Nonprofit center program debuts

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo
Collegian Editor
February 20, 2008

Everyone can use a little professional development—even executive directors.

“You should have at least 40 hours of professional development a year and numbers in the nonprofit sector…are way, way below that,” Director of La Salle’s Nonprofit Center Dr. Laura Otten said.

Erin Brodbeck - La's Nonprofit Center is reaching out to local establishments.

In response to this need, the NPC is set to launch a forum for executive directors to mingle with peers, in the Delaware Valley’s newest nonprofit initiative.

Executive Director University is a series of workshops exclusively for leaders of non-profit organizations. Topics ranging from personal sessions on the “softer side”—like ways to handle stress—and professional workshops targeting the “organizational side”—dealing with boards and fundraising—are scheduled for EDU.

“The idea is to give executive directors places to learn that are comfortable for them, have their peers in it…and to give them information by format, approach and topic that is specifically directed to their seats as executive directors,” Otten said.

EDU emerged from a five-year program called CLEAR Circles, which featured executive directors meeting monthly to discuss and solve common problems confidentially among peers.

CLEAR Circles—which stands for Cultivating Leadership, Excellence and Responsibility— was started because of the common feeling of isolation among executive directors. These leaders are peerless in that they have a board above them and their employees below them and no one to commiserate with.

“We learned from CLEAR Circles that executive directors really like working in groups themselves. There is some kind of comfort knowing that these people have sat in your seat and have dealt with the same situation you are in,” Otten said.

“There is an immediate bond. ‘These people know what I’m talking about’ in a way that board members or people that haven't been executive directors can’t.”

EDU will be held downtown starting in March and offers 11 programs for executive directors led by local experts in the non-profit sector.

In general, the NPC looks to apply Lasallian values to companies not geared toward profit. Otten said the Christian Brothers’ sentiment of educating the less fortunate is analogous to the NPC’s work for smaller non-profits.

“Our emphasis is working with the small to mid-sized non-profits and making sure…our services are accessible so that any non-profit, regardless of its financial situation can access our services,” Otten said. “Our mission is to enhance the management in governance capacity of other non-profits throughout the greater Delaware Valley.”

NPC accomplishes that goal by offering workshops and consulting services for non-profits touching on strategic planning, fundraising, financial management, evaluation and board development among others.

Administratively, the NPC reports directly to Dean of the School of Business Paul Brazina.

“We’ve had a history with deans of the school of business from Bruce McCloud…to Greg Bruce to Paul Brazina, who were all incredibly interested and supportive of non-profits,” Otten said.

“Dr. Otten has made this organization the premier non profit consulting group in our region…The Non-Profit Center is known for excellence, and we are fortunate to have them in the School of Business,” Brazina said.

Although the NPC previously offered students work-study positions, the organization serves students differently now.

In addition to most workshops being offered to students for free—upon registration—NPC looks to secure co-ops for students in the Business Scholars Co-op Program. Currently,

Otten is attempting to procure internships in nonprofits for two students, one at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum. Otten feels any business student would benefit from non-profit work.

“The principles that you learn in a business curriculum, the skills, knowledge and expertise that business faculty have are absolutely the same kinds of knowledge and expertise that need to be transferred to non-profits as well,” Otten said.

Some professors at La Salle are very active with the NPC. Chair of the Communication Department Dr. Lynne Texter and Director of the Graduate Program and Communication professor Dr. Michael Smith frequently present at the organization’s workshops.

“I continue to be very impressed with our Non-Profit Center's efforts to reach out and support non-profit organizations in the Delaware Valley,” Texter said. “The talented and dedicated staff…offers a wide array of useful and effective workshops that help to meet important needs in our community.”

In addition, Otten recently spoke to students in two of Dr. Andrea Pampaloni’s organizational communication classes. Otten provided students an overview of how non-profits are structured and funded to give the students a more comprehensive understanding of how nonprofits function, Pampaloni said.

Established in 1981, the NPC spawned from the in Executive in Residence Program the School of Business offered.

One executive—Everett Frank of Scott Paper—formed NPC with the idea that the faculty could provide year-long education for non-profit executives. This idea evolved into consulting arm and eventually NPC served many aspects of running a successful non-profit.

Students interested in the Non-Profit can learn more at its blog, NonProfitUniversityBlog.com. The first “semester” at EDU is to run until November.

scavuzzos1@lasalle.edu