A Strategic Shift to Expand Nonprofit Programs

Three decades ago, the Mandel Foundation and Case Western Reserve University established a program for nonprofit leaders that set the standard for excellence in an emerging discipline. On April 11, 2012, the two organizations announced initiatives designed to expand and elevate opportunities for those committed to positive social impact in an era of rapid technological change and increasing globalization. After an expert panel review and ongoing conversations among university and foundation leaders, the two organizations adopted an approach to leadership education that reflects changes within the nonprofit field as well as broader opportunities within the private and public sectors. This will include a new master of nonprofit organizations (MNO) degree and certificate that will concentrate on social services and will be offered through the Mandel School for Applied Social Sciences (MSASS), and special nonprofit tracks in the MBA and EMBA degrees offered at Weatherhead, described in greater detail below.

"Over the past decade, universities around the world have seen dramatic increases in the proportion of students eager to contribute through nonprofit organizations, social entrepreneurship, and government," CWRU President Barbara Snyder said. "Our new approach to nonprofit management education encourages students to acquire the skills required to influence practice, policy, and even economic incentives in a manner that benefits others."

Ronn Richard, president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland Foundation, was among those consulted during the review. "I applaud Case Western Reserve's leaders for meeting the needs not only of their students but of the communities they aim to serve," Richard said. "These changes will help the university develop the leaders of tomorrow in the nonprofit sector."

"We see these developments as a tremendous opportunity to make an even greater difference in the lives of people within the greater Cleveland community and beyond," said Dean Grover "Cleve" Gilmore of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. "We already are among the top 10 schools of social work in the nation, and this new program will provide unique preparation for those eager for the extraordinary challenges and rewards of leadership in social service institutions."

Weatherhead has seen a rise in the number of students interested in leadership roles once thought unusual for those earning business degrees. Throughout its roughly two-decade history, the Doctorate of Management (DM) program has drawn roughly half of its enrollment from the nonprofit and governmental sectors. Faculty members are committed to continuing this relationship with the public and nonprofit sector, and look forward to providing academic opportunities tailored for business students interested in nonprofit management.

Research will continue to be a major focus for MSASS and Weatherhead. In addition, the university will continue editorship and publication of Nonprofit Management and Leadership. For more information about the journal, please contact managing editor Gail Papay.

The Mandel Center building will be renamed the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Community Studies Center. It will house a number of MSASS research centers and programs. For information, please contact Maria Sharron.

Members of the Mandel Center Alumni Association can now be affiliated with Weatherhead, MSASS, or both. Contact Katie Keane at Weatherhead and Pamela Carson at MSASS to change or update your affiliation.

The following activities and programs are in various stages of consideration and (re)design:

• MSASS will offer a one-year MNO, both full-time and part-time, focusing on social services, and a certificate in management and leadership, pending approval by the CWRU Faculty Senate and Ohio Board of Regents. For information, please contact Sharon Milligan or David Crampton.
• Weatherhead will continue to offer the Doctorate in Management. Contact Sue Nartker.
• Weatherhead's leadership team is discussing the possibility of special nonprofit tracks within the Executive MBA and full-time MBA programs. Michelle Wilson can answer questions about the current EMBA program, while inquiries about the full time MBA can be directed to Simon Peck, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing and Policy Studies and Faculty Director of the Full-Time MBA.
• Both MSASS and Weatherhead's Executive Education are planning expanded professional and executive development programs. Weatherhead will continue existing programs such as the Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program (contact Patricia Heilbron for more) and the Cuyahoga County Youth Work Institute (contact Chyrel Oates for more).
• Weatherhead launched a free, on-line resource called Leading Nonprofit Organizations (LNO). If you are interested in contributing to LNO, please contact Marilyn Chorman.
• If you have further concerns or questions, contact Richard Boyatzis, Distinguished University Professor, H.R. Horvitz Professor of Family Business, and Professor of Organizational Behavior, who has served as the Interim Executive Director of the Mandel Center during this transitional period. Dr. Boyatzis will continue in the role of Program Director for the MNO program until the final class of students graduates (expected in fall 2016).