Throughout my Whitman College journey, I have actively tried ways to be engaged with the Walla Walla Community in different ways — what better way to end my time here than to partake in a community fellowship? Hello, my name is Kylie Casper and I am a senior Economics major and Religion minor from Boise, Idaho. This academic year I am working with the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce to develop aspects of the Chamber Foundation further. In celebration of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary as well as the Chamber’s 125th, I am working alongside the Chamber CEO, Arlene Alen, to create the Community Development Fund. This program is dedicated to empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Walla Walla Valley to expand their ideas and endeavors. Through several grant cycles each year, the Community Development Fund will provide resources for individuals and businesses to continue to grow their brand and presence in the community.
Through my time at the Chamber, I have been able to interact with areas of the Walla Walla Valley community that I never knew about. With each event I attend, I can engage in inspiring conversations with local business leaders on what their organization is focused on creating. This community that I have been lucky enough to be a part of for the past three and half years never fails to ignite excitement about the possibilities of creating a unique culture and comradery among businesses and individuals anywhere I go.
My experience as a Whitman Community Fellow has been so valuable in gaining experience in the professional workplace. As I am entering my final semester at Whitman, (crazy, I know!) I have begun to search for and understand what types of work environments I want to work in and how they engage in the community around them, and the time I have spent at the chamber has been valuable in this effort. The communication and advocacy skills that I have developed through my experience will be beneficial in whatever field I choose to pursue.
The past semester at the Chamber has pushed me both personally and professionally. As I anticipate the next semester, there is still so much to learn and do, but I am excited to see what opportunities present themselves and what more I will learn. The Walla Walla Community has been so kind to me during my time here, so being able to create a program that will give back to the area is so rewarding. The Fellowship has allowed me to continue learning about this wonderful community and am so grateful for everything that it has done for me.