Spotlight

October 4, 2024 In Announcements, Spotlight

Announcing the FAO Schwarz Fellowship Host Organizations for 2025

BOSTON โ€“ October 1, 2024. The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation has selected five leading nonprofit organizations to host the 2025-2027 FAO Schwarz Fellowships.ย  The host organizations selected this year are Hudson River Parkโ€™s River Project (New York), iMentor (New York), which are both first-time hosts, Museum of Science (Boston), Boston Collegiate Charter School, another first-time host, and Trust for Public Land (Philadelphia). They will each host one new Fellow.

โ€œWe know that young people have the passion and potential to create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them get there.โ€

โ€” Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director, FAO Schwarz Family Foundation

Museum of Science will be hosting its third Fellow. Trust for Public Land will be hosting its second. The Fellowships are two-year paid positions that develop the leadership skills of recent college graduates pursuing careers in social impact.ย 

โ€œWe are thrilled to offer professional experiences in partnership with these leading nonprofits, where talented recent graduates can develop the skills they need to lead the change, and get paid while doing so,โ€ said Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director of the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation. โ€œWe know that young people have the passion and potential to create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them get there.โ€ย 

These roles offer recent college graduates a chance to contribute to the success of their organizations by increasing their capacity and impact while being paid. Host organizations intentionally represent a diverse array of sectors, from the environment to education, and beyond. Fellows will also have the opportunity to collaborate and compare the different approaches their organizations take to creating impact.

Hear from this yearโ€™s hosts about the ways their Fellows can contribute to their organizationโ€™s work and communities they serve:ย 

Carrie Roble, VP of Estuary & Education at Hudson River Park Trust shared, โ€œThrough programs like the FAO Schwarz Fellowship, Hudson River Park hopes to prepare tomorrow’s environmental leaders with the skills and networks needed to foster a more equitable, innovative and resilient future for New York City and our connected waters.”

โ€œI am excited to host an FAO Schwarz Fellow โ€“ to continue to do work in alignment with iMentorโ€™s mission to support young people in achieving their highest aspirations โ€“ both for the fellow and the students in our program,โ€ said Olufemi Watson, Director of Program at iMentor NYC.

โ€œWe canโ€™t wait to have another FAO Schwarz Fellow bring their enthusiasm for STEM education and passion for youth engagement to our team of educators,โ€ said Adrian Melia, Manager, In-Gallery Learning at the Museum of Science. โ€œAs we re-envision our youth programs on-site and in the community, the FAO Schwarz Fellow will be a crucial thought partner as we deepen relationships and engage in new, thoughtful ways.โ€

Sarah Morland, Chief Academic Officer at Boston Collegiate Charter School, said โ€œBoston Collegiate’s Fellow will alternate between direct work with students and supporting our broader collaboration and dissemination work, allowing the Fellow to experience firsthand the immense efforts it takes to support student growth and the immense efforts it takes to reimagine education.โ€

“Our mission goes beyond simply building parks and schoolyards โ€“ it’s about igniting excitement, fostering connections, and increasing collaboration within our communities,โ€ shared Elizabeth Class-Maldonado, Pennsylvania Program Director at the Trust for Public Land. โ€œIt is this shared passion and dedication that truly transforms our outdoor spaces into vibrant hubs of community life, health, equity, and resilience where every voice is heard, and every individual is empowered to shape their environment. We are thrilled to have an FAO Schwarz Fellow play an important part in realizing this impact across Philadelphia.”

Since the Fellowshipโ€™s founding in 2006, there have been 80 FAO Schwarz Fellows. Nearly 41 percent have been hired by their host organizations, 59 percent have gone on to graduate programs, and 95 percent continue to work in the social impact sector.ย 

Applications for the next cohort open on November 1 and are due February 1, 2025 at 9:00pm ET. Interested students are invited to attend one of the Fellowshipโ€™s online info sessions to learn more. Visit faoschwarzfellowship.org for more information.

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A young woman at a fork in a path with two options
September 12, 2024 In Spotlight

Internship or Fellowship. What’s in a Name?

Even though the terms are used interchangeably, internships and fellowships are different.

Internships and fellowships offer opportunities to gain professional experience, and both can enhance your rรฉsumรฉ so that it’s more interesting to future employers and graduate schools. But taking what you learn in college and applying it in real-world situations isnโ€™t easy. A good internship or fellowship will guide you through the “learning-to-doing” transition and help you effectively and meaningfully put your skills and knowledge to use. Understanding the differences will help you to craft a more thoughtful, targeted plan for life after graduation and help you make good decisions about which experiences will benefit you most.
Internships help you choose a career. Fellowships help you advance in a career.

Internships often work as trial periods for students interested in working at a particular company or in a particular field. Others may be required as part of a college majorโ€”communications, education, business and some health care majors often require an internship component. In such cases, internships may be unpaid but include college credit. The Department of Labor requires all internships with โ€œfor-profitโ€ organizations be paid; nonprofits continue to offer unpaid internships.

Academic fellowships are usually research based, while non-academic fellowships are typically designed for recent graduates who already have a strong interest in a specific sector and want to accelerate their careers. Some fellowships may even require candidates to provide evidence of experience and potential for significant achievement.ย 

Because most fellowships are selective, a fellowship adds luster to your rรฉsumรฉ. It can help you skip over an entry-level job or launch a career in a sector where there are few entry-level opportunities. Both fellowships and relevant internships help you stand out from other candidates when you are ready to apply to graduate school.

The most important difference between internships and fellowships may be one of timing. Internships vary widely and are available at almost any time over the course of your educationโ€”often as early as high school. Fellowships, however, are less common and most often timed to a certain age or milestone. Many fellowships require candidates to have at least a bachelorโ€™s degree (others are only for those who have already completed a graduate degree).ย 

Many businesses and organizations (nonprofit, government and for-profit) offer well-designed internship experiencesโ€”the UN, Facebook, the Obama Foundation and NASA are all good examples. Other placements may be less formal or structured. Even businesses and organizations that donโ€™t regularly offer internship programs, may take on an intern from time to time to assist with a specific set of tasks or provide a special opportunity.ย 

Thatโ€™s not possible with a fellowship, though there may be a few exceptions in scientific research. There are far fewer fellowships than there are internships. Fellowships are more structured, more competitive and often more selective. ProFellow, which compiles a database of fellowships, lists just 1,300 different fellowships, while job market experts estimate at least 1.5 million internships are filled each year.

When you apply for an internship, you follow a path similar to the path you might take when you apply for a job. You submit a cover letter and a rรฉsumรฉ, and you might have an interview or two. You might also need references. Then you accept the job and negotiate your hours and pay. There may or may not be a deadline.

Fellowships, however, run the gamutโ€”some may be like applying for a job while others may require multiple interviews, an essay or reflection, as well as several letters of recommendations or references, academic transcripts, a rรฉsumรฉ (or CV in the case of an academic fellowship) and more. In some cases you may even need to propose a project plan to pursue. You will usually know all the details of benefits and salary well in advance of applying. There is almost always a deadline for competitive Fellowships.

ย 

Internship durations are varied and will be based on the availability of the intern and the needs of the employer. Fellowships vary in length from a few months to a few years, but the duration is usually set in advance.ย 

Competitive fellowships are often full time, although fellowships designed for working professionals are part-time. Internships, on the other hand, usually reflect a lower level of mutual commitment because the intern is still learning.

ย 

Interns are almost always paid hourly, although unpaid internships focused on college credit are also available. While an unpaid internship may be a great way to spend your summer, not everyone can afford to work for free. On the other hand, working for college credit may be extremely valuable to students who are planning to graduate early.

In most cases, fellowships offer a set stipend or wages and benefits. Fellowships are almost always paid and do not include academic credits.

If youโ€™re an intern, your coworkers wonโ€™t expect you to be an expert at anything. What they will expect is curiosity, a willingness to learn and the confidence to roll up your sleeves and pitch in. Your colleagues and mentors will assume they are there to teach you, answer your questions and give you advice.

If youโ€™re a fellow, however, youโ€™ll be expected to be more independent and professional. People will want to hear what you have to say, and they will have feedback on your ideas. They will assume you already have something to offerโ€”even if you have never worked in the field before.ย 

Fellowship programs are often designed for people at a particular time in their lives or careers. Because of their shared experience, the fellows develop a lively cohort spirit. Some programs work to enhance that spirit by planning professional development or retreats for the cohort as a group. Such shared growth encourages professional and social collegiality. The cohort connection often plays a major role in the fellowship experience.

While some internships include a cohort experience and even some professional development, this isnโ€™t a common feature of most internships, as theyโ€™re often a more independent experience.

Both internships and fellowships give you opportunities to form professional relationships that may be valuable in the future. But the distinction of an internship fades after a few jobs, as employers become more interested in your work history. You would be unlikely, for example, to include an internship on a resume after a few years. Fellowships have more staying power and a competitive fellowship can be part of your resume for life.ย 

A college campus

Applications for Fellowships are opening soon. Learn more about available fellowships and internships that can help you jumpstart a career.

To find an internship or fellowship, college students should talk with their academic and career advisers. Many colleges have designated fellowship advisers. Career advisers sometimes have knowledge of both internships and fellowships.

You can find nationally competitive fellowship opportunities on sites like ProFellow, your own collegeโ€™s directory of fellowships and Handshake. Your college adviser can also help you identify opportunities. Other sources include The International Fellows Network, a LinkedIn networking group of more than 1,800 former fellows from a wide range of fellowships, which is a great place to get advice!

Donโ€™t overlook the fellowships that are offered by your own college or university. Some have fellowship programs in specific departments. Once you explore opportunities at your own university or college, look for fellowships at other academic research institutions as a number of these fellowships are not limited to students at that institution.ย 

No student should assume that they wonโ€™t qualify for a highly selective scholarship, internship or competitive fellowship award. Start exploring the opportunities, and youโ€™ll quickly see how opportunities to put what you are learning into action in real life will help you gain a more nuanced understanding of social challenges, meaningful research, teamwork and leadership.

Good luck!

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June 17, 2024 In Announcements, Spotlight

2024-2026 Fellows in the News

Incoming FAO Schwarz Fellows Shraddha Patel (University of Louisville), Anya Henry (Harvard University), Alex Gabriel (Susquehanna University), and Julie Kleaver (Temple University) have each been recognized by their respective college publications for their selection as FAO Schwarz Fellows for 2024-2026.

Both Shradda and Alex and are the first seniors from their universities to receive this selective award.

Shraddha Patel awarded prestigious FAO Schwarz Fellowship, a first for UofL
University of Louisville (2024)

Sociology Major Julie Kleaver Receives FAO Schwarz Fellowship
Temple University (2024)

Senior in art history awarded FAO Schwarz Fellowship in social impact
Susquehanna University (2024)

Anya Henry โ€™24 receives FAO Schwarz Fellowship
Harvard College (2024)

Picture of FAO Schwarz Fellowship

FAO Schwarz Fellowship

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A grid of Fellow photos
October 31, 2023 In Announcements, Spotlight

Seven FAO Schwarz Fellowships in Social Impact Open for Applications

BOSTON โ€” November 1, 2023. ย The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation announces that seven new paid two-year Fellowships in social impact hosted by leading nonprofit organizations are now open for applications.ย ย 

โ€œThe Foundation has always believed that young people have the desire and potential to imagine and create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them become the leaders they hope to be.โ€

โ€” Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director, FAO Schwarz Fellowship

The Fellowship program provides opportunities for new college graduates interested in social impact careers to work at organizations that are deeply committed to social justice and equity. Through a combination of direct service and leadership challenges, professional development and mentoring, Fellows gain first-hand experience leading change and learn how effective nonprofits create lasting and measurable progress.

Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director, FAO Schwarz Family Foundation, said, โ€œThe Foundation has always believed that young people have the desire and potential to imagine and create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them become the leaders they hope to be.โ€ย 

The new Fellowship positions are available to college seniors graduating from accredited four-year colleges between December 2023 and June 2024 who are eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the two-year Fellowship.ย 

Every Fellowship position is uniquely designed to provide a recent graduate with a strong interest in social change the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the drivers of inequality, explore different approaches used in addressing social challenges, and develop leadership and professional skills that will help them launch successful careers in social justice.

2024 Host Logos

The host organizations selected for the next cohort are  826 Boston (Boston) which is a first-time host, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, The Clay Studio, The Food Trust (Philadelphia), and the Museum of the City of New York (New York City). They will each host one new Fellow.  Reading Partners (New York City) will host two Fellows in New York.  Click on their names to learn more about Fellowship positions that will be available to the next cohort.

Primo Lasana, Executive Director of Reading Partners said, โ€œFAO Schwarz Fellows have become an invaluable resource to Reading Partners NYC and even our national organization. Our most recent fellow joined the staff team at RPNYC and currently is a staff member at our national organization.โ€

The seven Fellowships for 2024 โ€“ 2026  include direct service opportunities in STEM and environmental education, healthy food and food security, arts education, cultural experiences and early literacy and reading. Fellows will engage in key projects that include expanding popular programs, developing strategic partnerships in the community, and creating and implementing communications strategy.  

Fellows who start their Fellowship during the summer of 2024 will receive total compensation of approximately $90,000 plus benefits and professional development over the course of the  two-year Fellowship. 

Selection is competitive and by application. Since the Fellowshipโ€™s founding in 2006, there have been 73 FAO Schwarz Fellows. Nearly 41 percent have been hired by their host organizations at the completion of their Fellowship, 59 percent have gone on to graduate and professional education programs, and 95 percent continue to work in the social impact sector. 

Applications are due by  February 5, 2024 at 9:00 pm ET.  Interested students can apply online at the Fellowship website and are strongly encouraged to attend one of the Fellowshipโ€™s online info sessions. 

Visit faoschwarzfellowship.org for more information.

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2024 Host Logos
October 2, 2023 In Announcements, Spotlight

Announcing the FAO Schwarz Fellowship Host Organizations for 2024

BOSTON โ€” September 28, 2023. The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation has selected six leading nonprofit organizations to host the 2024-2026 FAO Schwarz Fellowships.ย  The host organizations selected this year areย  826 Boston (Boston) which is a first-time host, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, The Clay Studio, The Food Trust (Philadelphia), and the Museum of the City of New York (New York City). They will each host one new Fellow.ย  Reading Partners (New York City) will host two Fellows in New York.

โ€œThe Foundation has always believed that young people have the desire and potential to imagine and create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them become the leaders they hope to be.โ€

โ€” Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director, FAO Schwarz Fellowship

The Food Trust will be hosting its fifth Fellow. The Museum of the City of New York, which was among the first organizations to host a Fellow in 2006, will be hosting its seventh Fellow and Reading Partners will welcome its fourth and fifth Fellows. The Fellowships are two-year paid positions that develop the leadership skills of recent college graduates pursuing careers in social impact.ย 

โ€œWeโ€™re proud to offer these paid, professional experiences with our countryโ€™s leading nonprofits where talented recent graduates can develop the skills they need to lead the change,โ€ said Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director. โ€œThe Foundation has always believed that young people have the desire and potential to imagine and create a better world, and the Fellowship is designed to help them become the leaders they hope to be.โ€

The two-year paid experience offers new college graduates a chance to play key roles in some of societyโ€™s most successful and innovative social change organizations while increasing the hostโ€™s capacity and impact. The diversity of organizations selected as hosts provides Fellows with an overview of the nonprofit landscape in a variety of sectors as well as opportunities to collaborate and compare the strategies and leadership approaches organizations use in their work.

This yearโ€™s hosts are enthusiastic about the ways their Fellows can contribute to their work in the communities they serve:

826 Orange LogoCarolyn Navikonis, Senior Director of Impact at 826 Boston said,ย  โ€œWe’re thrilled to have an FAO Schwarz Fellow join the 826 Boston team. This Fellowship will boost our ability to offer a wide range of outstanding programs and provide individualized support to students across Boston as they grow as writers and leaders.โ€

Damien Ruffner, Program Manager from Audubon-Mid-Atlantic, which is currently hosting a Fellow, said, โ€œThe FAO Schwarz Fellow is vital to Audubonโ€™s commitment and outreach into North Philadelphia. Our Fellow provides a consistent presence in the community, solidifying us as an integral community partner, creating a sustained and lasting impact on current and future generations of North Philadelphia residents.โ€

The Clay Studio is thrilled to again partner with the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation to host a Fellow,โ€ said Josie Bockelman, Deputy Director of The Clay Studio. โ€œAs an organization, we strongly believe it is critical to be a part of developing the next generation of non-profit professionals through direct work experience.โ€

“The Food Trust is thrilled to once again welcome an FAO Schwarz fellow to our team, as we work together toward our mission of delicious, nutritious food for all,โ€ said Mark Edwards, President & CEO of The Food Trust. ย “As with any organization, our most valuable asset is our talented, passionate staff, and we feel strongly that young leaders inject invaluable energy, enthusiasm, and creativity into the social impact space.”

โ€œIโ€™ve worked with two phenomenal Fellows who have contributed to all aspects of our programs,โ€ said Sydney Stewart, Manager of Student Learning and Experience at the Museum of the City of New York. โ€œOur current Fellow designed one of our most popular STEAM-based field trip experiences. We know that our next fellow is bound to bring passion and insight to the work they do and toย  create rich and meaningful experiences for our audiences.โ€

Finally, Primo Lasana, Executive Director of Reading Partners said, โ€œFAO Schwarz Fellows have become an invaluable resource to Reading Partners NYC and even our national organization. Our most recent fellow joined the staff team at RPNYC and currently is a staff member at our national organization.โ€

Since the Fellowshipโ€™s founding in 2006, there have been 73 FAO Schwarz Fellows. Nearly 41 percent have been hired by their host organizations, 59 percent have gone on to graduate programs, and 95 percent continue to work in the social impact sector.ย 

Applications for the next cohort open on November 1. Interested students are invited to attend one of the Fellowshipโ€™s online info sessions to learn more. Visit faoschwarzfellowship.org for more information.

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A group pf Fellows poses for a selfie!
July 11, 2023 In Social Impact, Spotlight

How the Unique Benefits of the Fellowship Enhance Opportunities for both Fellows and Nonprofit Host Partners

The Fellowships are designed not only to support the development of young social impact leaders, but also to increase the capacity of their nonprofit host organizations.

Last year, Fellows really did "lead the change" by working to pass legislation, helping to create and expand key programs to better serve their communities, and growing host's partnership networks.

Here are just a few examples of their recent accomplishments:

Ryan at a ppdium in the statehouseRyan Telingator, FAO Schwarz Fellow ’23 at Jumpstart in Boston,ย collaborated with partners and advocated for legislation in Massachusetts that would increase educator compensation, provide direct-to-provider funding to stabilize programs, and increase the state’s financial assistance to families to help make programs more affordable. (see blog postwritten by Ryan). Recently, in collaboration with his supervisor, he successfully lobbied for Jumpstart to receive a โ€œhistoricโ€ $350,000 in the Massachusetts state budget, enabling them to expand their programming and impact throughout the state.ย 

His supervisor shared: โ€œEven after a leadership transition at Jumpstart, Ryan continued to lead this effort, securing additional support for the budget amendment with an increased ask of $450,000. Ryan’s leadership within the Common Start Coalition, advocating for accessible and affordable early care and education (ECE), has also been instrumental. Despite initial setbacks in passing the Common Start bill, Ryan and the coalition remained committed to reintroducing it in this session, and their efforts have led to two bills aligned with the Common Start vision in the House and Senate. Ryan’s dedication to lobbying legislators and raising awareness about ECE has been impeccable. He currently holds a significant leadership position on the coalition’s steering committee.โ€ย 

Ryan has spoken at the State House for a briefing, provided policy resources to journalists and coalition members, met with Governor Healey’s staff, and contributed to a historical budget increase for ECE.ย 

Nia Atkins smiles for photoNia Atkins, FAO Schwarz Fellow โ€˜23 at Year Up in New York City, led the Year Up NY/NJ siteโ€™s Learning Community โ€œLook Back, Look Aheadโ€ meetings since August 2022. Her supervisor shared, โ€œThese meetings are key moments for the Year Up NY/NJ staff community to gather and reflect on the journey of our participants after a class has graduated from the program. Nia has done an excellent job of sifting through the key performance data of our cohorts such as retention, attrition rates, and job conversion data. The Look Back/Look Ahead report and meeting also supplies qualitative data about our participantโ€™s experience throughout both their Learning and Development and Internship phases which gives staff a valuable snapshot of how our young people performed and felt while going through this journey with us.โ€

To execute these meetings and ensure valuable data was captured and analyzed, Nia collaborated closely with both the Program and Internship teams, and improved and streamlined the data visualization aspect to make the information more accessible. Additionally, Nia served as a coach to young adults in the program, mentoring participants through the program, and supporting them with interview preparation, resume improvement, public speaking, and presentation skills (see blog post written by Nia).

"The Fellowship exerience can be a truly transformativeโ€”not just for our Fellows, but also for our host partners"

Priscilla Cohen, FAO Fellowship Program Executive Director

Kira with Dinosaurs

Kira Azulay, FAO Schwarz Fellow ’23 at the Museum of Science in Boston, led two youth events as part of a newย  High School Science Series program focused on the themes of mental health and climate justice. Kira was responsible for securing and hosting guest speakers, creating an educator guide for teachers, and coordinating logistics for on-site set-up and evaluation. At each event, there were about 200 high school students in attendance who were able to ask questions of the panelists and then participate in hands-on projects at the Museum. Kira reflected on her experience as an FAO Schwarz Fellow in this video.ย 

Kira has increased the Museumโ€™s capacity to invest in youth development and intentionally think about their practices when engaging with young people. Her supervisor shared, โ€œIn Year 1 of her Fellowship, Kira researched and cataloged youth organizations in Massachusetts and other states to help us better understand how various organizations support youth through education and employment opportunities. She also curated a literature review related to working with youth which we hope to use as a resource for potentially forming a youth council in the future. In Year 2 of her Fellowship, Kira had the chance to develop and lead content and events for youth as part of our High School Series Program. Both events afforded Kira the opportunity to put youth engagement strategies to practice as she sought to find topics, speakers, and activities that would both interest and resonate with youth.โ€

Vanessa at The Food Project
Vanessa Barragรกn, FAO Schwarz Fellow ’24 at The Food Project in Boston, focuses in part on community engagement through their Build-A-Garden program, where they support Boston residents in growing their own food through the installation of raised garden beds (see blog post written by Vanessa). Her supervisor shared that Vanessa is “doing an incredible job managing the Build-a-Garden program.ย  Building on her work, The Food Project plans to double its impact, moving from 50 installations per year to 100 installations per year. ”ย 

Sophie and a colleague share information about Audubon Mid-Atlantic at a table.

Sophie Becker-Klein, FAO Schwarz Fellow ’24 at Audubon Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia, has grown partnerships with schools in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood where she is providing weekly lessons on environmental education (see blog post written by Sophie). Sophie’s supervisor wrote: “Sophie and I, through a series of meetings, developed a school-year schedule for her teaching Audubon lessons in class at our priority schools. These lessons included birds and bird migration, Healthy Watersheds and healthy Delaware River, bird adaptations, and Weather vs. Climate were specifically chosen by Sophie to encompass the full range and impact of Audubon. Sophie will be interacting with all grades in these schools. This is the first time Audubon Mid-Atlantic has had the resources to fully commit to multiple schools and this work could not be done without Sophie.”

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May 22, 2023 In Cohort, Professional Development, Spotlight

Snapshots from the 2023 Philadelphia Professional Development Retreat

Current Fellows gathered in Philadelphia for three days of professional development andย  immersion in social impact work.

The Fellows traveled from New York City and Boston to Philadelphia for the spring retreat in April. After arriving on Wednesday, Fellows headed to The Clay Studio where they had a rooftop lunch and reconnected with the cohort.

After lunch, Fellows went on a tour of the studio with Jennifer Martin, the Executive Director of The Clay Studio and then attended a professional development presentation with Adrienne Justice, Community Engagement Manager about the importance of social-emotional learning in curriculum development.

Fellows then transitioned into a ceramics workshop where they explored their identity and social-emotional themes. To finish out the day Fellows interacted with the after-school program and engaged in a project together where students and Fellows made tiles to be made into a collaborative piece.ย 

Fellows at The Clay Studio working with clay designs
Jesse a a wheel at the Clay Studio
Kayla at the clay studio
Juan working with clay
Fellows work on pottery projects at Clay Studio

On Thursday, the Fellows visited The Discovery Center to engage with Audubon Mid-Atlantic. The day began with a bird walk where we explored Audubon grounds and identified birds with Center Manager Damien Ruffner. Fellows then engaged in conversation with Suzanne Biemiller, Executive Director and Angie Wenger, Director for Southeastern Pennsylvania Centers. Afterwards, Fellows participated in a mussel measuring workshop where they learned how mussels were used in watershed education. We then traveled to Reading Terminal for lunch and city exploration.

Some of the sites we visited were City Hall and Love Park. One Fellow noted that โ€œthe bonding time and conversations were so crucial in building relationshipsโ€ Fellows returned to Audubon Mid-Atlantic for team building activities with Outward Bound and canoeing on the Strawberry Mansion Reservoir.ย 

Fellows go bird watching along a beautiful green path.
A Fellows looks through a microscope at teh Discovery center in Philly
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? A group of Fellows standing on a doc look u.
A fellow in a canoe comes in for a landing

Thursday evening was full of celebration and connection as the graduation for second-year fellows commenced. Speeches were held and graduation books given to Fellows as they reflected on their experiences in the Fellowship. This led into the alumni dinner where current fellows connected with alumni Fellows in Philadelphia. The dinner was illuminating as ย alumni Fellows to share their career journey, current Fellows found points of connection and collaboration among organizations. As one Fellow said, โ€œI feel like during this retreat we bonded as a group, and the activities played a big part in that.โ€

A group pf Fellows poses for a selfie!
A Fellows gives a presentaron

On Friday, Fellows returned to The Clay Studio for wheel throwing and reflections on the retreat before heading back to their respective cities after a tiring, but inspiring week.

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Picture of Kayla Johnson

Kayla Johnson

Kayla Johnson (she/they) is the After-School Program Coordinator and FAO Schwarz Fellow at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia.

Nia Atkins is pictured on Zoom with hear Year Up coaching group
November 10, 2022 In Professional Development, Service, Social Impact, Spotlight

Stepping Into the Role of Coach at Year Up

Direct service is an incredibly important part of my work and everyoneโ€™s work at Year Up. Many other staff members and I engage in direct service by serving as coaches to small groups of young peopleโ€”our coacheesโ€”as they progress through Year Upโ€™s programming. No small task, coaching involves meeting multiple times a week with oneโ€™s coachees both as a group and one-on-one, providing feedback on various professional skills, presentations, and resumes, and offering consistent support through any challenges our young adults may face.

When I first joined Year Up in June 2021, I observed more seasoned coaches before becoming a coach myself. I got the opportunity to see many different coach-coachee interactions and learn about what it takes to foster and maintain a successful coach-coachee relationship. Veteran staff members talked to me about their experiences including past mistakes they may have made in their first few go-arounds and how theyโ€™ve learned and grown since then. Despite my access to a wealth of coaching resources, the thought of stepping into the role of โ€œcoachโ€ myself, daunted me. I felt insecure about being similar in age to my coachees and worried that I would not yet know enough about Year Up programming to be helpful to them.

This past Augustโ€”a little over a year into my Fellowshipโ€”I got to see my first group of coaches graduate Year Up, and all I could think about during the graduation ceremony was how proud I was of them.

In October of 2021, I became a coach for the first time. While I had lingering anxiety about my ability to succeed in the role, my multi-month tenure at Year Up had prepared me well. Additionally, I had the privilege of co-coaching with one of the most senior staff members at Year Upโ€™s New York and New Jersey office. Together we guided a group of five students through an almost year-long journey full of highs and lows. I learned a lot about Year Up and about coaching from my co-coach. I also learned a lot from my coachees about the student experience at Year Up and about what Year Up means to them.

This past Augustโ€”a little over a year into my Fellowshipโ€”I got to see my first group of coachees graduate Year Up, and all I could think about during the graduation ceremony was how proud I was of them. I had watched their shyness and uncertainty develop into confidence and authority. And I could not help but notice that I had gone through a similar journey as a coach. By the time of their graduation, I already had a second group of coachees in a new cohort, and everything had felt much easier and less stressful with them because I had done it all before. I was much more knowledgeable, confident, and commanding in my role, and as a result, I was a stronger coach than Iโ€™d been before. Moreover, I realized over the course of one year and two different coaching groups that I really love the direct service work I do! Coaching students is by far my favorite part of my Fellowship position.

This October we welcomed yet another new cohort of students, but this time is different in that it is my first time coaching by myself. I would be lying if I said I am not a little bit nervous to coach on my own, but anytime those nerves set in, I remember that my experience, commitment, and passion will continue to guide me in the right direction.

Picture of Nia Atkins

Nia Atkins

Nia Atkins (she/her) is the FAO Schwarz Fellow at Year Up New York | New Jersey.

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