How I Spent My Summer: Adam Yasinow

As someone who has been a member of two different summer internship programs, I have learned that there is only one factor that determines the "worthwhileness" of an internship—your relationship with your supervisor. Lucky interns are placed with a stellar supervisor while the unlucky report to supervisors who doom the entire...

Reflections From the Community, Part Three

It was a beautiful fall day when more than 30 organizations came together to share their thoughts on what was happening in Lake and Geauga counties. There were similarities between what we heard in some of our Cuyahoga County conversations but also subtle differences and new ideas were raised. Here are my recollections based on notes...

Notes from a conference: The new American city

In Atlanta this week, I am attending the annual conference of Grantmakers in the Arts, a professional association for my very specialized field. About 300 arts staff from family, private, corporate and community foundations and public funding agencies are here, and at the mid-point of the conference I am already filled with information I...

How I Spent My Summer: India Pierce

I believe I was in the 10th grade when I decided I was going to move as far away from Cleveland as I possibly could. I dreamed of graduating from high school, leaving for college and only returning for holidays and special events. Yet life took me in a different direction that has led me to my current position as an intern for the...

The ImagiNation

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”  - Albert Einstein Imagination: visualizing new possibilities for human thought and action and the use of materials. Creativity: originality, flexibility and elaboration in making what was imagined. The statement and definitions above were among several points of discussion at a...

Boots On The Ground

Today, the 11th class of the Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship program starts. These individuals went through a very competitive application and interview process - more than 250 applications were received for only 16 placements. The interns represent a variety of majors such as international business, human rights studies...

How I Spent My Summer: Marijose Vila

My experiences with the Cleveland Foundation and its summer internship program have provided me with a fresh new insight into community development and the nonprofit world.  Participating in the program has opened numerous doors and allowed me to explore Cleveland to better understand the needs of its community and the existing...

Ginger F. Mlakar

Executive Coordinator: Connie Gilbert, 216.615.7588 216.615.7187 | Email gMlakar [Enable Javascript to send an email]  Ginger Mlakar serves as in-house legal counsel and manages the Foundation's legal affairs. Additionally, she oversees the teams that works with current donors, individuals, business owners, and their professional...

How I Spent My Summer: Alison Black

One year ago today I was living in Chicago and preparing for my move to Cleveland. When I would tell people where I was going they always had a look of surprise and inevitably they would ask: Why Cleveland?. To be honest, I wasn't sure either. But I was ready for a change. As I embarked on my new journey—living in Cleveland and...