Columbus, OH (June 4, 2025)—Since 2010, The Columbus Foundation has selected college students, recent college graduates, and graduate and doctoral students to participate in an immersive 10-week Summer Fellowship program. Summer Fellows, who receive a stipend for their work, are placed with a nonprofit host site in Franklin County, where they support a project chosen by the nonprofit. This year, 13 organizations and Summer Fellows were selected to participate in the program.
"The Summer Fellowship program provides young leaders with dynamic hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector while introducing fellows to the essential work of local nonprofits,” said Dr. Mark A. Lomax, II, Director of Arts & Generational Grantmaking at The Columbus Foundation. “Through the program, Summer Fellows gain valuable professional skills while supporting projects that benefit our community."
Pictured: 2025 Summer Fellows.
The Columbus Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Summer Fellows and nonprofit host sites:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio—Courtney Moore, a graduate student at The Ohio State University from Dublin, will help elevate awareness of the organization’s mission and programming through a social media campaign.
- Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services—Sanay Tufekci, an undergraduate student at the University of Florida from Columbus, will support the organization’s annual Youth Summit by assisting in fundraising, community engagement, and volunteer organization.
- Friends of the Alum Creek and Tributaries—Elysa Kwaw, an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University from Columbus, will facilitate three outdoor education events and elevate the organization’s mission through a targeted social media campaign.
- Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland—Madeleine Auch, an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University from Columbus, will support summer camp programming by creating new lessons and coordinating site activities.
- Green Columbus—Emma Hart, an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University from Lakewood, Ohio, will develop and implement a strategic marketing campaign and coordinate community outreach and tree giveaway initiatives.
- Huckleberry House—Emoni Harmon, a graduate student at The Ohio State University from Perrysburg, Ohio, will support the organization’s Safe Place program by assessing the needs and readiness of partner sites, creating an updated training manual, and expanding partnerships. Harmon has been selected as the 2025 Richard H. Oman Fellow.
- LifeCare Alliance—Kat Jolley, an undergraduate student at Indiana University from Columbus, will conduct a needs assessment, analyze the data, and generate recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization’s programming and customer experience.
- Peggy R. McConnell Worthington Center for the Arts—Graci Jackson, an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University from Columbus, will assist with a marketing campaign supporting the organization’s Arts Festival and other events.
- NetCare Access—Anaika Iyer, an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan from Powell, will develop and implement a comprehensive social media strategy to increase awareness of the organization’s mission and programming. Iyer has been selected as the 2025 Linda Bowers Memorial Summer Fellow.
- The Overwatch Partnership—Kindall Benjamin, an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University from Cincinnati, will support the organization’s veteran mentoring program by assisting with fundraising, event planning, and community engagement.
- Oyo Dance Company—Anna Lower, an undergraduate student at the University of Cincinnati from Cincinnati, will create and implement a comprehensive social media campaign promoting the organization’s 2025-2026 season.
- The Center for Disability Empowerment—Rachael McCague, an undergraduate student at the College of William and Mary/University of St. Andrews from Columbus, will support the planning and implementation of the organization’s Americans with Disabilities Celebration event.
- Zora’s House—Asia Bender, a doctoral student at The Ohio State University from Marietta, Georgia, will support the organization’s leadership with strategic planning development, the women of color innovation team, and community engagement.
Read the Fellows' blog to stay up to date with their experiences throughout the summer. To learn more about the Summer Fellowship program, visit The Columbus Foundation’s website.
About The Columbus Foundation
The Columbus Foundation, one of the top 10 community foundations in the United States, serves thousands of individuals, families, and businesses that have created unique funds and planned gifts to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible.