Meet Our Fellows Blog Series: Kristen Smole
Hello enFocus followers! I am Kristen Smole, a First Year Fellow and I joined the enFocus team in January 2020 after completing a master's degree in Political Science at Purdue University. I am almost a triple Boilermaker, as I also attended Purdue for my BA in Sociology and I am currently a PhD candidate in Public Policy. This summer, I was honored to receive the Distinguished Master’s Non-Thesis Award for Purdue University’s College of Liberal Arts for my research surrounding Symbolic Politics, and the Clare De Cleene Scholarship supporting women who invest time in their communities. Originally from Elkhart, and I am thrilled to continue to serve my hometown community through my Fellowship at enFocus.
I was drawn to enFocus by their Fellowship model which not only allows me to drive innovation through sponsored projects with community organizations but also pursue entrepreneurial ventures. As a co-founder of a nonprofit dedicated to victim advocacy in Elkhart, my Fellowship provides the assistance, time, and resources that I need to make sure the organization is a success in its infancy. Serving the community is the primary goal of my emerging career, and enriching the community where we work and live is a core value at enFocus. The sponsored projects I am working on are in the civic sphere and make a large impact on communities in the South Bend - Elkhart Region.
In my free time, I serve as a Commissioner for the Elkhart Housing Authority, and volunteer with a variety of organizations. I also enjoy competing in dog sports with my Border Collies. I am looking forward to continuing my Fellowship with enFocus and cultivating a larger network while developing new skills.
Learn more about the 2020-2022 enFocus Fellows weekly in our Meet Our Fellows Blog Series.