This semester, I was given the opportunity to serve as a Social Impact Fellow with Orchard in partnership with the Georgia Tech Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI) for the second semester. Orchard is a non-profit organization based in faith that supports other non-profit organizations through consulting, programs, and additional learning material. Being a Christian and wanting to find more ways to serve my community, I found that Orchard was the perfect fit for me.
In my first semester with Orchard, I worked in the Programs department. I worked remote and asynchronous for the most part, putting in the time to learn more about the company’s materials and workflow. I worked on diving into the content Orchard provides its partners to make suggestions for potential improvements, making more accessible short form content, and giving feedback on Orchard’s new app that was launched this Spring. This semester, however, I worked in the Communications department, in which I was able to have more direct hands-on work with Orchard’s Partners. Programs gave me a great foundation for Communications, and I was really able to plug into the organization throughout the semester.
In Communications, I met with a variety of partners, including the Kathy from the Mane Mission, a nonprofit animal assisted mental health therapy ranch located in Sedalia, Colorado, and Chris Miller from Be Compelled, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower the next generation of leaders through mentorship and sports. It was so inspiring to hear about their stories and the ways Orchard as an organization has been able to support them, and it has made me appreciate just how much work starting a nonprofit was, especially when you’ve never had prior experience in it. Despite all of our partners coming from such different backgrounds, the goal to spread Christianity through the work they did flowed through each leader and strengthened them. It has been especially inspiring in my own journey as an engineer and Christian, as it has given me a new perspective on how incorporate my identity in Christ in my work despite not going into seminary or another theological field. I strive to be more like our partners, truly living out their calling in Christ through the work they do.
I have had such a wonderful experience with Orchard, and I hope to work with them again in the future. There is so much good happening within and through Orchard, and I look forward to all God has in store for the organization and our partners.
This reflection is part of Georgia Tech’s Social Impact Fellows program, offered through the Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI). This program connects students with nonprofit and community organizations in Atlanta for semester-long, hands-on project experiences designed to foster co-learning, social responsibility, and personal growth. To learn more about program details and application information, please visit our program webpage.