DSM Fellowship: More Than Just a Professional Development Program

“The DSM Fellowship Program creates a preeminent professional development initiative that attracts, develops, and retains a diverse community of top-tier graduates.” – Greater Des Moines Partnership

And it is that and so much more. The 18-month program was full of opportunities to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone. The fact that Farm Bureau Financial Services and the Greater Des Moines Partnership decided I was worth investing in will be something I am forever grateful for.

In true Iowa fashion, our first program event was held virtually due to a snow and ice storm. It was really a bummer to start things off this way and not be able to meet the other participants in person, but I did walk away (from my computer) feeling inspired and excited to see what the program had in store. The 18-month program has flown by. The program’s curriculum was broken up into four categories: Civic Engagement, Leadership Connections, Curriculum Modules and Social, and I’d like to reflect on the highlights and applications of each category.

Civic Engagement

I consider myself moderately involved in my community, so the civic engagement activities helped me explore my involvement even more. Some of these activities included creating blogs such as this one, a visit to Camp Dodge, a legislative breakfast and my personal favorite, a spot on the 2024 DMDC Trip. These activities opened doors to learning opportunities for me.

 

I had been to Camp Dodge for various events but did not understand how the military installation operated or the pieces of the camp that are open to the public. The legislative breakfast sparked my awareness of the connections made among community members and legislators to start conversations around issues that impact our community. The DMDC trip increased my awareness of those connections and their impact as well. I had never been to Washington, D.C. so this trip was very fulfilling. I got to explore the capital of our nation while feeling even closer to home and Greater Des Moines (DSM). This trip was also a great opportunity for me to continually bond with the other Fellows that attended.

Leadership Connections

Most of the leadership connections we made as Fellows were through DSM company tours. These companies included Wellmark BCBS, F&G, Athene, Farm Bureau Financial Services and John Deere. It was great to hear insights from leaders at each of these organizations. It was also eye opening to see cultural or operational differences from one organization to the other.

Organizing our own company tour was a great way to share our experiences as employees at Farm Bureau Financial Services. We hosted two panels: one including our management team or C-suite and the other including VPs and Directors within the company who were all willing to share insights about the industry and their development journey. We were also able to share our building with the Fellows in attendance. The event seemed very successful and was rewarding to plan and execute.

Curriculum Modules

The curriculum modules that we participated in at Tero International contained skills and approaches to leadership that I’m not sure we would have been able to get anywhere else. The two sessions that resonated most with me were the self-knowledge and self-awareness session and the impact: how to speak your way to success session. Both were early in the program but helped shape our experience in the program as well as outside of it as we continue to develop.

During the self-knowledge and self-awareness session, we analyzed results from the Myers Briggs Type indicator assessment. In this session I learned that I am an ESFJ: Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, Judging. While we were analyzing our own results, we participated in activities to compare how the “other letters” (in my case, Introversion, iNtuition, Thinking, and Perceiving) would process or react to certain situations. As much as these activities helped me understand myself better, they have continued to strengthen my skills when working with others who operate differently than I do.

The second session mentioned above, impact: how to speak your way to success, was the most intense session we had where the focus was on public speaking (I bet you just sighed at that too ...). During this two-day session, we were recorded while presenting to our peers about six times. The shift from our first recording to our last was incredible (we got to watch them together as a group). Discussions surrounded the fact that your message can easily be lost if you aren’t utilizing your body posture and pauses effectively. The skills we learned in this session are something I am still and will continue developing for a while.

Social

Outside of our sessions, each Fellow partnered with another Fellow to host a social event. These included bowling, making dumplings, grabbing ice cream, playing games at Confluence and more. It was fun to connect with each other outside of our sessions. Most of our conversations revolved around our sessions and experiences together.

Capstone Project

In addition to the curriculum and events, we partnered with local nonprofits to complete a project based on their current needs and our skills and connections as Fellows. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Animal Rescue League (ARL) team which aligned with my ever-growing passion for animals (dogs especially). During this project we worked to fill this need provided to us by the ARL: Develop an action plan promoting the new building, centered around the new initiative “Our City, Our Animals” to the community and corporations of Downtown Des Moines (DSM).

Our tangible outcomes for this project included a contact campaign for the ARL to keep in touch with interested organizations, a one-page document that can be shared to help individuals get involved with the ARL, and funds for an e-blast which highlights some of the information from that document to continue building relationships within the community.

The DSM Fellowship program will be a gift that keeps on giving. My experiences in this program have been nothing short of excellent. It has reminded me how easily we can sometimes be secluded into our own bubble and how important it is to get outside of your bubble to challenge yourself in a variety of ways.

Job opportunities and career resources are abundant in Greater Des Moines (DSM). Whether you're looking to find an internship, a job, develop professionally or grow as a student, we have the resources to help you thrive.