Interns Work As Teams To Offer Diverse Skills To Nonprofits With Jobs To Be Done

Charitable Words Scholars from around the state and across the river will bring diverse interests, experiences and skill sets to our nonprofit partners in Greater Cincinnati this summer.

Their jobs will be to help nonprofits, often with scarce resources for marketing and communications, better their impact and best tell their stories.

The Charitable Words Scholars program is a unique – some would say innovative – approach to internships.  Rather than assign one student to one nonprofit, we assemble teams so students may do what they do best in more than one place, complemented by others who may bring separate skills to the table. Then, rather than expect short-staffed nonprofit partners to do all training, management and administration, Charitable Words calls in volunteer professional advisors.

This team approach delivers meaningful experiences for interns and exponential outcomes for our nonprofit partners.

For example, if one intern has unique and advanced video skills and another has experience in crowdfunding, we may team them up to work on parallel campaigns for two nonprofits in need of such campaigns rather than isolate them – and their skills – across town from one another. If a student shows a talent for managing data – that would draw them into the audience awareness database project in which we plan to have a centralize database with updated media contacts, customized for each nonprofit.

The team approach also provides continuity when an intern has to take days away – vacations and weddings are abundant and important in the summer months. This is, after all, supposed to be their summer vacation.  And they get paid, important to a generation of purpose faced with an oppressive bubble of debt.

It’s a win-win-win. For our nonprofit partners, for the students and for the community. If we engage this generation, studies have shown internships increase the chances they will remain in their community, give back to the community – and its economy.

Since 2012 more than 60 scholars have been engaged with more than 30 nonprofits.  This summer, the collective impact continues.

Here are the students, alumni and scholarship recipients enagaged in Charitable Words Scholars partnerships with nonprofits this summer:

Project Manager Brittany York, University of Cincinnati

Brittany York, The University of Cincinnati:  Brittany, a graduate of UC’s Professional Writing Program with a focus on writing for nonprofits, also is an instructor at Xavier University and the “For Good” Editor at Soapbox, Cincinnati. She will be the liaison for students and nonprofit partners on all summer projects.

Taylor Hirth, Ohio University: Taylor is studying Media Arts and Studies, with an emphasis in music recording. Taylor is a graduate of Seton High School in Cincinnati.

Emma Wahl, Ohio University. Emma is double majoring in Communication Studies and Media Studies, with a focus in screenwriting and producing. A Cincinnati native, she has nonprofit experience working with Mathew 25, Stepping Stones, Fernside Center, and Unified for Uganda.

Hannah Barone, The Ohio State University: Hannah is studying Business Administration.  She is a graduate of Madeira High School, where she was class president.

Syron Townsend, The University of Cincinnati: Syron is studying marketing and public relations at The University of Cincinnati. She recently completed a marketing internship with The Constella Festival.

Tyler Mechlem, Cincinnati State College: A graphic design major, Tyler has previously worked with Charitable Words partnerships with Personal Guardianship Services and Kicks For Kids.

Lindsey Rudd, Northern Kentucky University, is a studying electronic media and broadcasting. She is a video and social media editor at The Northerner independent student newspaper.

Erin Mullins, Taylor Harris and Holland Rains, Northern Kentucky University College of Informatics: They are working on a year-long documentary video project for Wordplay Cincinnati.

Rachel Kellerman, Northern Kentucky University, is a Charitable Words alumni videographer, having produced compelling stories for Melodic Connections, Personal Guardianship Services, People Working Cooperatively and Warrior Canine Connection.

Andrea Baker, The Art Academy of Cincinnati: Andrea has worked on web development projects with Charitable Words partners Rothenberg Preparatory School Rooftop Garden and Mannequin Boutique.

Mark Goodly, Taft High School: As one of the first Against The Grain Scholars, his serving-learning assignment will be liaison to work with Charitable Words in its collaboration with ATG Scholars on “PhotoVoice,” a photography project that connects inner-city and suburban students on documenting their diverse experiences and common goals.

In addition to the teams, scholarships also have been awarded to these students engaged in education programs related to Charitable Words fields of focus:

Miami University: Three students have been awarded Charitable Words scholarships at Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center.  The students will engaged in hands-on learning with “Opening Minds Through Art,” an innovative program that pairs students and volunteers with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Scholarship recipients: Kellyn Czajkowski, Kaitlin Moore and Alexandria Predota.

Cincinnati State Community and Technical College: Charitable Words Scholarships will help four Occupational Therapy students at Cincinnati State pursue their education in the area of care and services for children and adults with disabilities. Students are provided hands-on learning experiences at The Eileen Burke Occupational Therapy Center, a home that has been designed for at-home accessibility, with state-of-the-art assistive technology and teaching programs. Scholarship recipients: Rachel Bonor, Ashely Gray, Kristen Heithaus and Sara Layne.

Nonprofit partners:

Here are the nonprofits Charitable Words teams will be assigned to in “Learning and Lending a Hand” internships. Please support and share the important work they do. And follow “reports from the field” here on this blog and our social media platforms, listed at the bottom of this page.

• The Starfire Council
• Community Matters
• Melodic Connections
• Cincinnati State Community and Technical College
• Wordplay
• Literacy Network
• Mannequin Boutique
• Rothenberg Rooftop School Garden
• Against The Grain Scholars
• Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University

 Thank you to our sponsors, volunteer advisors and Charitable Words board of directors

The students’ compensation is handled by Charitable Words, thanks to generous sponsors who believe supporting our nonprofit social enterprise leverages the impact of their charitable giving to causes they care about. Thank you to our sponsors of The Charitable Words Scholars Fund and many friends and supporters who have made personally significant contributions.

Advisors

Volunteer advisor Michael McCarter, visuals director at The Cincinnati Enquirer, talks with young photographers from Against The Grain Scholars, a Cincinnati nonprofit that engages “at-risk students who are excelling in their classroom.”

Our network of volunteer professional advisors is available to engage, enriching the students’ experiences and outcomes for the nonprofits served. The teams include Charitable Words Scholars alumni, students and recent graduates with previous experience and an understanding of the system.

Board of directors

And we are proud of and thankful for our board of directors, providing governance and expertise.

• Jack Greiner, Attorney, Graydon Head & Ritchie law firm, chair
• Elissa Yancey, Education Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati, vice chair
• Crystal Faulkner, CPA, Cooney, Faulkner and Stevens, LLC
• Jamie White, ArtsPass Manager, ArtsWave
• Kevin Dugan, Director of Content, The Empower Group
• Tom Callinan, Director, Charitable Words

Elissa Yancey, Charitable Words board of directors vice chair, provides guidance on a video documentary project with University of Cincinnati intern Elese Daniel.

They believe in the importance of what our Scholars and volunteer advisors do to make a difference in causes they care about.  Connections are currency.  Their engagement is gold to Charitable Words.

— Thank you.  Tom Callinan

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