make assumptions.”) resonated with the individual growth I have sought this summer. I came to see that preparing oneself to best use one’s own power is another way to view the concept of personal development.

Trust

Among the components of leadership Dr. Lomax mentioned, he also emphasized trust in three forms: Internal (trusting oneself), External (trusting others), and Active (using “the power of trust in community to create change”).

The discussion made me think of an example from Dayton Civic Scholars, a program I was involved in at the University of Dayton, in which a group of other students and I were working on a capstone project in a local neighborhood and had partnered with an established church in the area. Both the neighborhood and church leaders were greatly enthused to have our help, especially because we could potentially bring newer, innovative ideas to share. Ultimately, though, we committed to helping the church start a community garden, something that had previously existed but did not last. My student cohort knew almost nothing about agriculture, yet we talked to area experts, pulled together the resources we needed to (including with the help of other community organizations) and got a garden going again. The biggest challenge came when we were about to graduate and had not been able to find another group to sustain the project. However, at that point, the church community assured us they were ready to keep the garden going and even expand it. I, for one, had felt pressure for my cohort to find a solution for the church, but after all the trust they had placed in us, it made sense that the only way for the garden to have longevity was to return that trust. I had just overlooked that. The experience showed me both the challenge and the necessity of utilizing each type of trust Dr. Lomax described.

Then, at the end of week 9, I was summoned at work to provide my thoughts on a difficult press release a couple of the attorneys were writing. Everyone in the office at that point had been asked to help, but I was initially surprised they wanted a Fellow, still a bit unfamiliar with the legal workings and programs of the organization to give input on such an important matter. I was forced to remember that my perspective would be like others outside the organization who would see the statement, and for that, it was valuable. The collaborative nature of the press release-writing effort felt like a minor demonstration of Active Trust and solidified that lesson from Monday’s Fellows session.

Looking Back Ahead

Another theme from the conversation about leadership was the approach of simultaneously learning from the past and keeping the future in mind. Fields Wicker-Miurin presents in her Ted Talk about Benki, the leader of an Amazon nation who stewards the knowledge of previous generations for his people and ponders how coming generations will answer the question he asks himself – essentially, what is he doing to protect the livelihood of his people? Later another Fellow shared the advice she had heard to think back to three generations in the past and think ahead to three generations in the future when acting in the present. Dr. Lomax said the notion of sankofa, a Ghanian word, is similar. He summarized the ideas through the idea of “looking back ahead,” or gaining insight from the past to apply in preparing for a better future.

On a smaller scale, the Fellows session had helped me to look back ahead on the summer itself, with one personal insight standing out. My Fellowship project has made me more confident in my ability to thrive in an individual, self-directed environment. At the same time, the leadership session was the first one of our professional development meetings that allowed significant time for us to exchange ideas with each other about concepts, rather than our personal experiences of the Fellowship alone, and that was a refreshing change. It reminded me how much I appreciate spaces and conversations for learning within a group. In fact, a number of Dr. Lomax’s points about leadership echoed the importance of the combination of personal capability and working as a community.

As Part of a Community

Indeed, Dr. Lomax’s definition of leadership includes the idea of community multiple times. To him, a leader must “see themselves as part of a community whether they are from it or not.” From my reflection on my Dayton Civic Scholars capstone to the joint effort on the press release at work and the group discussion on leadership, in which each person provided wisdom, the week rejuvenated me to build capacity and seek change in community.

This past week, I had the opportunity to go on a home visit to hear the story of Isabelle, a widow who had some repairs done to her house. The Helping Hometown Heroes program, in partnership with Meals on Wheels America and The Home Depot Foundation, helps veterans and their spouses improve their homes to address mobility challenges and avoid unnecessary injuries, hospitalization and homelessness. The improvements included the installation of motion-activated outdoor lighting, a small wheelchair ramp, a new security door, a window with a locking device, and drywall in her bedroom. All of these improvements would not have been possible without the help of LifeCare Alliance. The improvements will allow Isabelle to stay safe and independent in her home, where she wants to be.

As an aspiring physician, I have gained an incredible appreciation for the extraordinary work that non-profits do. If Isabelle’s home was not properly repaired, her health could take a toll; feeling safe in your own home is incredibly important for proper mental health. Throughout the course of this fellowship, I have become thoroughly convinced that in order to most effectively reach the underserved patient population that I am looking to serve, I should work with a health-related nonprofit. This will allow my treatment to encompass the social determinants of health that profoundly affect health outcomes.

Well, today is the last day. These 10 weeks went by in a blink of an eye. Some days were slower than others, and some days I don’t even think I remembered to eat. I am extremely grateful for my fellowship at Huckleberry House. It has been an amazing summer to work amongst people who are passionate and have a deep appreciation and value for our community. As I touched on in my final presentation, this summer has been an impactful one. My efforts this summer with Safe Place will continue on and grow, youth in crisis will be able to be connected to Huckleberry House. So for a few things I’ve learned, Huck House has taught me that everything revolves around relationships. When we truly take the time to foster relationships and connect, projects and programs are much more successful. Huckleberry House shows what it means to care and make a real impact. In a meeting, our Executive Director, Becky Westerfelt, said, “we deliver, what we tell them we will deliver.” This is simple, but that line caught me. It is one thing to say you’re going to do it. But it is another to be committed to your goals, and do the thing you said you were going to do. It’s important, people are counting on you. Finally the most important piece of information, it is not all about the numbers. If there are less youth in the shelter, is that really a good thing? Are more youth safe or do they not know about us or Safe Place? Even if the numbers are low, someone is being helped. It’s about continuing to extend our front porch to all corners of the city to keep our youth safe. 

I want to thank The Columbus Foundation for making this all possible. The experience of being a Columbus Foundation Fellow is like no other. Being able to hear professionals, ask questions, and absorb as much information as possible is a privilege. I am deeply appreciative for all of the other fellows who are wicked smart and empowering. This is a bittersweet end, but if you want to talk about Safe Place, Huck House, youth homelessness, the Foundation and their fellows, you know where to find me. I’ll be right here in the Columbus community.

I just wanted to articulate my appreciation for being able to participate in this program.  I have met some amazing folks at the Boys and Girls Club and have also developed some friendships.  I plan on continuing to stay involved with the BGCC into the school year.

The Chief Strategy Officer of Columbus sent a message to Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA) the central office acknowledging the study we conducted.  BGCA wants to read the results once the manuscript is prepared for publication.  Although we are in our initial data analysis, we have found some significant findings when it comes to community partner-led service-learning programs.  I believe this will have major impacts as BGCC continues to improve their summer program.

This summer experience has been a combination of all my interests: conducting research, serving marginalized communities, educating people passionate about youth development, program evaluation, and student engagement.  I do not know where I will end up moving forward.  However, the lessons of community strength are what will drive my future endeavors.  Again, thank you to all people who made this experience possible.

It’s hard to believe that my 10 weeks with CXC and The Columbus Foundation are coming to a close tomorrow. I feel so lucky to have had this experience, and my simultaneous feeling of accomplishment and there’s more to do makes this a bittersweet ending.

My final week has been a very busy one. I have primarily been finishing up my work with the CRM Salesforce and writing up packets on how to continue the work I’ve done. I had a few meetings with various members of the nonprofit’s executive committee to determine who will be taking up what tasks. It’s very important for my time here to continue to be valuable to Cartoon Crossroads Columbus even after I’ve gone.

While preparing to leave, I’ve come to understand the stark differences between being a fellow and being an intern. I am leaving behind a legitimate impact on this small nonprofit and it feels much more rewarding than prior internships where I’ve walked out of the door and that’s that. I know that my work at CXC has been valued, which is why I’m making such a stark effort to ensure its continuation and longevity after my departure.

Working with the Columbus Foundation has been such a wonderful opportunity, not only because of my time at CXC, but also because of our learning sessions and outings as fellows. I have made life-long friends through this program and expanded my professional network. Through one of the learning sessions, I had the opportunity to later connect with a CEO of a social enterprise and now have a potential job lined up for this fall. Through this program, I have learned so much about the workings of the nonprofit sector and feel so much more confident now about working in the field. A 9-5 job is barely a job when you’re working towards something you love.

This past week has been a busy one, to say the least. I attended the first of our weekly meetings for the 120th anniversary event that I have been helping to plan. I have never been part of planning such a large event, so it has been exciting to use my creative side. In one of the meetings, we walked through the venue (our industrial kitchen) to plan where each section of the party will be located. Since this party is also a way to showcase our remodeled kitchen and cancer clinic, we want to make sure the industrialized look is preserved!

LifeCare Alliance is celebrating 120 years of the agency and 45 years of delivering Meals-On-Wheels!

On Thursday, our team participated in a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator discussion facilitated by a co-worker’s mother. This was very well-timed because I had been thinking about my leadership style and what it means to be a leader from our Learning Session on Monday. Prior to the discussion, we took the test and turned it in to be graded. The results of the test found that I am an ESFJ: Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging. This result has changed from the last time I took the test where I was an ESTJ. Apparently, Monica Geller from FRIENDS is also an ESFJ, so I know it must be accurate 🙂 My type is described as “warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative. Wants harmony in their environment and works with determination to establish it. Likes to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time. Loyal, follows through even in small matters. Notices what others need in their day-to-day lives and tries to provide it. Wants to be appreciated for who they are and what they contribute.”

I think my type is extremely accurate to who I am as a person. During our learning session, we discussed what it means to be a leader. One way to describe a leader is as someone who can articulate their “why” in life. My “why” in life is to provide high-quality, unbiased health care to underserved populations and I think my MBTI is an accurate reflection of this “why.”

Week 9’s post is coming in a tad late, but this week/weekend has been a whirlwind. In my personal life, I moved out of my campus house of two years. I lived with best friends, and to say the least it was an end of an era and a very emotional weekend. However, I moved into a new place all in the same weekend with one of those ladies!

I can’t believe my time with Huck House is coming to an end. This past week, I have had meetings with several different people in order to receive some feedback and meet the exact needs of Safe Place. A good portion of my summer has been figuring out logistics of Safe Place, making the right contacts, reconnecting, and doing all of these in the right order. This involved me waiting on a lot of answers to email and phone calls before I could move to the next task. With this, it has felt like I have been moving a little slow at times. However, I have been piecing together an operations manual of Safe Place specialized for Huck House. Safe Place operates differently at each agency with roles and responsibilities falling under different departments. My physical final deliverable will be an operations manual that can help Safe Place stay updated. Huckleberry House has been a true place of caring and support. They have been open to ideas and suggestions about Safe Place, and are willing to prioritize the program. A good portion of the staff have worked at Huck House for quite a long time, and you can tell how passionate everyone is about helping our Columbus youth. They really put everyone else first. I am so thankful to be tasked with such an impactful project for the summer. Now, time to wrap things up this week!

Entering this week, I knew I would feel an array of emotions. Although it was only the second to last week of the fellowship, it was the last week of summer camp. The first emotion was stress. Starting the week with the assignment of making the program for the Final Production, I was then given the last-minute responsibility of running the soundboard and acting as a stagehand. I immediately felt overwhelmed due to my limited knowledge on how to work the equipment necessary to make both a well-designed program and run a soundboard. However, we were understaffed and with most of the additional help at the Complex being older people, I had to do what I do best: adapt and learn. I followed the men who were working the sound and lighting equipment and learned the different terminology to communicate what was needed from the crew during the show. While the campers rehearsed, I looked up videos on designing event programs. From the beginning of my shift to the very end, I was a sponge, absorbing everything I could to ensure that I was being the most efficient. Thankfully I took the time to learn because there were very minor adjustments that needed to be made during the Final Production that could have caused a major issue if I hadn’t been prepared beforehand. Overall, the show was magical and left many of the parents in tears.

After the final production, the last few days were smooth sailing. Giving the kids the opportunity to relax without the stress of the performance was one of the highlights of the week. I got to talk to them about their dreams and aspirations and ask them what they wish could have been better during the camp. On the last day, the kids ate pizza and ice cream and attending an event at COSI. I paused while the kids were running around and I shed a tear. I thought about the freedom the kids felt at that moment. They laughed and were able to embrace the world without fear of anything else. Although I have left my religious upbringing and taken on a more spiritual approach to life, at that moment, I prayed. I prayed that this feeling would never be lost as the kids grew up. I prayed that the young boys who had so openly shared their emotions don’t have toxic masculinity engrained in their hearts. I prayed that the girls who moved so freely in every dance ensemble never face any violence to their bodies. I prayed that they remained hopeful. The most important part of that word being full. Full of joy and jubilance. Full of light and life. Full. When it was finally time for me to leave, I was full. Full of tears and hope. Full of possibility. Attached is a photo before the Final Production.

This week was a big milestone for my summer project: I began the process of training Local Matters employees on what the MAP (Master Accounts of Programming) Airtable tool is, how to effectively utilize it for the specific needs of specific roles throughout the organization, and collecting input on what needs to be changed for it to truly be useful for each team member. To do this, I had one on one training sessions with each department, which was at most three people, and most often a one on one meeting. This allowed me to gain a clearer view of different roles in the organization that I previously had little interaction with. Though gaining this insight was this enriching and useful to tweak the MAP, it was extremely frustrating to realize how small I’ve been thinking throughout the lifetime of this project. Up until now, I had only been focusing on improving the communication and organization of data for the program team and the internal evaluation processes. After these trainings, I’ve realized how much more potential this project could bring to the entire organization, for processes like volunteer management, or organization of Cooking Matters which is run by the Local Matters AmeriCorps members.

While this creates a challenging environment to wrap up loose strings in, I’m humbled in constantly realizing how much I didn’t know that I didn’t know. For example, I had no idea how many platforms were being utilized by the organization (Airtable, WhenIWork, Google Calendar, DropBox, Sales Force, Better Impact, MailChimp, TicketTailor….Etc.), which made it seem much simpler in my mind the task at hand of aggregating data. I had a limited understanding of how much each individual staff member contributed to the organization through their role, and how much each role was pivotal in sustaining the organization. Thinking of how many unknowns are left, I’m eager to continue learning more about the vast world of nonprofit work, and hope to soak up every last drop of knowledge possible during the last week of the fellowship.

…and value it!

Podcast link: https://soundcloud.com/user-110817248/tcf-blog-week-9/s-XCxYM

Podcast transcript:

“This week has been crazy in regards to my personal life, but work has been very steady. Coming back from camp I felt like I had a lot to catch up on, but I know all the work I’ve put in has paid off.

I’m almost finished with all my videos for the summer. The main project I have left is the Summer of 2018 Recap video, which I think is a fitting way to start reflecting on the summer I’ve experienced here at TECH CORPS.

I had a brief, but really good conversation with Carla, one of my colleagues and the person who was my first point of contact at the organization. She has been traveling to sites around the country a lot this summer, so I wanted to catch up with her since we were both back in the office this week. We talked about my experience this summer, what I’ve learned, how they could have improved my experience or what they should change for future fellows, and the work I’ve done this summer. Reflecting with Carla made me feel a little emotional. The passage of time and thinking about growth always makes me feel weird and introspective.

As far as things that could have been improved, I didn’t really have any concrete advice. There was really only one idea I presented to Carla, and it came from my own feelings and conversations I had with other fellows. We’ve all agreed that school sets us up to require structure, permission, and supervision every step of the way. It’s a really hard transition going from that environment to a workplace that gives you lots of freedom. I think immersion into this culture is really the only way to combat and relearn what school instills into you, and I’m not really sure what could be done to aid in this process, but I know that once I had a more clear timeline and project list I felt much more confident doing things on my own.

Speaking of doing things on my own, here’s a quick promo I made!

“Anotha’ one”

Carla told me they were really happy with my work for the summer and assured me that they were happy with their decision to have me as a fellow, which made me feel really good. I tend to undervalue myself and feel like a phony when it comes to my work, and having this confirmation that I made a difference was a relief. She told me they were really sad to see me go, because of how integrated into the team I became in my short summer here. We agreed that I definitely want to stay involved despite the fact that I’m not sure I’ll even have enough time to sleep during fall semester. That’s a lie, sleep is the only thing I’ll really make time for. But I think I can also make some time for this awesome organization. Lisa also mentioned some contract work after I go back to school. Hooray for the start of my freelancing side hustle! 

My time here was celebrated in the best way possible: a taco bar. Early in the summer we had a taco bar catered for a professional development session held in the office, and I had a freak out because taco bars are the best thing to happen to this country. So when I heard Lisa say “Hope, will you clear space for the taco bar?” you can imagine the emotions coursing through my mind. I appreciate this kind, thoughtful lunch so much. But my gratitude for this fellowship goes even deeper than the taco bar celebration.”

The Infamous Taco Bar

An unrelated celebration: My best friend’s 21st! I had to take a quick trip back to camp to bring her balloons.