On December 4, Dr. Basil A. Smikle Jr., recently appointed director of Columbia’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management program, led a discussion on the “new normal” confronting many nonprofit organizations and professionals. Speakers from diverse backgrounds shared their perspectives, touching on various issues, including funding challenges and changing community needs. The event offered a thought-provoking look at the future of nonprofits and gave students and alumni the opportunity to connect with Dr. Smikle.
“After the election, we recognized that our students, faculty and program partners would benefit from speaking openly and honestly about the challenges and opportunities for our sector in the next year -which provided some guidance on how we address these issues in our programs and curriculum,” said Dr. Smikle.
Featured speakers:
- Dr. Basil Smikle Jr., M.S. in Nonprofit Management program director and professor of practice
- Murad Awawdeh, New York Immigration Coalition
- Phoebe Boyer, president and CEO, Children's Aid Society
- Anita Ntem, deputy chief of staff, Democracy Prep Public Schools
- Dr. Erwin de Leon, M.S. in Nonprofit Management faculty member; chief diversity officer, Columbia University School of Professional Studies
- Dominique Jones, executive director, Global Kids
- Dr. Kim McCall, executive director, Children in Conflict; founder and CEO, McCall Impact Consulting; M.S. in Nonprofit Management faculty member
- Michael Mulgrew, president, United Federation of Teachers
- Ana Oliveira, New York Women’s Foundation
- Chandani Punia, innovation and strategy consultant; M.S. in Nonprofit Management faculty member
- Arva Rice, president and CEO, New York Urban League
Among the issues raised, some organizations could be targeted for removal of their tax-exempt status based on their work with certain populations.
Leaders from organizations that help gain equity for African American children and families were open about their post-election concerns.
Arva Rice, president and CEO of the New York Urban League, acknowledged that her organization could be a target. “We will have to move and work accordingly, but we've been through this fight," she said. "Our ancestors could not have even imagined us to be in these places and spaces we are now in as African Americans, as women, as people of color.”
Dr. Kim McCall, Chandini Punia, and Dr. Erwin de Leon, faculty members in the M.S. in Nonprofit Management program, added their perspectives as scholar-practitioners. Each speaker discussed the importance of their courses in relation to the election results and how to move forward, emphasizing the importance of humanity and community during hardships.
Despite the uncertainty of the future, Dr. Smikle added an optimistic note, suggesting that the nonprofit sector can overcome new challenges through collective dedication, perseverance, and passion.
Phoebe Boyer also emphasized hope for the future. “I remind my team that we’ve been through 34 [presidential] elections. We’ve been through the Spanish flu and COVID. At the heart of nonprofits is the idea that we were all created to make change and to make the world a better place. We are an incredibly committed group of people who know what we need to do.”
For more interesting discussions with leaders in the nonprofit space, check out the Nonprofit Management program’s upcoming events.
About the Program
Columbia University’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management prepares graduates for leadership roles within mission-driven organizations in a wide variety of contexts, including global and community nonprofits, foundations, education, healthcare, the arts, or as fundraising and development experts.
The Fall 2025 application priority deadline for the M.S. in Nonprofit Management program is February 15. The final deadline is June 1. Learn more here.
