Not many college students can say that they had a major role in being awarded a $20,000 grant, however, Marcus Carano, Class of 2016, is an exception. Marcus, a history major here at the College of Wooster, and a resident of Akron, Ohio received an APEX Fellowship to work with the Akron Community Foundation. The organization enables philanthropists to give back to their community through donations. It also applies for grants and work with local nonprofits. Marcus worked in community investment where he evaluated programs, read grant applications and reviewed funding applications.
Through his APEX Fellowship, Marcus gained many new skills including improved communication, preparing and conducting meetings in a formal business manner, relating to donors, and becoming familiar with different software programs in managing finances. However, Marcus had difficulty shifting from the college setting to a formal business setting. Over the course of the summer, he was able to adjust and is now better prepared for the world beyond Wooster.
Marcus’ experience helped him to adapt to a full time position. He easily integrated with the investment team and its day-to-day operations. He also helped spearhead a $20,000 grant for an organization to help underprivileged children and children with disabilities. His experience made a significant impact on the entire Akron community.
The Akron Community Foundation sponsored Marcus to attend Intern Edge, a young professional leadership workshop held once-a-week throughout his internship. He learned many new leadership skills while also meeting other young professionals working in the Akron area.
Marcus was also very thankful for his support from the APEX staff. He describes his relationship with APEX throughout the summer:
“The weekly reflections my faculty mentor provided me helped me connect my
Fellowship experience back to my academic career at Wooster, and pushed me to think creatively about my future post- graduation. Whenever I had an overwhelmingly positive experience, the reflections gave me a space to consider how I could replicate that experience in future projects or ventures. On the other hand, if something did not go as planned, I was able to have a conversation with my adviser as to what went wrong, and if that experience was indicative of a broader pattern of my interests and abilities. Discussions such as these were beneficial when considering future career and graduate school options.”
Marcus’ APEX Fellowship helped him to gain professional experiences and connections while also developing his leadership skills.