Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Hello all! My name is Megan Simmons, I am a rising senior at The Ohio State University. I study Political Science and Public Policy Analysis, with minors in City and Regional Planning and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. This summer, I will be working in grants management and development at City Year Columbus! City Year is a national nonprofit which deals with urban education issues, with a focus on schools with high risks of dropout. Each year, a team of AmeriCorps members are selected and sent to Columbus to spend a year working with students in these schools on language arts and math competency, as well as attendance and behavioral issues. In Columbus, there are seven schools where City Year members are stationed for the year.

If there is one word which I could use to describe my experiences at City Year thus far, it would be ubuntu. A shortened proverb from the Zulu tribe in South Africa meaning “I am a person through other people. My humanity is tied to yours”, City Year’s organizational culture is centered around this word, continually practicing support and togetherness.

The concept of ubuntu was first demonstrated to me upon my arrival at the City Year offices. I was warmly welcomed by everyone, and was taken in immediately as a member of the team. In this first week, I have been wholeheartedly included as part of the City Year Columbus office as we prepare for the City Year 2017-2018 AmeriCorps Graduation, celebrate AmeriCorps field day, and wrap up the school year with AmeriCorps exit interviews.

I have begun to better understand the far-reaching impact of ubuntu in City Year culture by observing the ways in which it influences the interactions between City Year AmeriCorps members. Each morning, AmeriCorps members meet as a team and then have time to take “ubuntu walks” , where they are paired up with time to walk and talk to one another. Having just taken my first ubuntu walk this morning, I can appreciate the way which this small activity helps develop genuine bonds between AmeriCorps members. Not only was the ubuntu walk a wonderful way to energize AmeriCorps members in the morning, but was also a great way to discuss the experiences members had over their year of service.

Until my time City Year, I have never experienced a nonprofit organization that has such a defined set of values which it is centered around. Ubuntu is practiced by each employee and AmeriCorps member, keeping a focus on serving the Columbus student population every day. As the summer progresses, I hope to also learn to practice ubuntu in my work, and to continue to delve into how City Year values are evidenced in the work which the Columbus team produces.

Hello everyone!

My name is Mason Hickman, my pronouns are they/them/theirs and I’m a rising senior in Political Science and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies at The Ohio State University. During my fellowship with The Columbus Foundation, I will be working as the Field Organizer for the Equality Ohio Education Fund!

The mission of Equality Ohio is to advocate and educate in order to achieve equal opportunity and prevent discrimination for all LGBTQ+ Ohioans. Growing up, I endured severe bigotry due to my sexual orientation and gender identity. Just like many others in the LGBTQ+ community, I feared that I would not be able to live a full life because I would be treated as a second class citizen. We have come a long way, but there are still battles to be won, and I am so grateful to be working alongside some of the most fearless activists.

My first week at Equality Ohio was exciting as I’ve been getting to know the whole team. On my first day, the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision came out where the Supreme Court sided with a baker who refused to sell a cake to a same-sex couple. From there, we held an outreach event on my very first day so that we could let individuals know that this ruling was not a reason to lose hope. As a previous intern at Planned Parenthood, I am very familiar with outreach events because they’re a phenomenal way to connect with the community. This week I also had the opportunity to travel to Dayton to see firsthand how Equality Ohio’s curriculum is taught to businesses, giving them the tools they need to create a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employees. Part of my work this summer will be modifying this curriculum to make sure it’s the most effective that it can be. When I’m not working on that, I’ll be organizing fundraising events as well as volunteer outreach events.

Needless to say, I am incredibly lucky to be part of such a great team that has such a passionate mission. I am really looking forward to what I can do for this organization over the next ten weeks, and all that I will learn while I am here.

Equality Ohio folder

Hello! My name is Maeve Scully and I am a rising senior at The Ohio State University. During my fellowship with the Columbus Foundation, my host site and base is the nonprofit Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC).  Cartoon Crossroads is a fairly new organization, as they are planning on hosting their fourth festival this coming fall. The CXC festival is an annual event that aims to highlight the importance and relevance of comics, art and animation while concurrently suggesting the relevance of Columbus as a hotspot for both established and up-and-coming artists.

My first week with CXC has been a whirlwind. The announcement party for the festival—one of the most important events aside from the festival itself—was on Wednesday. The event allowed for me to get to know some of the most integral members of CXC and learn a lot about the history behind the nonprofit. I’m so thrilled to be a part of an organization so passionate about art in Columbus and the announcement party really prepared me to speak out about CXC and the work they do. When I wasn’t preparing for the event, I was working with the nonprofit to examine their previous surveys in order to better them. This will be one of my main projects for the summer, as CXC is looking for someone to better their communication and outreach and surveys provide great insight into how that can be bettered. Along with that, I will have the opportunity to work on some marketing for the festival itself, so I spent some time this week working with my supervisors to determine their target audience and outreach strategy. With the new information, I will continue to research the best marketing points for their target demographics as well as Columbus locals.

It was a busy first week with the Columbus Foundation and CXC, but a very promising one. I can’t wait to see what impact I can make during this fellowship.

CXC pins from the announcement party

As I reflect on the start of my summer fellowship with the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus (BGCC), I cannot help but think of my experiences in the classroom.  One of the pillars of my educational philosophy was partnering with the community to maximize the potential of my students.  I did this by being relentless in ensuring parents/guardians were involved in the classroom, increasing opportunities for students to advocate for themselves and their community, and affirming my students’ intelligence.  Although I did my best in the classroom, I realized that supporting students 24/7 (which I would have been more than happy to do), may not be feasible nor mentally healthy for one teacher.  Deeply rooted in the mission of the Boys and Girls Club is a dedication to ensuring all students have the tools necessary to be able to prioritize their education.

This mission sets up a collaborative atmosphere where the entire COMMUNITY is educating the “whole child.”  This is the strength of our community.  We do not accept the geographic assignments placed on our students (education levels or socioeconomic status).  We are not content with the status quo.  We are uncompromising in our pursuit of maximizing the potential of our students.

This summer I am most excited about continuing to contribute to the movement described above; but in a role different than a classroom teacher.  My new role is to support the BGCC in their summer programing and offer suggestions to improve the quality of instruction.  This is more of a research/program evaluation role.  With this role, I will be able to produce data that can be used to increase the number of students involved with the various programs.  All children deserve an excellent education; for the next 10 weeks I am prepared to do everything I can to realize this vision.

**Nathaniel D. Stewart is a former middle school science teacher and current Educational Policy PhD student.  His research is focused on critical pedagogy and culturally responsive instruction.  (stewart.1690@osu.edu)

2018 Summer Fellows

Kidest Beyene
Host Site: Jewish Community Center
School: The Ohio State University

Madeline Foley
Host Site: Tech Corps
School: University of Cincinnati

 
Imani Harris
Host Site: King Arts Complex
School: The Ohio State University

 
Mace Hickman
Host Site: Equality Ohio Education Fund
School: The Ohio State University

Emily Long
Host Site: Huckleberry House
School: The Ohio State University

 
Michaela Master
Host Site: Local Matters
School: The Ohio State University

 
Radhika Pandit
Host Site: LifeCare Alliance
School: The Ohio State University

 
Bradley Patrella
Host Site: Justice League dba Ohio Crime Victim
School: University of Dayton

Maeve Scully
Host Site: Cartoon Crossroads of Columbus
School: The Ohio State University

Jessica Shakesprere
Host Site: Muslim Family Services of Ohio
School: The Ohio State University

 
Megan Simmons
Host Site: City Year Columbus
School: The Ohio State University

 
Nathaniel Stewart
Host Site: Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus
School: The Ohio State University

 
Emily Stuldreher
Host Site: Besa Community, Inc
School: The Ohio State University

Isabel Taylor
Host Site: Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
School: Penn State

My last week at the Hoover YMCA Park was pretty much a whirlwind. The Learning Garden fundraiser was held on Thursday, so I was working long hours to make sure that everything would be prepared in time. This was the first event like this that I’d ever organized and been responsible for running, which was a learning experience. There are so many moving parts to consider, but luckily I had the incredibly supportive Hoover team backing me up.

The Hoover Haven turned out so beautifully. The Hoover staff put so much hard work into the space all summer and it really showed. Even though we ran into some issues with outlets not working, overall the new education center is perfect for hosting events like this cooking demo. Some of the Y folks that attended the event were discussing how the Hoover Haven can be used in the future based on the success of the fundraiser, which was really gratifying for me to hear after working on this event all summer.

Now that my fellowship is over I plan to work for Chef Kuukua and Asempe Kitchen. I’ll be kind of a catch-all, doing everything from helping prepare and serve food to monitoring online fundraising campaigns and marketing. I’m grateful that my experience at Hoover led me to find a position like the one with Asempe Kitchen because it’s a perfect intersection of my passions and values as well as my past experiences. I want to continue making food accessible and using it to bring people together and bridge divides.  

By Kelsie Fields

It’s so exciting to look back on where we all started ten weeks ago. Meeting with everyone this morning and hearing about all the amazing successes our cohort has had at their various organizations. To cap off this amazing summer, I want to share just a few practical and universal lessons I learned from my fellowship at the Westerville Symphony.

1. Just ask! I learned so much from my supervisor, Sean Brewster, but most importantly, I learned to just ask for things. We were able to secure many donations and swag items for our runners by simply asking. We were able to get all of our t-shirts sponsored by just asking. It seems crazy, but it works.

2. Another lesson I learned is the importance of adapting your programming to your audience. During the fall and spring, we host symphonic performances that feature excellent musicians and music selections, but for some people, these concerts have barriers. We want everyone to experience the magic of classical music in their own way, and to do this, you have to get creative. During the summer, we host two free concerts that are outside, and we also have a programmed targeted at pre-schoolers. These programs allow us to think outside of the box and ultimately reach more people with music!

3. Thirdly, I learned the importance of self-awareness and the usefulness of understanding your strengths. Knowing how you work best and the steps you typically take to solve a problem can be very useful when working with a small team. I learned to communicate more effectively about how I work and the strengths I bring to the table, and this skill will be useful to me in my career.

4. Lastly, I learned more about this wonderful city. Columbus has no equal in the way it makes me feel at home. Being a part of such a local, community-minded organization was inspiring and altogether fun.

Thank you to my fellow fellows, The Columbus Foundation, and to Sean and the Westerville Symphony for a fantastic summer. Long live the spirit of Columbus!