For Grace Leone (’25SPS, Nonprofit Management), coming to Columbia wasn’t just a career decision—it was a homecoming. Inspired by her family’s deep ties to the University and driven by a lifelong commitment to service, she returned to the classroom to turn decades of volunteer leadership into a more strategic approach to nonprofit work.
Grace began her career in finance, holding roles at Swiss Bank, UBS, and United Waste Management after earning her MBA from the University of Chicago. But after several successful years in the corporate world, she chose to step away to raise her children. “During my generation, flexible work didn’t really exist,” she shared. “My husband was working around the clock, and someone had to be all-in. That was me.”
Even while away from the professional sphere, Grace never stopped leading. She devoted herself to volunteerism—serving on boards, leading fundraising efforts, and driving strategy for a range of organizations, including The Rowan Center and Choate Rosemary Hall.
Now, with her children grown and a renewed sense of purpose, she’s returned to professional life with a clear mission: to use her experience and passion to help transform the nonprofit sector. At Columbia’s School of Professional Studies (SPS), she found the ideal environment to sharpen her skills and deepen her impact.
The Call to Nonprofit Management
With her youngest heading off to college after a year at home during COVID and her husband newly retired, Grace found herself at a crossroads. “I sat and thought about what I could do,” she recalls. Despite a 27-year hiatus from her career, she found that her commitment to philanthropy had only grown stronger.
Eager to turn that passion into purposeful action, Grace began reflecting on the issues that had always mattered most to her: education, women and girls’ empowerment, poverty alleviation, and food insecurity. “I looked around to see what I was interested in,” she said, “and all of it pointed me toward nonprofit management.”
Her search led her to Columbia’s Master of Science in Nonprofit Management program, which she chose for its flexibility, cross-disciplinary offerings, and the opportunity to learn alongside a diverse, mission-driven student body. “I looked around and saw that Columbia offered a master’s program that aligned perfectly with my goals,” she says. “I was asking myself, ‘How can I make the biggest impact?,’ and that’s how I found my way to SPS."
A Growing Family Legacy
For Grace, the program was not only a professional stepping stone but also a natural extension of her family’s deep connection to Columbia.
Her husband, Nicholas, is a proud alumnus of Columbia College. Their two sons, Michael and Matthew, are both Columbia College graduates in economics, financial economics, and history. And their daughter, Amanda, who earned her bachelor’s in biological sciences at the College, is now pursuing a graduate degree in cellular, molecular, and biophysical studies at Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).
Beyond their academic ties, the Leones have remained closely involved with the University as generous supporters of initiatives across Columbia College, Columbia Athletics, and the School of the Arts. Their home just outside New York City has also served as a “home away from home” for fellow Columbia students, with friends of her children often gathering there. “We were always the hosts,” she said. “We got to know all their friends. It became a community.”
Pursuing her master’s at Columbia SPS felt like a natural next chapter—a way to align her experience and values with purpose-driven work that makes a difference.
Grace Leone and family
Finding Community in the Classroom
Grace initially found the idea of returning to school daunting, but the welcoming environment at SPS quickly put her at ease. “The program is very accommodating and very diverse—in the student body’s experiences and in age,” she said.
Despite differences in background and experience level, Grace discovered a powerful throughline among her classmates: a shared drive to make a difference. “I was very impressed with the students I met, from those who just graduated to people my age with years of experience,” she said. “There’s something about nonprofit management students—they really want to help.”
A standout experience was the capstone project course led by Tom Watson, in which she worked alongside a team to support a justice reform organization. Grace described the class as “collaborative, hands-on, and deeply meaningful,” and credits it for giving her real confidence in her ability to lead.
To broaden her perspective, she also enrolled in negotiation and finance courses through Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and cited Dr. Erwin DeLeon’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nonprofits and Philanthropy course as a key influence on her evolving leadership style.
“Every semester has been very interesting,” she reflected. “It’s opened my eyes to all the different areas of nonprofit.”
Philanthropy with Purpose
Grace’s journey through the Nonprofit Management program is a testament to the power of lifelong learning. She credits the experience with helping her transition from a primarily top-down role as a board member and fundraiser to a more hands-on, strategic approach to leadership. Now, she’s thinking globally.
Inspired by what she learned, Grace has several ideas on how to put her degree to work. Ideas for potential post-graduation ventures include a creative residency space for underserved youth and a micro-grant model based on community storytelling. “I'm thinking I want to work for an international humanitarian organization,” she added, citing her interest in underfunded sectors that affect displaced people and communities in crisis. “It’s just really too bad that they don’t get more funding and support … because then things could probably get solved much faster.”
For Grace and her family, Columbia represents more than just an academic institution; it’s a shared legacy, a launching pad, and a community that continues to shape their lives. Reflecting on her SPS experience, she echoed the words of former Columbia College Dean James Valentini: “It’s the greatest university in the greatest city in the world.”
Whether launching something new or joining an existing cause, Grace is guided by a clear ethos: “I want to do something good for somebody else. It’s just that simple.”
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.
Learn more about the program here. The program is available part-time, full-time, on-campus, and online.
