A day as a Civic Innovation Fellow is never the same—Leah shares how her work at enFocus blends collaboration, professional growth, and community impact with the flexibility to enjoy life in South Bend.

Read how supporting the City of Elkhart’s Lead Abatement Capacity Building Grant gave Ryan a new perspective on the public sector, revealing both the challenges of shifting priorities and the power of community buy-in.

At the end of the day, communicating big ideas isn’t about dumbing things down—it’s about making them accessible. Whether you’re talking with executives, coworkers, or family, the key is to meet people where they are, adjust your style, and guide them through the idea with clarity and intention. When you do, your ideas don’t just land—they stick.

At enFocus, professional development goes beyond training, it’s about building skills for social impact. Fellows gain hands-on experience in industries like healthcare, education, and local government while developing expertise in project management, data analytics, and communication.

In this Lessons that Last post, Dani reflects on how conducting interviews became more than just a data-gathering exercise—it was a lesson in listening, connecting, and facilitating meaningful conversations.

Last summer, I set out on a new professional goal. As a data analyst, I had worked with cloud-based tools like Google Colab and Databricks for data analysis and machine learning. Still, I didn’t fully understand the broader cloud ecosystem or what happens “behind the scenes.”

… Learning in a classroom is one thing, but applying that learning to high-impact, real-world situations is something else entirely. Nothing compares to leading the design of a survey where the results will directly influence funding and social outcomes.

An enFocus Fellow reflects on building skills through Citywide Classroom, digital equity work, and professional development that extends beyond the project.

Through DataCamp’s Data Analyst in Power BI career track, Bingjie transformed his foundational Power BI skills into advanced capabilities that directly impacted his work with a nonprofit client. He built over 20 dashboards to visualize program usage, track KPIs, and streamline grant reporting—ultimately saving the team over 20% in operational costs. This experience not only deepened his passion for data-driven impact in the nonprofit sector but also prepared him to pursue Power BI certification with confidence.

South Bend has been a home to my family for generations, it’s given us a place to not only live, but to be a part of a community. I was raised on the south side of town, just a few blocks north of the Scottsdale Mall (yes, you’re old if you remember this place) and on the east side of Mishawaka by Penn High School. I chose to go to school locally at Indiana University South Bend because of the community around me. By the time I started college, the South Bend I was raised in had changed drastically. The city felt alive again, for the first time in a long time it felt like it had a heart beat, and I wanted to be a part of it. 

From childhood tap lessons to competing in Dancing With Our Stars, Melissa’s love for dance has come full circle. The South Bend-Elkhart region offers a thriving arts and dance community, from classes at Forever Dance Studio to stunning performances at the Morris Performing Arts Center. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned dancer, opportunities abound for learning, performing, and connecting through dance. Join enFocus in celebrating the World of Pop at this year’s Dancing With Our Stars and support an incredible cause.

"Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave my small town—but life led me back, and I fell in love with the region. From South Bend’s charm to Michigan’s hidden gems, this place shaped my journey. Watching it grow alongside me has been a joy, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be."

enFocus places its Fellows in an accelerated growth program, giving them the opportunity to work closely with community leaders and decision-makers at the highest organizational levels. For many Fellows this marks their first foray into the professional world, but unlike most entry-level positions they are entrusted with roles that influence pivotal decisions from the outset. While this responsibility might seem intimidating, it is a profound learning experience, offering real-time feedback on the tangible impact of their work.

With support from enFocus, the City of South Bend received $1.87 million through the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry grant in September 2023. In managing this award, enFocus continues to partner with the City to help reach its goals to expand the Urban Tree Nursery Network, establish permanent plantings at schools, and bolster education and workforce development. To meet the goal of planting around 9,000 trees over five years as covered by this grant, our team is committed to learning firsthand the processes of planting and maintaining trees.

Gain crucial interview experience, as enFocus facilitates the Innovation Pitch Competition. Undergrad and graduate students will have the opportunity to learn some of the tools and processes that enFocus uses to support innovation in local civic and industry sectors. After a brief learning session, students will create and then pitch an innovative program, product, service, or process. Winners will receive fast-tracked interview processes, and awards.

Each August, enFocus has the opportunity to welcome a new cohort of Fellows. This is an exciting time where new perspectives are added to our meeting rooms, and new community members are connected to the Region. 

The ability to analyze data cannot exist in a vacuum. It takes a team of collaborators to collect, analyze, sort, and understand what to do with the information that has been collected.

There is more than one way to define an effective leader. Some may define a leader as flexible, willing, and open minded while others may say a leader is disciplined and direct. Whatever your definition of an effective leader is, it is most important to understand how you set others up for success in a leadership role.

Self-belief is the driving force behind entrepreneurship, and it hinges on the ability of individuals to transform their ideas into tangible outcomes.

Big change often has small beginnings. For enFocus, we understand that every step in the right direction has a considerable impact on the future of an organization.