Nicole Kelly | Trinity Fellow 2014-16 | by Paige Lloyd
Creating change within a community can be difficult and time consuming, but Marquette University graduate student Nicole Kelly is doing her best to balance her studies and service work so she can make a difference in the lives of others.
A native of Iowa, Kelly, 26, is a Trinity Fellow at Marquette, part of a two-year program that enables her and other students to earn a master’s degree while also working at a local nonprofit.
Kelly is in her second year of the program, working as a volunteer and in-kind gifts coordinator at Meta House, an organization that treats women fighting substance abuse in Milwaukee.
For 15 years, Trinity has afforded dozens of graduate students the chance to share their love of service with others, while also meeting together to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
“It really helps to have a group of people who are going through the exact experience and to have that sense of camaraderie,” Kelly said while in a conference room near her Meta House cubicle. “We connect on a weekly basis and may even hang out in order to spend more time together.”
Trinity Fellows carefully awards fellowships based on academic and service credentials. With one year of service in AmeriCorps VISTA with Habitat for Humanity and prior service with the Special Olympics, Kelly uses her past experiences to guide her through daily tasks.
Program director Carole Ferrara said Kelly’s prior service made her an attractive candidate.
“She had a practical skill set as she had done a lot of volunteering,” Ferrara said. “She not only met the qualifications but also seemed ready for what this program had to offer, (but) we hoped then that she would be able to do something that would make a difference.”
Ferrara added: “She seems like a well-rounded and balanced person. This is someone who can take pressure and stress in stride. Those are admirable qualities because life can get dramatic sometimes, especially where she is working.”
Ferrara and Kelly said the graduate student’s prior service gives her the opportunity to create change beyond the community of women at Meta House and to across the city.
“The nonprofit community is big here and I think that I can learn a lot form not only Meta House, but other organizations,” Kelly said. “There are also many social justice issues that are taking place in this city, so it is a great place to get on the ground floor of those issues.”
At Meta House, Kelly helps to collect material donated from people and organizations across Greater Milwaukee and deliver them to the women in the program. She also connects with donors to brainstorm donation ideas, but especially enjoys her interaction with the women.
“They go through the donations, become so excited and say, ‘I really needed a pair of khakis’ or ‘my son has grown out of everything.’ For them, it seems impossible to overcome these challenges. For me, I can pick up the phone and solve the problem. It is a really good feeling.”
Kelly also works closely with others at Meta House to coordinate events at the facility. Beth Bogadi, the program quality assurance coordinator, has worked with Kelly from the beginning of her time at Meta House, shared how they planned Family Nights together.
Bogadi said the event was intended to help the women of Meta House and their supporters to learn more about addiction and the programs offered. It is a night Bogadi proudly leads, but she shared when exactly Kelly caught her attention in the planning process – when Kelly secured a disc jockey for one of the nights when there was a dance party.
“I saw her in a different light that day,” Bogadi said. “She was able to find the perfect person to be the DJ for the evening. I asked her if she needed any help and her response was, ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it.’”
Bogadi looks back on that occasion with pride, saying Kelly crossed from asking questions and receiving instructions to seeing where assistance was needed and how to resolve it.
“To see the growth has been a proud moment for me,” Bogadi said. “I think that the quality of work and the head on her shoulders, she will be an amazing asset to whatever company she works for. We were so proud to have person like her on our team and she will be missed.”
Kelly’s passion for service work began to form at an early age. She grew up in a family that was always volunteering for the Special Olympics or through church service trip, helping at soup kitchens or any other volunteer opportunities.
“I grew up with that, so it was common to me,” she said.
Those childhood experiences are bearing fruit at Meta House. She spends time with the women in the facility’s computer lab where the residents may work toward earning their GED diploma.
“I tutor the women and in the process, create a connection in order to learn their stories,” Kelly said. “It helps your passion grow when you know what you are working for and to know that what you are doing is directly helping someone.”
These situations show Kelly how her work and presence are to the women she encounters.
Though her position at Meta House ends in May, Kelly believes she has many career options. Maybe she will stay on at Meta House, but she is exploring other possibilities. She’s looking forward to an interview with the Special Olympics in Iowa, and at a position with United Way.
Kelly said what has seen and done at Meta House will pay dividends she seeks a nonprofit career. She has found new ways to create change in a community, the one within Meta House and ultimately for across Milwaukee.
“I love getting the chance to go into the community and talk with people,” she said. “Being at Meta House has been an amazing experience. They are fostering of their employees and (it) is the most well-run nonprofit I have ever worked for or had any experience with.”
A native of Iowa, Kelly, 26, is a Trinity Fellow at Marquette, part of a two-year program that enables her and other students to earn a master’s degree while also working at a local nonprofit.
Kelly is in her second year of the program, working as a volunteer and in-kind gifts coordinator at Meta House, an organization that treats women fighting substance abuse in Milwaukee.
For 15 years, Trinity has afforded dozens of graduate students the chance to share their love of service with others, while also meeting together to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
“It really helps to have a group of people who are going through the exact experience and to have that sense of camaraderie,” Kelly said while in a conference room near her Meta House cubicle. “We connect on a weekly basis and may even hang out in order to spend more time together.”
Trinity Fellows carefully awards fellowships based on academic and service credentials. With one year of service in AmeriCorps VISTA with Habitat for Humanity and prior service with the Special Olympics, Kelly uses her past experiences to guide her through daily tasks.
Program director Carole Ferrara said Kelly’s prior service made her an attractive candidate.
“She had a practical skill set as she had done a lot of volunteering,” Ferrara said. “She not only met the qualifications but also seemed ready for what this program had to offer, (but) we hoped then that she would be able to do something that would make a difference.”
Ferrara added: “She seems like a well-rounded and balanced person. This is someone who can take pressure and stress in stride. Those are admirable qualities because life can get dramatic sometimes, especially where she is working.”
Ferrara and Kelly said the graduate student’s prior service gives her the opportunity to create change beyond the community of women at Meta House and to across the city.
“The nonprofit community is big here and I think that I can learn a lot form not only Meta House, but other organizations,” Kelly said. “There are also many social justice issues that are taking place in this city, so it is a great place to get on the ground floor of those issues.”
At Meta House, Kelly helps to collect material donated from people and organizations across Greater Milwaukee and deliver them to the women in the program. She also connects with donors to brainstorm donation ideas, but especially enjoys her interaction with the women.
“They go through the donations, become so excited and say, ‘I really needed a pair of khakis’ or ‘my son has grown out of everything.’ For them, it seems impossible to overcome these challenges. For me, I can pick up the phone and solve the problem. It is a really good feeling.”
Kelly also works closely with others at Meta House to coordinate events at the facility. Beth Bogadi, the program quality assurance coordinator, has worked with Kelly from the beginning of her time at Meta House, shared how they planned Family Nights together.
Bogadi said the event was intended to help the women of Meta House and their supporters to learn more about addiction and the programs offered. It is a night Bogadi proudly leads, but she shared when exactly Kelly caught her attention in the planning process – when Kelly secured a disc jockey for one of the nights when there was a dance party.
“I saw her in a different light that day,” Bogadi said. “She was able to find the perfect person to be the DJ for the evening. I asked her if she needed any help and her response was, ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it.’”
Bogadi looks back on that occasion with pride, saying Kelly crossed from asking questions and receiving instructions to seeing where assistance was needed and how to resolve it.
“To see the growth has been a proud moment for me,” Bogadi said. “I think that the quality of work and the head on her shoulders, she will be an amazing asset to whatever company she works for. We were so proud to have person like her on our team and she will be missed.”
Kelly’s passion for service work began to form at an early age. She grew up in a family that was always volunteering for the Special Olympics or through church service trip, helping at soup kitchens or any other volunteer opportunities.
“I grew up with that, so it was common to me,” she said.
Those childhood experiences are bearing fruit at Meta House. She spends time with the women in the facility’s computer lab where the residents may work toward earning their GED diploma.
“I tutor the women and in the process, create a connection in order to learn their stories,” Kelly said. “It helps your passion grow when you know what you are working for and to know that what you are doing is directly helping someone.”
These situations show Kelly how her work and presence are to the women she encounters.
Though her position at Meta House ends in May, Kelly believes she has many career options. Maybe she will stay on at Meta House, but she is exploring other possibilities. She’s looking forward to an interview with the Special Olympics in Iowa, and at a position with United Way.
Kelly said what has seen and done at Meta House will pay dividends she seeks a nonprofit career. She has found new ways to create change in a community, the one within Meta House and ultimately for across Milwaukee.
“I love getting the chance to go into the community and talk with people,” she said. “Being at Meta House has been an amazing experience. They are fostering of their employees and (it) is the most well-run nonprofit I have ever worked for or had any experience with.”