Allison Berding, Pursuing Solutions to Problems

Meet Our Fellows Blog Series: Allison Berding

Growing up, I always thought I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. Driven by that aspiration, I became an Emergency Medical Technician while receiving my undergraduate degree in biology from Ohio University. As an EMT, I learned to expect the unexpected and listen through quiet observation of human behavior. Over time, I realized that it wasn’t necessarily a career in medicine that I was searching for, but rather, a career in helping people. My experience in the medical field sparked my interest in the unknown and fueled my desire to further explore the intersection between logical answers and creative thinking. These interests are what attracted me to pursue a Masters in Entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dame and thereafter, to pursue a Fellowship with enFocus.

What drew me to enFocus was the idea that I could be part of a larger effort to help catalyze change across the South Bend – Elkhart region by solving problems for local non-profits, health systems, municipalities, and other organizations. Working on such a diverse set of projects early in my career at enFocus has allowed me to develop new skillsets such as project oversight, mixed research methods, and client relationship management. What I have enjoyed most about the first few months of my Fellowship is the challenging nature of solving real-life problems that are filled with ambiguity and must be thoughtfully broken down into smaller pieces in order to create meaningful solutions. One of the exciting ways I’ve been able to approach my problem solving at enFocus is through research and conducting interviews with stakeholders and end users impacted by specific problems. By talking with citizens and program beneficiaries, to program directors and organization executives, I not only uncover new perspectives of an ambiguous problem, but I understand each person’s unique pain points and experiences. I look forward to further developing new proficiencies to grow professionally and continuing to look for new ways to help others within the community.

Learn more about the 2020-2022 enFocus Fellows weekly in our Meet Our Fellows Blog Series.