Jennyfer A. Holmes

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Age: 39

Title: Scholarship and Donor Services Officer

Company: Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

Location: Hartford

Hometown: New Britain

College: Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.

Bio

Jennyfer A. Holmes is the scholarship and donor services officer of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. She is responsible for supporting over 600 Greater Hartford students through scholarships. She works with scholars, parents, counselors and generous donors, helping students afford college.

Previously, she was a manager of INROADS New England Region, securing student internships with corporate sponsors. Before INROADS, she worked in underwriting for Chubb Insurance. An active community volunteer, Holmes served as secretary on the board of the American School for the Deaf and the board of Aurora Women and Girls Foundation.

She was grants committee chair and secretary of the Junior League of Hartford Inc.; she is currently a sustainer.

Holmes is a member of the Farmington Valley Chapter of The Links Inc. and co-chairs International Trends and Services. Holmes is a Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. A magna cum laude graduate of Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Holmes is a charter member and serves as treasurer of the New England alumnae chapter. A lifelong member of the First Baptist Church in Milford, Holmes chairs the Historical Society.

Q&A

What three factors contributed to your success today? Faith, family, and fundamental education. My faith in God propels me to always find the best solution to any problem and know that all things, in the end, will work out to the best possible outcome. My family provides me with tremendous love and support. My parents are educators and I know their personal and professional standards gave me the fundamentals to achieve academically. I am a product of public school and liberal arts education. I know that my view of the world and people is shaped by all that I learned from infancy through college.

The most important journey I have ever taken is….. My first road trip driving alone from Connecticut to Virginia. I realized that I had a tremendous responsibility to myself and others. My parents entrusted me to display all the skills and values that I had been taught: kindness, courtesy, good judgment and patience. As I spent time alone driving, I reflected on the beauty and wonder of the world. I caught glimpses of places and things I passed all the time as a road trip passenger, but with new perspective as the lone driver. It has become a metaphor for my life. I am in the driver seat and can steer the course of my life, knowing that there are bumps and hills, turns and curves, detours and some delays.