United Way of Summit County’s Senior Resource Development Director Brian Duchon has been selected to participate in United Way Worldwide’s Global Resident Fellows Program for 2010-11. Beginning this November, he will be one of just 25 United Way professionals from around the globe to further strengthen their leadership abilities and learn how to better assist their communities.
Brian works with the community to encourage people to give, advocate and volunteer within Summit County. For three years, he has been working hard to help residents coordinate their skills, abilities and generous donations to advance the common good.
Requirements for selection into this competitive program include outstanding performance reviews, management of projects with multiple stakeholders, and growth in responsibilities in work and volunteer roles.
Initially just a national program, a partnership with Lilly Endowment and United Way Worldwide enabled the program to go global in October 2008 with 24 participants from seven countries; in November 2009, 25 more community leaders from eight countries joined the Global United Way Network.
Brian will attend three face-to-face, five-day learning events beginning with an orientation in Indianapolis this November, a mid-point learning event in Orlando in May, and ending with a graduation event in an international location in September 2011. He will also take part in continuous learning through mentoring, Webinars, conference calls, online exchanges, and discussion with worldwide thought leaders.
Through this unique opportunity, Brian will become part of a Global Fellowship alumni network that will allow him to stay connected in cross-cultural experiences and future projects to help not just his own community, but the common good for the global community.
Brian, a West Akron resident, was nominated by United Way of Summit County President Bob Kulinski, who said, “We are very proud and excited that Brian has been selected for the Global Fellows Program. Brian is an emerging young leader in our community and in the United Way movement. He has implemented a student United Way chapter at the University of Akron, one of only 50 nationwide, and has led groups of students to the Gulf Coast the last two years as part of Alternative Spring Break, a program to connect students to rebuilding efforts still lingering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Brian’s selection is a credit to him personally, and to our community.”
United Way of Summit County encourages everyone to LIVE UNITED. Each of us has the power to improve lives and advance the common good when we give, advocate and volunteer. For more information on how to give now, on programs and services in our community, or to volunteer, call your United Way of Summit County at 330-762-7601, explore our website at www.uwsummit.org, or visit our offices at 90 N. Prospect St., Akron, Ohio.
