Saying Yes to Possibility and Opportunity: John Ferguson's Fellowship

When I first started as a consultant at The Patterson Foundation (TPF) in 2020, John Ferguson, TPF Fellow 2020/21, was one of the first TPFers that I met. In fact, he, along with Laurey Stryer were the ones who initially interviewed me to provide research assistance for the very new and evolving Digital Access for All initiative, which was in its discovery phase. 

Fast forward six years, and it was a pleasure to see John Ferguson back in Sarasota for TPF Beyond Weekend in February, joined by other past, present, and future Fellows to reconnect with each other and with TPF. While John was in town, we leveraged the opportunity to feature him in a Beyond The Blog episode, in which he and Debra Jacobs, President and CEO of The Patterson Foundation, reflect on his winding path to TPF and how the Fellowship experience continues to shape his career.

Seeing John in the early days of his Fellowship back in 2020 and hearing what first drew him to it, how he continues to use what he learned and share it, was nothing short of time well spent for me. 

Whether you're a prospective TPF Fellow, a Fellow of any kind, or someone who may have stumbled upon the podcast, here are three reasons I think it's worth a listen:

Making The Most of Every Opportunity 
As John shared in the podcast, the TPF Fellowship is hard work, joyful work, but still challenging in the best of ways to help Fellows grow new muscles, refine current ones, and evolve in ways they might have never imagined. How many times are we each faced with an opportunity to do something new? Or tread into unknown territory? There's a mix of hesitation, fear, and excitement about the possibilities ahead. 

Not only did John say yes and dive into the Fellowship, but he continued to immerse himself in the experience when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and his expectations and aspirations for the Fellowship shifted. 

The Fellowship was an opportunity for him to think beyond the way philanthropy traditionally works and imagine what's possible. The unexpected pandemic shifted perhaps not only his, but TPF's way of thinking about how we can meaningfully connect and engage with people, organizations, and communities when in-person anything is no longer on the table– among many other things.

What John thought he was saying yes to back when he interviewed evolved during the course of his Fellowship, but with every endeavor, project, webinar, webversation, or community conversation, he was eager and up to the challenge – and he was strengthened because of it. 

Undertaking Work That Aligns with Your Values
TPF's core tenets and values, especially the idea of undertaking philanthropic work in ways others are not doing, cannot do, or will not do, drew John to the Fellowship. And if you know John, that is because he is what we call at TPF a possibilitarian, as in someone who is forward-looking, who thinks about what's possible in any new or complex situation, and is ready to work with others to create what is possible. John sees beyond what is to what can be. And TPF is the right place for that kind of mindset, making the Fellowship a natural fit for him. 

We all can relate to the unexplainable synergy that happens when you work in a place, or with people, where values align, mindsets complement one another, and there is an excitement to make the world a little bit better than how you found it – whether it be on an individual level, a community level, or more. No matter where you are or what you do, that alignment is a key to success. I'd like to think it is one of the many stepping stones leading John to blossom throughout the experience, and take it a step further by taking his learnings with him when he embarked on his chapter as the Director of Member Programs at the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance in January 2022

Saying No Is Okay 
Again, the Fellowship is no small feat – no matter how intelligent you are, how driven you are, or how experienced you are in the field of philanthropy. This two-year-plus full-time opportunity is meant to accelerate a Fellow's impact through a uniquely meaningful experience that blends learning, networking, and contributing. 

The work one does provides practical experience in catalytic philanthropy, process management, and project management; creates opportunities to contribute capacity and expertise to strengthen TPFs and its partners through impactful projects; and encourages growth as a leader through meaningful projects, mentoring and coaching, relationship-building, and professional development opportunities. 

Johns encourages anyone considering the Fellowship to give themselves permission to explore the opportunity, even if they are on the fence. Say no if there isn't alignment. Say no if it's not what you're looking for in your next steps. But if it is simply doubt, give yourself the chance to be curious without pressure before making any final decisions.

It's okay. 

As important as it is to say yes to the opportunities that do align, it's as important to say no to the ones that don't.

Those were just three of my takeaways, but I encourage you to listen to the full podcast, as John shared his reflections and valuable life lessons for each of us as we embark on new adventures brought by opportunities that come our way.