Colleen Moidu is driven by people. The Westerville native has made a career of working to better the lives of others, working for non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Now, she’s applying her passion and experience to the Westerville Education Foundation as their very first executive director.
The Westerville Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides grants and funding to projects throughout the Westerville school district. They work with other community organizations and businesses such as Education First Credit Union and Mount Carmel St. Ann’s to bolster the school district, and empower students and teachers to make a difference in the community. In her first year with the foundation, Moidu has been inspired by the Westerville community.
“The thing I’ve been really excited about is the way the community is excited about education,” Moidu says. “I’ve been encouraged by how engaged the community is, and how much they want to work with the foundation and the district to create opportunities, and solve problems and challenges.”
Moidu has recognized the necessity of giving all students a voice, ensuring their stories are told and their experiences are shared. She has heard first hand their perspectives on race, diversity and the issues they face both in school and in society – and wants to provide a platform for students to express themselves and take action.
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
“These kids can do something now – they don’t need to wait to make a change,” Moidu says. “So, we have to ask, ‘how can we support them to make changes in their schools and fix things now?’ I think we could benefit from listening to our students.’”
One of her core beliefs is that diversity makes a community stronger. The school district includes many students who are first- or second-generation immigrants, and she maintains that it is imperative to have honest and open discussions to increase understanding and appreciation of what those diverse life experiences bring to the community. And, she hopes the foundation can help facilitate that dialogue in positive ways.
Tangibly, she is already putting the wheels in motion on a number of initiatives for the foundation. In keeping with her goal of empowering students, she is piloting a program that will pull together a council of students from all three high schools to participate in ongoing discourse with the foundation about how they can help the schools better support the diverse student body.
Outside of the schools, Moidu is focused on cementing the foundation as a connector between the district and the community. She is excited for the prospect of working together with the other non-profits in the school district. Moidu and the Westerville Education Foundation are already actively meeting with leadership from the Westerville Parent Council, the Westerville Education Challenge and Westerville Partners for Education to discuss how they can pool their resources to work towards common goals.
The organizations already worked together in conjunction with the Community Culture Committee to bring the Columbus Crossing Borders project to Westerville. The traveling exhibit features 34 artists who created installations based on the stories of refugees. Each piece then flows into the next – highlighting the shared nature of the human experience.
The exhibit came to Westerville for the annual Community Culture Day. During its time in Westerville, nearly 1,500 students went through the exhibit. Moidu was struck by the conversations she heard occurring as a result, and the stories students shared with their peers about their own life experiences. Afterwards, the students had the opportunity to create similar art in their schools.
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
Kenneth L. Wright Photos by Kenneth L. Wright
She is quick to highlight the importance of the families in the Westerville School District. She has been humbled and excited by the willingness of the Westerville community to step up to support their schools. For those in the community who aren’t sure how to best support their students and schools, she encourages them to simply get involved.
“People can make a difference in our schools. If there’s something you see you wish was different, get involved” Moidu says. “What I’ve seen so far is a community that is willing to solve issues and problems in the schools. I’m excited to see it continue, and see what we can do for our kids.”
Taylor Woodhouse is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
