Samantha Donovan

With over twenty years of experience contributing to teams, organizing complex projects, and supporting community-centered work, I bring a steady, reliable, and people-focused approach to everything I do. My professional foundation began long before my first official job—starting as a youth volunteer for the Grout Museum District of History & Science. There, I learned how meaningful and detailed behind-the-scenes work can be. I helped run youth programming, contributed to exhibit creation and curation, and was honored with a nomination for the Mayor’s Top Teen Award. Those early experiences taught me the value of curiosity, collaboration, and responsibility, especially when managing programs that impact others.

Throughout college, I continued to take on roles that required organization, consistency, and a commitment to clarity. In the music department, I managed the choral library—both the physical archives and the digital database—and redesigned the binder system for choir members to make distribution and returns smoother for everyone. These tasks might seem simple on the surface, but they demanded accuracy, process-thinking, and a respect for systems that support creative work, all traits that still guide me today.

My four years on the Honors Program Student Executive Board deepened my leadership experience and helped me understand the importance of thoughtful communication. Serving in various roles and ultimately as Board President my senior year, I organized meetings for both small groups and full cohorts of students and faculty, ensuring that information was clear and that everyone felt included and prepared. During this time, I also helped plan and execute a campus-wide fundraiser focused on sustainability. We promoted reusable shopping totes, sold them through student events, and donated proceeds to the local food bank—an experience that strengthened my project coordination abilities and reaffirmed my belief in community impact.

Across all of these roles—past and present—my focus has remained consistent: create structure, support people well, and bring clarity to tasks that others rely on. I work best in environments where communication is valued, initiative is appreciated, and thoughtful organization helps teams thrive. I’m drawn to work that blends service, strategy, and practical problem-solving, and I approach every project with a commitment to reliability, respect, and steady follow-through.