Janet L. Archer Summer Fellow gets hired by Nuhop
ASHLAND – One of this year’s Janet L. Archer Summer Fellowship Program fellows found success following her summer at Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning.
Samantha Plank was hired to stay on at Nuhop to manage its social media accounts after spending a successful summer performing these tasks as a fellow.
Plank, an Ashland High School graduate and Ashland University student, was one of six fellows in the inaugural year of the fellowship program. She was happy to continue with her role for the nonprofit.
“One of Samantha’s primary responsibilities during the summer was managing content for our Facebook and Instagram accounts. She brought a fresh perspective to our social media presence and did a wonderful job making our pages feel current, welcoming, and reflective of what was actually happening at Nuhop. We hired her to continue creating social media content for us throughout the year,” said Terri RuLon, Director of Office & Human Resources for Nuhop.
RuLon added that Plank also serves as a point of contact and host when Nuhop hosts weekend groups, and that her professionalism makes her a great fit for this role.
Plank said early in the summer her employers kind of joked about keeping her on, but as the summer progressed, they seemed more serious about wanting to keep her on to help with their social media efforts.
“Over the summer I had really tuned into how their social media content gets the best engagement, and the content that works really well, versus what doesn’t, and just all the kinds of background logistics of the social media world,” she said. “And I felt like I could kind of just continue (with) that.”
Though she now works remotely, it helped her to be onsite over the summer and see how the organization operated, and thus learned to really understand Nuhop’s mission, she explained, adding that she spent time there as a middle school student attending outdoor school.
The fellowship helped set Plank up for success to continue her role at Nuhop by helping her build skills that would help her in the professional world, including how to keep a schedule, time management and how to communicate better.
“I feel like my people skills are a lot better too,” she said.
She found the bi-weekly check-ins with the other fellows, program directors, and other professionals brought in throughout the fellowship were also helpful. There she found support when building a resume, along with people to help her navigate challenging situations.
RuLon said Plank impressed them with her dedication, professionalism, and genuine eagerness to learn and participate in all aspects of Nuhop, during her fellowship.
Plank describes RuLon, and the staff at Nuhop, including Executive Director/CEO Trevor Dunlap, as welcoming to her and her ideas and suggestions, and people with whom she feels comfortable asking questions.
Her experience has opened her eyes to the amount of work that goes into running a nonprofit, and she enjoyed learning about the behind the scenes work that goes into a place like Nuhop.
Additionally, she gets to see how her chosen career path of psychology fits into the world of nonprofits. She was surprised to see psychologists on staff at a nonprofit, and she learned a lot about all they contributed.
Plank, who also has an on-campus job working on social media for the Office of Christian Ministry, has also considered additional ways her major can be used.
Initially considering a career as a counselor for kids, this experience has opened her eyes to the possibilities of careers in school psychology or even social media, since it’s not uncommon for organizations or companies to use those with psychology backgrounds to help with engagement.
On the side of the nonprofit, Nuhop explained the benefits of connecting with a driven college student.
“For Nuhop, the fellowship was incredibly beneficial. As a nonprofit, adding staff can be financially challenging, particularly when we have seasonal projects that require a specific skill set. It can also be difficult to find a quality candidate who is available for a limited period of time within what a nonprofit budget can support. The fellowship gave us access to a talented young professional who brought skills, energy, and a new perspective to our organization,” RuLon said.
“Perhaps one of the best outcomes of the fellowship is that we found someone we wanted to keep as part of the Nuhop team. Samantha came to us as a summer fellow, but through that experience we were able to see her abilities, work ethic, and potential firsthand. It created an opportunity for both Samantha and Nuhop to discover that there was a good fit beyond the fellowship itself.”
When asked who should apply for this fellowship, Plank said she would recommend it to anyone who is eligible that wants to step into a new role and a new experience.
“People who are looking for any kind of internship experience to broaden their horizons, to see what they like and don’t like, work on their professional development skills, and gain lifelong connections and mentors (should apply),” she said. “I had a very positive experience from start to end.”
This fellowship is collaborative program of Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, Ashland County Community Foundation, and United Way of Ashland County.
Nonprofits interested in being a host site in 2027 should submit applications between October 2 – October 30, 2026.
Student fellow applications will be accepted November 16, 2026 – January 1, 2027. Applications are open to Ashland County residents who are incoming college sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
About Ashland County Community Foundation: Ashland County Community Foundation advances philanthropy and improves the quality of life in Ashland County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. ACCF has awarded over $44 million in scholarships, grants and distributions.
