The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation (RCWJRF) welcomed three new fellows this month in partnership with CMF to further support young talent in the philanthropic sector: Jesse Friedman, Olivia Vaden and Margaret Zimmer.

“The fellowship program provides a terrific opportunity to make a contribution to the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the larger nonprofit sector,” Maura Dewan, vice president of corporate affairs, RCWJRF said. “This program helps develop emerging leaders and contributes to the pipeline of talent for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in both our regions.”

Friedman, Vaden and Zimmer are RCWJRF’s first fellows, though Dewan notes that program officer, Malia Xie, was formerly part of the CMF fellowship program with the Skillman Foundation. And, Dewan had worked closely with CMF policy fellows in a previous role with the Office of Foundation Liaison.

“For these positions, we were searching for raw talent,” Dewan said. “We were seeking recent college graduates with a couple years’ work experience with a strong desire to be part of the nonprofit sector; and eager to learn with us, their peers and the CMF community.”

Through the partnership between RCWJRF and CMF, the fellows will support grantmaking activities and engage in learnings to strengthen their leadership skills and sector familiarity through a robust professional development program.

“CMF in collaboration with the [Dorothy A.] Johnson Center, is developing a thoughtful curriculum and engagement plan to support their leadership development and general knowledge of philanthropy,” Dewan said. “A key element of this partnership is providing support for CMF to build a learning cohort that brings all the other fellows currently working in Michigan together.”

The new RCWJF fellows expressed their personal and professional goals they hope the fellowship will support.

Zimmer notes that part of what drew her to the opportunity is the foundation’s dual presence in Michigan and New York. 

“The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Fellowship offers a unique chance to see impactful change happening in two distinct communities simultaneously,” said Zimmer. “This fellowship particularly excited me because of the opportunity to explore Detroit and Southeast Michigan while staying in touch with my Western New York roots.”

“Many of the issues facing Southeast Michigan are similar to those in northern counties, but they might be packaged or labeled differently,” said Vaden, a native of Northern Michigan. “I eventually would like to move back to Northern Michigan with a better understanding of philanthropy as a whole and use that knowledge address some of the issues facing my community.”

“I am really interested in supporting young people, and my career aspirations revolve around equitable access for youth to resources they need for success, like education or mentorship,” said Friedman. “My work as a fellow lends itself to supporting youth and I hope to continue this work after my fellowship.”

RCWJRF and CMF hope that the network of fellows across the state emerge as leaders of the philanthropic sector. The collective support of diverse talent in philanthropy is a guiding principle for the program for both organizations, and for CMF’s existing fellowship partnerships with the Skillman Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation, so that these collaborative efforts will prepare those taking the helm in the coming years.

Want more?

Get to know these fellows on the CMF website:

• Page on Jesse Friedman.

• Page on Olivia Vaden.

• Page on Margaret Zimmer.

Learn more about the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.