Dr. Basil Smikle Jr., program director of the M.S. in Nonprofit Management (NOPM), recently welcomed two integral faculty members, Jill LaLonde and Tom Watson, both lecturers in the program with extensive careers in the nonprofit field, to speak about the skills they teach, including through the core course The Nonprofit Sector: Scope & Impact, and how the NOPM program can help prepare students for a rapidly changing nonprofit landscape. The conversation with prospective students was also an opportunity to introduce foundational information about the program and for the featured speakers to share insight into the value of work being done in the field.
This conversation was hosted by Dr. Basil Smikle Jr., a professor of practice and NOPM program director; Lonni Ryan ('21SPS, Nonprofit Management), deputy program director and lecturer; Emma Vittori, an admissions counselor; and Vicky Klesseck (’24SPS, Information & Knowledge Strategy), assistant director of administration. In her presentation, Ryan presented an overview of the program, highlighting the flexible in-person, hybrid, and remote options; full- and part-time options; and outlining the six core course requirements, a sample of elective options, and the capstone project—which offers hands-on experience with a real nonprofit.
“There are a lot of things that we look to do with nonprofit organizations-big and small, local and worldwide—and it’s one of the things that makes our program really rich,” Dr. Smikle said before introducing LaLonde and Watson to share specifics about the program.
LaLonde, executive director of One Village Partners, was recently announced to be the new faculty advisor for the program’s online cohort. With nearly a decade of pedagogical experience and over 25 years of field experience, LaLonde is both an educator and a practitioner. Her background also includes work in global development, where she ran government-funded programs for many years, focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Acknowledging recent changes to federal funding for nonprofit organizations, LaLonde noted the emphasis within her courses on teaching students to address challenges with critical thinking and creative solutions.
“One of the things that is so important to me in the course is to bring the real-life challenges and solutions that we face as nonprofit leaders, and I try to bring those to the course to get student feedback,” LaLonde said.
Watson, president of Cause Wired and a program lecturer, is a journalist, author, and consultant with over 25 years of experience outside of the nonprofit sector. His focus on education, social services, and progressive causes have shaped his career. His experiences have led him to the NOPM program, where he mentors hundreds of young professionals on how to not only advance their careers, but truly impact society.
“Especially at this moment, I feel like the concept of civil society is being challenged,” Watson noted at the event. But he expressed his belief in the power of communities to effect change, suggesting, “I honestly believe that the students that go through our program and our illustrious alums can help be the leaders in that work in the years to come, so that hopefully, our nonprofit sector—which does so much for life in this country and around the world—can emerge from this crisis a bit stronger than it went into it as.”
Every student in the NOPM program has access to a wide array of courses, connections, and support systems. Many professors are not only educators but practitioners in sub-sectors such as international relief, affordable housing, philanthropy, and grant writing, among others. Some may wonder if they are in the right stage of life to attend the NOPM program, but the program’s resources and SPS’s extensive alumni network offer career development opportunities for all students.
Both LaLonde and Watson concluded the information session by discussing the intersectionality of their many students who have worked to advance the lives of individuals through social justice, quantitative analysis, and a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector.
“We do have the opportunity to rebuild something that can operate better; can be more inclusive and equitable. But as professionals in the industry, we need to define what that’s going to be,” LaLonde said.
For more illuminating discussions with leaders and practitioners in the nonprofit space, learn more about NOPM’s events.
About the Program
Columbia University’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management program prepares graduates for leadership roles within mission-driven organizations in a wide variety of contexts, including global and community nonprofits, foundations, education, health care, and the arts, or as fundraising and development experts.
The program is available part-time, full-time, on campus, and online. Learn more here.
