We are offering a series of one-credit courses during the upcoming winter session on a variety of topics led by prominent practitioners in their fields.
Interested in joining any of these new classes? Apply here or contact associate director of online programs Luke Bickel for more information.
Hanna Shaul Bar Nissim (Ph.D) is the deputy director at the Ruderman Family Foundation and is a visiting scholar at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Hanna completed her Ph.D at the School of Social Work and Social Welfare at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with a focus on philanthropic studies. She joined the Ruderman Family Foundation after completing a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at Brandeis University while specializing in the study of Jewish philanthropy.
This new course (PHST-P495/555) offers students a contemporary view on American Jewish philanthropy, its growth, and change in past decades. For the first time, students will be introduced to contemporary Jewish philanthropy and the organizations composing it. The course will provide context for the unique organizational structures, giving channels and vehicles used by Jewish philanthropists.
We will take an in depth look into innovation and Jewish giving, growth, and development of Jewish philanthropic practices, diaspora giving to Israel and probe the changes to values, norms, and belief systems engrained in American Jewish giving.
Apply here
Jane Chu combines her academic research and professional practice in the arts, philanthropy, and business administration. In 2014, she was appointed to serve as the 11th chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, completing her term in June 2018. Chu is also a visual artist, a distinguished visiting scholar at Indiana University, and has served as an arts advisor for PBS, Public Broadcasting Service.
Chu straddles multiple cultures, having been born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, raised in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She received bachelor’s degrees in piano performance & music education from Ouachita Baptist University, as well as a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from Southern Methodist University.
Additionally, Chu holds an associate degree in visual arts from Nebraska Wesleyan University, an MBA from Rockhurst University, a Ph.D. in philanthropic studies from Indiana University, and five honorary doctorate degrees.
This three-week winter session course (PHST-P495/555) will examine the attributes of nonprofit leadership during turbulent times. We will compare what leadership looks like in stable times and contrast it with leadership qualities needed during times of ambiguity. Most examples will come from the nonprofit arts sector. The objective of the course is for nonprofit leaders to have an expanded toolbelt of skills to utilize when unprecedented conditions demand an extraordinary response.
Apply here
Alexandra earned her master’s degree in public policy at the London School of Economics as a Rotary Scholar, and has served at the local, state, and federal levels of government and policy— including a recent appointment at the U.S. Department of Education. She was awarded a 2019 Novak Fellowship for her original reporting and analysis on civility, public discourse, and civil society in America.
Now a full-time journalist and writer, Alexandra is an in-demand speaker and commentator, appearing frequently on local, national and international television outlets such as CBS, Fox News, and others. She is a regular contributor to USA Today, and also writes for The Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, POLITICO Magazine, Newsweek, and other nationwide outlets.
As the world around us unfolds, we are surrounded by fodder for our writing—if only we take the time to look for it. Each new day, experience, and exchange, great or small, hold within them stories to discover and insights to be mined.
In taking this class (PHST-P495/555) and learning the basics of effective and appealing storytelling, you will learn how to show the impact of your nonprofit organization’s work, better engage donors and foundations, and successfully communicate your message to other targeted audiences relevant to your work. People are drawn to authenticity, and stories help connect us to our audience in real and personal ways. More memorable than metrics and statistics, stories transcend the intellect and stick with listeners.
Apply here
In January 2009, Debra Jacobs became the president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation (TPF) based in Sarasota, Florida. TPF works with partners to accelerate positive change by sharing fresh perspectives on strategy, contributing new ideas, and providing resources.
TPF believes the act of creative collaboration produces results and knowledge that can be applied more broadly to transcend any single act of philanthropy. Before transitioning to TPF, Debra was president of the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, based in Sarasota, Florida. In addition to the Selby Foundation, she was responsible for the administration of eight other independent foundations.
This one-credit course (PHST P555 and PHST P495) is an opportunity to deep dive into a foundation known for its innovative approach with its CEO and president. A practical combination of leadership development and the reasoning behind The Patterson Foundation’s philanthropic approach, the course will explore network building, values-driven work, creating value beyond the check, systems thinking, the balance between foundation leadership and community leadership, and the importance of communication.
Assignments and discussions will challenge you to think about what’s possible in philanthropy when we look beyond how things have always been done. A combination of synchronous Zoom discussions with Debra Jacobs and asynchronous material ensure a value-heavy six-week journey through life in a private foundation.
To learn more about TPF, visit thepattersonfoundation.org and explore the “About Us” and blog pages.
Apply here