Francie Studies Community Development Through a Scientific Lens

Meet Our Fellows Blog Series: Francie Fink

Despite my role as a Civic Innovation Fellow, it might seem as though, on paper, my life experiences would lead me to become a scientist of some sort. As a kid, my obsessions with toads, dirt, and Animal Planet’s Whale Wars naturally progressed to an interest in ecology. As an undergraduate at Notre Dame, I spent my summers at Notre Dame’s Environmental Research Center (UNDERC) in Wisconsin conducting fish surveys and research on aquatic ecosystems.

I loved the “in-the-field” side of science. I felt privileged to be the one to collect study data, and it gave me a real understanding of the scientific process. I began to consider how important it was to effectively communicate scientific research to the public. In addition, I loved interacting with people on a personal level, and I wondered how this might help me bridge this gap between scientific research and mainstream knowledge.

After graduation, I got the opportunity to practice these skills through a year of service with Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, an Americorps program. I served at a children’s science museum in Billings, Montana, teaching children, developing exhibits, and conducting hands-on experiments.

Francie leads a group of K-3rd graders in a hands-on science experiment about acid-base reactions at Wise Wonders Science and Discovery Museum.

In addition to helping spread scientific knowledge, I loved being able to help the nonprofit weather the storm of the pandemic. I couldn’t seem to shake the pride I felt when a five-year-old left the museum with a smile, a basic understanding of the states of matter, and a sticker with the museum’s logo that they might show off to their friends.

As my Americorps year was coming to an end, I knew that I wanted to further develop my business skills to help other nonprofits better serve their community. Meanwhile, I recalled speaking with an enFocus recruiter four years earlier, at a career fair my freshman year of college.

I knew that enFocus would be the perfect place to catalyze my development as a problem-solver. Here, my coworkers’ passion for creating a strong community by accompanying community partners in the South Bend/Elkhart region is infectious. I am honored to utilize my scientific skills (and develop new ones) to innovate in the region that my family calls home.

Learn more about the 2021 enFocus Fellows weekly in our Meet Our Fellows Blog Series.