Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/58912
Nonprofit board service offers students a chance to develop skills that will be directly transferable to the for-profit world. participant was paired with a mentor who served as the student's primary contact and evaluated the student's work on the board. LaSalle's Nonprofit Center solicited feedback from these members as the program progressed, which helped provide a sense of accountability for program participants. Plans for the Future Interest in the NPBLP was high during its pilot year. For the 2006–2007 academic year, we want to build on this interest to ensure the long-term success of the program. We plan to host more events that will allow participants to bond so they feel comfortable going to each other with issues they face on their boards. We also hope to move the entire NPBLP program in- The time commitment for students' board participation, over and above their school assignments, was substantial. During their board terms, students averaged about two hours per month at board meetings. Most also spent between two and ten hours a month doing research, considering strategy, or developing materials to take to meetings. A few also spent another two to three hours participating in committee meet- ings. Even so, students noted that the additional skills and knowledge that they gained from their boardroom experi- ence was well worth the extra time and effort. Improving the Experience To make the students' time on nonprofit boards even more valuable, the NPBLP held additional training sessions dur- ing each academic quarter. These sessions provided a forum for participants to brainstorm solutions to problems they were facing on their individual boards. Session content was largely driven by input from participants, who asked ques- tions about decision making, finances, board transition, and fund raising. These sessions also featured speakers from inside and out- side the university who had expertise in leadership and non- profits. Wharton's Leadership Program, for example, led a training session on group decision making. In addition, fac- ulty from Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice, which had recently launched a new master's program in nonprofit management, provided additional resources. Finally, the NPBLP executive board established a formal feedback mechanism through which organizations could evaluate the performances of the Wharton students. Each 40 BizEd SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 house, so that all training and relationships with nonprofits will be managed directly through Wharton, while tapping into the expertise of the broader Penn faculty and staff. While the program will continue to be student-run, we will look at how we might restructure the organization. We also are work- ing with the Wharton MBA administration to find external funding to finance the expansion, hoping to interest corporate and alumni donors in the program. We feel certain this program will continue to engage stu- dents. Nonprofit board service offers students a way to give back to the community while contributing to their personal definitions of success. In addition, such service lets them par- ticipate in the broader dialogue regarding the role of business in society as they consider topics such as corporate philan- thropy, corporate social responsibility, sustainable business, and social impact management. Given the size and complex- ity of many nonprofit organizations, nonprofit board service also offers students a chance to develop skills that that will be directly transferable to the for-profit world. Programs like Wharton's NPBLP also provide a benefit to nonprofits, who have some concerns about whether the pipe- line will deliver sufficient numbers of qualified board members and leaders. This concern has been intensified because many of today's nonprofit leaders are baby boomers who are pre- paring to retire. If business schools encourage their MBA stu- dents to serve on nonprofit boards, they can play a central role in preparing the next generation of leaders who will organize the nonprofit community. n z z Nien-hê Hsieh is an assistant professor in the Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; he serves as the faculty advisor to the NPBLP. Sadaf Kazmi is an MBA/JD candidate at the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania Law School; she serves as the director of the NPBLP.