It’s easy to look at Fellowship Alumni who seem to have figured things out and assume they followed a straight, intentional path. Talking with Beau Kelly, Fellowship Class of 2013, reminded me how much an individual’s clarity is built over time and how central the Fellowship can be in developing the confidence to figure things out as you go.
Beau grew up in Colorado Springs, graduated from Doherty High School, and went on to Nebraska Wesleyan University where he played baseball and double-majored in Business Administration and History. Before applying to the Fellowship, his work experience was wide-ranging: construction laborer, early social media work for a local event organizer, and a grants internship with the Colorado Springs Police Department. That internship, where he worked on grant proposals for body cameras and public safety improvements, introduced him to El Pomar and ultimately led him to apply to be a Fellow.
What drew Beau to the Fellowship wasn’t a specific career outcome, but the people. Prior to applying, he spent time reading Alumni bios and learned about a group he wanted to learn alongside.
“I was really attracted to the culture of excellence,” Beau emphasized.
The people who first drew him to the Fellowship ended up becoming the most impactful part of his experience. When asked what he values most from the Fellowship, Beau didn’t hesitate: the people. The professional growth mattered, but so did the relationships, from those with his cohort to the friendships that extended beyond work. Having a group of peers with similar curiosity and drive, he said, was one of the most meaningful parts of the program.
Near the end of his Fellowship, Beau completed an externship with the UCCS development office, which led directly to his first post-Fellowship role supporting athletic fundraising and scholarships. He’s candid that it’s a job he likely wouldn’t have landed without the Fellowship. That role sharpened his understanding of how much trust and relationships matter, in both fundraising and grantmaking.
“The Fellowship doesn’t give you every skill you’ll ever need. It gives you the confidence and competence to go figure things out.”
That lesson carried forward when Beau transitioned into business development at Nunn Construction, returning, indirectly, to his family’s construction roots. In his current role, he works closely with school districts, municipalities, and rural communities by tracking capital plans and helping stakeholders navigate complex projects. The regional knowledge and relationship-building skills he developed as a Fellow continues to pay dividends.
He also pointed to “managing up” as one of the most valuable skills he took from the Fellowship: anticipating needs, thinking ahead, and making it easier for leaders to make good decisions. It’s a skill that has translated across every role he’s held.
Looking back, Beau sees his career as a series of compounding skills including relationships, confidence, critical thinking, and the ability to learn quickly. For current Fellows and Alumni alike, his path is a reminder that the Fellowship doesn’t define where you’ll end up, but it can fundamentally change how you move forward.
