Wynonna Ardiansyah—2015 Fellow

Wynonna Ardiansyah

Year: Class of 2016
Major/Concentration: Geography, Community and Global Health
Impact Hub MSP

As I was in the midst of setting up the conference room at my fellowship site, Impact Hub MSP, I spied a hastily scrawled phrase on the corner of our whiteboard.

Change is the only constant” it said.

At the time I brushed it off, both literally and figuratively. But now that my fellowship has ended and I find myself reflecting, I’ve come back to that small, little phrase.

For if there’s anything that could summarize what I learned this summer, it is that change is the only constant

In fact, my time at my organization, Impact Hub MSP has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. As a non-profit dedicated to supporting the ecosystem of social changemakers in the Twin Cities, we are the space that people go to when they have ideas for creating social impact. We connect people together.

As such, the space that I occupied and the work that I tackled was constantly changing. Rather than working towards one big project, I would complete smaller, essential tasks daily. These ranged from hosting events, constructing furniture, project management, social media outreach and web development. It was only towards the fellowship’s midpoint that I began consolidating a role as a visual media coordinator. Towards the end of my summer, I also focused on creating orientation guides and how-to manuals to lay down the foundations for future interns and volunteers.

To be able to sample different projects and meet people of diverse personal and professional backgrounds has been nothing short of amazing. I was also lucky to be supported by an incredible team, work in an exciting environment and get comprehensive, first-hand insight into the in’s and out’s of startups and non-profits.

If anything, this experience has taught me to be flexible. To roll with the flow and go with the punches. To understand more fully how sometimes, change really is the only constant.