Meet our nine new 2018–2019 enFocus Fellows! They are working full-time for one year on projects for sponsor organizations including city government, educational institutions, private businesses, and nonprofits.
Will Cernanec
How did you end up at enFocus?
While in graduate school I learned that I enjoy research and critical thinking, but I’m more interested in the application of research than in publishing it. I started searching for an opportunity that operates at a high level, but also takes on practical problems. enFocus was a natural fit.
What project are you most excited for?
Right now I’m particularly jazzed about my elective project. I’m not sure what form it will eventually take, but I know that it will be focused on encouraging collaborations between South Bend non-profits and social ventures.
What’s your favorite podcast?
Radiolab. I love how they explore deep philosophical questions by digging into very mundane topics. A great example is the episode Mutant Rights — which looks at what it means to be human by exploring whether X-Men action figures are classified as toys or dolls by the IRS.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
These days, I spend most of my time outside of work at home with my son who was born on July 25th. He’s a riot.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
enFocus is different because the approach to new opportunities, large or small, is ‘why not?’. The mentality of giving everything the benefit of the doubt allows people to fail and succeed rather than coast.
Vojislav (pronounced “voice-love”) Tatarevic
How did you end up at enFocus?
I was looking for opportunities at the Indianapolis job fair. Being an international student (from Serbia), many employers were not open to giving me an opportunity. I was talking to a person who told me, ‘Sorry we do not provide opportunities to international students’, but he mentioned that the booth across the way, enFocus was looking into diverse employment. That’s where I met Patrick Jones and heard about the one-year fellow program.
What project are you most excited for?
I am working on South Bend Community School Corporation technology refresh project. It has to do with recent SBCSC one to one technology expansion, where every student will have equal opportunities to technology access.
What’s your favorite podcast?
Favorite podcast is Radiolab, by far. I love the way they tell the stories with audio visualization, and they have the coolest topics ever.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
I try to be as active as possible. I used to play soccer and tennis for my college(Earlham College), so I am trying to continue doing that. I also play volleyball Wednesdays and sometimes Mondays.
Lara Grotz
How did you end up at enFocus?
I knew that I wanted a job where I worked with teams of people and also one that involved actively getting to know members of the community. I met with a graduate career counselor at Notre Dame to update my resume and she recommended that I check out enFocus. I decided to meet some fellows and then applied for the 1-year position. I got the job a few weeks later!
What project are you most excited for?
I’m working on a project that deals with affordable housing. I get to meet with local developers, financers, and residents of Elkhart to figure out how to provide beautiful, reasonably-priced, historic housing. This is a local and national problem that encompasses many fields and backgrounds.
What’s your favorite podcast?
Everything Happens is a podcast by Kate Bowler, who was recently diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. She shares her stories of living in the moment and enjoying life through the suffering. I constantly find myself thinking about questions such as, why is there suffering in the world? Or, why do healthy people still get sick? My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was in the 7th grade so these questions are very important to me.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
During the summer and fall, I’m enjoying local culture such as breweries, vineyards, sand volleyball, or cute downtowns. During the winter, I enjoy being active through skiing and ice skating. Having a lot of snow is a relatively new experience to me so I think it’s pretty cool!
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
The work culture here is very unique. It’s inspiring to work somewhere where everyone loves their job and what they do! I am thankful for group lunches on Fridays and monthly “shout outs” for each other.
Anna Volk
How did you end up at enFocus?
At Notre Dame’s fall career fair last year, my friend wanted to go to the enFocus booth but didn’t want to go alone. I went with her, and as she was asking her questions, I realized I really liked the company and was very passionate about the same things as enFocus. I ended up applying and she didn’t, so I’ll forever be thankful she needed moral support at the career fair!
What project are you most excited for?
One of my projects that I think has incredible potential for high impact is organizing a youth philanthropy program. I was a part of a similar program in high school and so I saw first hand that teaching philanthropy to high school students gives them a sense of agency in their community at a time when they might otherwise be unsure of what they have to offer.
What’s your favorite podcast?
I’m a huge fan of NPR’s Hidden Brain series. I studied neuroscience in college, and so I really love that it addresses how our brain affects areas of our lives in ways we never would have expected it to. One episode talked about how humans are much more well-adjusted in nature. They talked with a researcher who found a 9% reduction in gun assaults when they planted trees outside apartment complexes in Chicago. So I obviously think this is super cool from a neuroscience and environmental perspective!
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
I’m an avid rock climber, so I spend way too much time at Notre Dame’s rock climbing gym. The people that climb there are pretty awesome because they inspire me to be more involved in my city, more environmentally friendly and overall just a better person.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
One of the most remarkable aspects of enFocus is how grounded in the community it is. A lot of companies can be located in a city, or do good work in a city, or be well known and respected in a city, but for enFocus to be all of those and more is very special. The people that work for enFocus are not only the smartest people I know but also ones who are passionate about making our community a better place.
Nicholas Rynearson
How did you end up at enFocus?
I had always seen my hometown as a place with great potential but without enough people who wanted to make things happen. I interned with the City of South Bend’s Office of Innovation, where I was introduced to dozens of people who were the “change-makers”, enFocus being chief among these people. After hearing about the impact that Fellows were able to make in the community, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.
What project are you most excited for?
My favorite project right now is one with Baugo Community Schools over in Elkhart County. I’m conducting a full analysis of the technology, processes, and systems they use daily to determine a more efficient way to utilize what they have. I’ve always loved improving processes and making things more efficient, and I hope to make a career in this space, so this project is basically a dream come true for me.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
Every weekend you’ll either find me at a park, exploring downtown, or with some friends at one of the breweries around town. I live a bit outside of South Bend, so I spend much of my time in the surrounding community too. Potato Creek State Park and Silver Beach are top weekend getaway spots for me.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
There aren’t many businesses where an entry-level employee with a month of experience can sit across from the leader of the company and have a casual discussion about ways to make said company even better. That’s something I’m thankful for every day.
Benjamin Johnson
What project are you most excited for?
I’m working on a project with the Elkhart County Solid Waste Management District to bring recycling education and outreach to school districts in the County. It’s exciting, not only because it’s important work, but because it’s extremely challenging. You have many different stakeholders to consider, whether it be students, teachers, school administrators, or all the waste management facilities in the area. All of these groups have different interests, and we need to convince them that on top of their already heavy workloads, recycling education is worth investing in.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
St. Patrick’s County Park. I love going there to walk around the wooded areas and unwind. The river walk is also another great place to relax after work. For dining, my favorite two places are The General and South Bend Brew Works, but I still have a lot more exploring to do of South Bend’s restaurant scene.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
It’s much smaller and more collaborative. I’ve helped on projects that I have no official association with, and others have done the same for my projects. Everyone is also focused on the bigger picture at enFocus. We’re not just concerned with our own bottom line, but in every project we take on and every decision we make, we always keep in mind the consequences for the larger community around us.
Mike Bogdan
How did you end up at enFocus?
I grew up in Ann Arbor Michigan, and came to South Bend in 2004 for school. After living three years on Notre Dame’s campus, I was not very familiar with the city of South Bend. What I did pick up however was a love of the dance scene in South Bend. I stayed in the area to continue taking ballroom dance lessons. Over the years I developed a love for the people of South Bend. I returned to Notre Dame to study nonprofit administration, and while at a career fair met Mark Stevens, the Director of Operations.
What project are you most excited for?
On October 10th, 2018 we’re conducting our 2nd mass CPR training. We expect approximately 1600 eighth students from both public and private schools to join us at Four Winds field for CPR training. Our goals is to train 5% of the population of South Bend by 2022, and we’re optimistic that this will lead to an increase in bystander intervention in instances of sudden cardiac arrest.
What’s your favorite podcast?
I’m a big fan of Marketplace and Marketplace Tech on NPR. I appreciate hearing the news through an economic lens.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
I spend most of my time with my wife and two year old, often at the Potawatomi Zoo. I’m also a member of the Vesper Chorale. If I need a café to work at I usually choose the Purple Porch. My first choice for drinks or food with friends is the Crooked Ewe. And my favorite street food is Chimichurris.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
I think the biggest difference is the variety of projects. At enFocus we’re often creating our own approach to the community problems we’re encountering. I’ve also never worked in an open concept office space. I enjoy the collaboration that affords.
Juan Posada
How did you end up at enFocus?
I started at enFocus after the Fellowship program had begun. I had met with INVANTI and shared with them some stories from my life and work in Colombia (my country of origin) and my background on development and international aid, over a cup of coffee (Colombian, of course). They knew that enFocus needed someone to lead a Health Needs Assessment project and made the introductions.
What project are you most excited for?
I am working with the Drucker Institute in the South Bend Lifelong Learning System on a project that aims to engage all 100,000 residents of South Bend and accompany them while they re-discover learning on their own terms. This project has resiliency at its core, and I think this an attribute that describes South Bend quite well, as it is the ability of a system to adapt and overcome crises and change. Learning is key to adaptation in times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, so learning needs to be intentional, practical, enabling and fun. It is also relational, so community-making has been defined as the ultimate goal of this initiative.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
I am a huge soccer fan. I try to play soccer at least once a week. My wife is a grad student at Notre Dame (so am I), so we try to participate in the many activities organized by the University (from tailgates to Hockey games — which I really enjoy!).
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
The fact that it is a local organization partnering with other local business, non-profits and government agencies enables Fellows to be closer to the issues that our projects are addressing. That level of awareness and proximity to the problems we are trying to fix is empowering, and is also humbling: our actions will have an impact on family, friends and neighbors.
Caroline Farrington
How did you end up at enFocus?
Before I came to enFocus, I had been working on operations projects with a consulting firm. I’ve always been drawn toward startups, and I was looking for a role with high impact where I would be able to work on multiple ideas at a time. I heard about enFocus through a friend-of-a-friend situation, and the Fellowship seemed like an ideal fit as I kept learning about it.
What project are you most excited for?
I’m helping to plan IDEA Week 2019. I’m excited about the opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs and to create a great experience for our community.
What’s your favorite podcast?
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Dan is an unbelievable storyteller and forces listeners reconsider what we know. You laugh, you cry, and you learn something.
Where are you spending time in South Bend outside of work?
Exploring! I’m getting to know the area by trying restaurants, hitting up local businesses, and checking out music and arts events.
How is enFocus different from other places you’ve worked?
Easily, the people. Nowhere else have I worked with such passionate and talented people with backgrounds so diverse. We’re given the support to entertain our wildest ideas, and the guidance to refine and act on them.
