Thirty-five graduate students in business, public policy and social work have been selected to work with 22 nonprofit organizations across Southeast Michigan through the Nonprofit and Public Management Center’s (NPM) Board Fellowship Program.
NPM’s Board Fellows are placed on nonprofit governing boards for the academic year, where they participate as nonvoting board members and lead high-level strategic projects. The fellowship is designed to create a cadre of professionals ready to take on future board roles and become active civic and community leaders.
“The Board Fellowship Program is one of our major community investment projects in Southeast Michigan,” says Rishi Moudgil, associate director of NPM. “This is a very unique hands-on management experience and a meaningful opportunity for our students to participate in the governance of a nonprofit organization.”
After being paired with an existing board mentor, the fellows lead a high-priority project in funding, governance, marketing, policy or other significant areas. Anne Snider, incoming fellow and MBA candidate says, “Tracking key metrics on a new dashboard for the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation will allow me to apply both my prior experience and the skills I’m now developing to two of my passions — nonprofit service and improving education.”
Bob Blumenfeld, senior vice president of Orchard’s Children’s Services, has worked with NPM Board Fellows for several years to provide quality services to children and families. “Our partnership with the U-M Board Fellowship Program has opened up new ways of thinking, created meaningful dialogue and insight into organizational challenges, and added value to our governance, planning and marketing initiatives,” he says.
NPM supports the fellows through skills training workshops, project and board planning, peer group interaction, and access to many U-M resources. “Being a Board Fellow helped me tie together theoretical class work with what’s going on in the real world,” says Talya Gates-Monasch of the School of Social Work. “I now serve as a peer mentor so I can continue to help students interested in giving back and developing their abilities.”
For more information, go to www.nonprofit.umich.edu.
2011-12 Board Fellows Program participants
The 2011-12 Board Fellows Program grantees, degrees and projected graduation date, and the organization they will work for include:
Emeka Ajene, MBA/JD 2014, Ann Arbor SPARK
Jess Alper, MSW 2013, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Tamara Chao, MBA 2013, Summers-Knoll School
Katherine Chen, MPP 2012, Food System Economic Partnership
Alexandra Citrin, MPP/MSW 2012, Friends of CASA
Molly Dehrey, MSW 2013, Jewish Federation
Kate Dempsey, MBA 2013, Friends of CASA
Kate Fletcher, MPP/MSW 2012, Alternative for Girls
Kimberly Foley, MPP 2013, Plymouth Historical Society
Stacey Gates, MSW 2012, Salvation Army-Eastern Michigan Division
Jennifer Hsieh, MBA 2013, Salvation Army-Eastern Michigan Division
Patrick Huang, MBA 2013, Ann Arbor SPARK
Daniel Kelly, MSW 2012, Neighborhood Service Organization
Jamuna Kesavan, MBA/MD 2013, Neighborhood Service Organization
Jeff Kessner, MPP/MUP 2014, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work
Jennifer Krane, MBA 2013, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
Tina Lam, MBA 2013, Salvation Army-Washtenaw Co. Advisory Board
Kimberly Littlefield, MBA 2013, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy
Ana Madriz, MBA 2013Ronald, McDonald House of Ann Arbor
Yasmin Mazloomdoost, MSW/MPH 2013, HIV/AIDS Resource Center
Vladimir Moshinsky, MBA 2013, Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor
Sunil Narayan, MBA 2013, Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan
Sylvia Oh, MPP 2013, Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation
Taylor Smith, MBA 2013, Common Ground
Courtney Schroeder, MBA 2013, Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan
Thomas Schuelke, MBA 2013, Interfaith Hospitality Network at Alpha House
Anne Snider, MBA 2013, Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation
Sheryl Sukolsky, MBA 2013, Food System Economic Partnership
Justin Tooley, MPP 2012, Alternative for Girls
Nellie Tsai, MBA 2013, Orchards Children’s Services
Maharshi Vaishnav, MPP 2013, Salvation Army-Washtenaw Co. Advisory Board
Katherine Valle, MPP/MA 2012, Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan
Kevin Wong, MBA 2013, U-M Credit Union
David Zeman, MSW 2012, Interfaith Hospitality Network at Alpha House
Anne Zerbe, MPP 2014, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
Board fellows extended for 2011-12
Nick Lewis, MBA 2012, Summers-Knoll School
Emily Rinner, MBA/MPP 2012, Common Ground
Karen Spangler, MPP/MUP 2013, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy
Renee Tetrick, MSW 2011, Washtenaw Area Council for Children
