Elsie Rebecca Osei

Who was your community partner, and can you describe the project objectives?

Community Partner: Intervivos (a nonprofit organization) as a Board Intern with mentor Zohreh Saher

Project objectives were to design and implement a structured feedback system that enables Intervivos to systematically collect, manage, and act on feedback from participants before, during, and after their events."

What was the biggest takeaway from your CSL project?

As a board intern, my biggest takeaway was the critical role of structured feedback in nonprofit decision-making. Without reliable pre-, during-, and post-event data, board members rely on anecdotes rather than evidence. My project showed me that feedback systems directly improve strategic planning and accountability.  It's also about understanding the organization's existing workflows and volunteer culture. I learned that even a well-structured feedback loop will fail if it isn't simple, timely, and clearly tied to action.

How can you apply any newly gained knowledge and skills to your future endeavors?

I can now approach any multi-step project, even my own studying or job search, with a 'before, during, after' mindset. My experience as a board intern has taught me that nonprofit boards need clean, timely data to make good decisions. In future leadership roles, I plan to advocate for simple but effective feedback systems before any major initiative, so we’re not flying blind.

Why should students consider being involved with CSL?

CSL takes learning off the page and puts it into practice. You stop asking 'what if' and start asking 'what worked, what didn't, and what's next?', which is exactly how the real world works. CSL connects you to community needs beyond campus. You learn that small contributions can improve how an organization serves its people. It also clarifies your values and what kinds of work feel meaningful to you.