The Social Media tidal wave is gaining momentum, are you prepared?

My Fellowship Win- Loss Ratio: 0-3, but I’m not bitter. What do you know about the International School of Indiana?

Fellowship Rejection One:
After getting my degree, I spent a few months trying to get a Fellowship to pay for Doctoral research. Non-profits are primarily using the Internet as a billboard or donation receptacle. I wanted to research how the Internet provides impassioned donors a platform where they could contribute ideas, not just Money. March 8, 2008—a day that will live in infamy.

Fellowship Rejection Two
I wanted TED to pay me to go to the conference in 2009. I got that rejection letter in September 2008, two days before submitting my application to The Mind Trust, which brings me to--

Fellowship Rejection Three
I spent 4-5 months preparing an application for the Educational Entrepreneur Fellowship. During this time I began to act as a viral-marketing liaison for Smaller Indiana and continued to network virtually--and in the real world. It became apparent that any endeavor with a strong mission can benefit from the collective genius of the Internet community. The Internet Protocol makes it easy to contribute to the betterment of our species when you can’t sleep at 4:00am. The Mind Trust didn’t choose my three step initiative:

1) Get XO Laptops in the hands of all IPS K-6 students, pre-loaded with open source curriculum and over 200 books. The cool mesh networking feature would allow the students to build a community of their own.
2) Set up a social media platform where teachers and community leaders could participate in problem solving, donate bits of expertise, and feel good about contributing.
3) Document the initiative over the two year span of the Fellowship, then compile a best practices document available at no cost to other educators. This would generate tremendous PR for Indy.

The Mind Trust rejection cut deep and I allowed myself a couple of days to wallow in self-pity. Then I discovered the International School of Indiana was searching for their next VP of Development and External Affairs. I applied and interviewed. Each day I approach my mailbox with trepidation.

If you don’t know the story behind the International School of Indiana, it would be worth your time to learn. This gem is another selling point for the great State of Indiana, and according to David Garner, the Head of School ( www.ISIND.org ), it is one of only three schools of its kind east of the Mississippi.

Perhaps the International School of Indiana should be another stop on the Architours?