Building a Sense of Purpose through Education

Philanthropist Jean Edelman lives her life with a sense of purpose. Author, speaker, educator, Wolf Trap board member–her many accomplishments, not the least of which includes serving as co-founder and former principal of Edelman Financial Services–reveal an individual who is endlessly curious about the world and strives to be an active participant in everything she takes on.

Recently named chair of the Education Committee for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Edelman’s latest role is the culmination of a 25-year relationship with Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts—one that began, as many people’s do, simply by enjoying a performance at the Filene Center. 

“It was about the time that we first started going to Wolf Trap that Ric [Edelman’s husband] and I sat down and developed a philanthropic map, and we wanted arts and education to be a part of that map,” says Edelman. “Wolf Trap is in our backyard. We really enjoyed going to shows and the people we met there, so when we learned that Wolf Trap also had an educational piece, it just made sense for us to become more involved.”

A Beautiful Garden of Creativity

First up on Edelman’s agenda as the new committee head is to sit in on a classroom residency session. She’s excited to observe a Wolf Trap teaching artist in action and witness firsthand the positive difference arts integration can make in children’s engagement levels.

“Ric and I love education’s ability to impact students, family, and the community,” Edelman says. “With Wolf Trap, the teaching artists work in the classroom, and that's a huge difference. They are training the educators, and they’re able to help those teachers gain confidence and find new ways to channel their creativity. We're planting this beautiful garden of creativity, the fruits of which teachers can pass on to their students.”

Edelman is also excited to attend another Grants Day performance and learn more about the Internship and Apprenticeship programs for older students.

“We had the opportunity to witness some of the grants performances last year, and it was so wonderful to see how the teachers and their students were able to work collaboratively. You could just imagine the satisfaction they must have felt from seeing their dreams come together on stage,” says Edelman.

As for the Foundation’s Internships and Apprenticeships, Edelman believes that the program offers young adults an ideal opportunity to learn what it’s like to be part of a workplace and see how things work from the inside: “It’s important young people learn that to be part of a successful organization you've got to collaborate, you've got to ask questions, and you've got to step out of your comfort zone.”

An Opportunity to Support New Ideas

Named as “One of the Top Places to Work,” Edelman is proud of the environment she and her husband were able to build at Edelman Financial Services and is eager to utilize the leadership skills she instilled there as chair of the Education Committee. 

“As we grew our company, Ric and I learned how important it was for leadership to set goals, explain those goals clearly to staff, and give staff members the tools they need to achieve them,” says Edelman. “We also focused intently on the client experience, and we feel that we can be useful to the Foundation, and to the Education committee specifically, in that way.”

“The team is already doing a fantastic job,” she adds, “and I’m eager to dive in to learn more about how their programs operate so that we, the committee, can support them the best way we can.”

Part of a Family

Aside from the collective expertise she and her fellow board members lend to the board, Edelman says that one of her favorite parts about Wolf Trap is the family atmosphere she and Ric have been able to cultivate with her friends and colleagues.

“Ric was a member of the board for nine years, and when he left, Wolf Trap kindly asked me to step into a similar role,” says Edelman. “The most rewarding part of our experience throughout has been, of course, the opportunity to support the mission of the Foundation, but also the friendships with our colleagues that we’ve built over time. It’s wonderful to have a place where we can gather, share our experiences and our love of the arts, and watch our families grow.”

When she was asked to take on her new role, Edelman was both pleased and surprised.

“I am truly honored for the opportunity to spend more time with Arvind [Manocha, President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts], Dan [D’Aniello, Chairman of the Board of Directors], and the Foundation’s leadership team and engage with them on a deeper level,” says Edelman.

She is excited to see what lies ahead and to discover how she can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young learners and their teachers through Wolf Trap’s educational initiatives.

“Sometimes, as we grow older, we tend to lose some of our imagination, so if we have the opportunity to ignite that for a child and instill a love of the arts in them from a young age, then perhaps they will be able to carry that love forward into adulthood,” says Edelman. “To spark joy in a child’s life, that’s really the greatest gift.”