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Contact: Dan Sharpe, The Columbus Foundation, dsharpe@columbusfoundation.org, 614/251-4000


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The Columbus Foundation Announces Largest Class Ever of Summer Fellows

Columbus, OH (June 9, 2017)—The Columbus Foundation is pleased to announce participants in its 2017 Summer Fellowship Program. Now in its eighth year, the program provides college students, recent college graduates, and graduate students the opportunity to work with central Ohio nonprofit organizations for a 10-week period.

Sixteen organizations and fellows were selected to participate this year, the most in the history of the program. Each fellow receives a $6,000 stipend for their work.

The Foundation’s Summer Fellows Program launched in 2010 and engages the next generation of young leaders in the nonprofit sector through career-related work. Funded by the Foundation and its donors, the program offers hands-on experiences that allow fellows to support the work of the host organizations.

  2017 Summer Participants include:

  • Central Community House of Columbus, Inc.Victoria Efetevbia of Columbus, and recent graduate of Georgetown University, will support fundraising and development strategies culminating in a signature event, as well as developing a sales and marketing plan to assist with earned revenue related to venue rental, and support other social enterprise opportunities. Victoria has been selected as the 2017 Lisa S. Courtice Fellow.
  • Columbus Children’s ChoirAllison Stewart of Houston, Texas, and graduate student at The Ohio State University, will develop and implement an alumni reengagement strategy to benefit the organization for networking and fundraising purposes. Allison has been selected as the Richard H. Oman Fellow.
  • Columbus Museum of ArtChloe Napoletano of Akron, and recent graduate of The Ohio State University, will coordinate and implement the Summer Art Workshop by managing a team of interns and delivering arts education opportunities.
  • Community Refugee and Immigration Services, Inc.Kathryn Nash of Worthington, and attending Miami University, will create a resource library, representative of the cultures being served, to assist in the broader community’s education around immigrant and refugee resettlement issues.
  • Deaf Services, Inc.Karlee Hehemann of Columbus, and attending The Ohio State University, will focus on the functionality and strategic use of the donor management software while also assisting with an agency-wide marketing audit and public relations plan.
  • Grange Insurance Audubon CenterVictoria Baron of Carmel, Indiana, and recent graduate of The Ohio State University, will support short- and long-term projects focusing on social media, community engagement, user/visitor experiences, and marketing. This Fellowship is possible through support from the Green Funds of The Columbus Foundation.
  • Green ColumbusJacob Humphrey of Cincinnati, and attending The Ohio State University, will facilitate the implementation of a summer youth employment program focused on the planting and maintaining of trees, pocket parks, and other urban “greening” initiatives.
  • HomeportCaroline Corona of Mason, and attending The Ohio State University, will assist Homeport in an analysis of current eviction prevention strategies, the research of home stabilization best practices, as well as an evaluation of the Gifts of Kindness partnership.
  • Hope HollowAbigail Wocher of Cincinnati, and attending The Ohio State University, will design and implement a robust volunteer recruitment and management program, as well as create an Adopt-a-Family platform.
  • LeaderSpark, Inc.Samantha Lechner of Canton, and attending The Ohio State University, will capture and create video content to be used as storytelling, marketing, and fundraising materials supporting the mission of workforce development and training for opportunity youth.
  • Neighborhood Services, Inc.Sylvie Durlacher of Woodbury, New York, and attending The Ohio State University, will design and implement a research mechanism to best capture client’s needs, pantry purchasing, and operation practices.
  • Ohio Wildlife CenterOlivia Adkins of Dayton, and attending The Ohio State University, will assist in the creation of recorded client testimonials, documenting the successful rehabilitation of animals, and subsequent stories to be used in marketing and fundraising efforts.
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, Inc.Courtney Fulton of Kenton, and attending The Ohio State University, will support and facilitate the local vehicle donation program through outreach and broadened awareness, to result in increased donations to the organization.
  • Westerville Symphony at Otterbein University—Kelsie Fields of Charlotte, North Carolina, and recent graduate of The Ohio State University, will support the planning, marketing, and delivery of the Summer Community Concert Series, and fundraising events, such as the Beethoven 5k.
  • YMCA of Central OhioQuinn Lentz of Akron, and recent graduate of The Ohio State University, will support the Hoover YMCA Park’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program through increased marketing, distribution, and improved volunteer coordination in the production garden.

Stay up to date with the students' experiences by reading the fellow's blog.

Learn more about the Summer Fellowship Program.


ABOUT THE COLUMBUS FOUNDATION

The Columbus Foundation is the trusted philanthropic advisor® to more than 2,500 individuals, families, businesses, and communities that have created unique funds and foundations to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. More than 70 years strong, The Columbus Foundation is ranked among the top ten community foundations in the United States. Visit columbusfoundation.org to learn more.

DATE
June 9, 2017