This session will present the findings from a study conducted to determine how the decisions and actions of students based on the depth and breadth of participation in a student association impacts their perception of their own learning and leadership development in the area of nonprofit management. Dr. Julianne Gassman, Assistant Professor and Executive Director of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, and Angela Widner, Instructor and Assistant Director of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, both at the University of Northern Iowa

1. Leadership
Development
How a Student
Organization
Develops
Leadership Skills for
Careers in the
Nonprofit Sector

2. Introductions
Dr. Julianne Gassman
Associate Professor, University of Northern Iowa
Executive Director, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance
Angela Widner
Instructor, University of Northern Iowa
Assistant Director, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance
Poll Practice!

3. “Certified Nonprofit Professional”
(CNP)
Get Certified to Change the World
www.nonprofitleadershipalliance.org

4. The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, founded in 1948 as
American Humanics, is a national alliance of colleges,
universities and nonprofit organizations. We are the only
national organization certifying future and current nonprofit
managers and leaders according to nationally-validated
nonprofit sector workforce preparation standards.
Our students meet rigorous academic and experiential
requirements, preparing them for nonprofit sector
employment.
www.nonprofitleadershipalliance.org
The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance

6. NLA National Nonprofit Partners

7. Requirements
• Completion of 10 Nonprofit Competencies
• Nonprofit Internship – 300 Hours
• Leadership & Service Activities
• Bachelor's Degree
• AMI Attendance
www.nonprofitleadershipalliance.org
Earning the CNP Credential
(Certified Nonprofit Professional)

8. www.nonprofitleadershipalliance.org
Communication, Marketing & PR
Cultural Competency and Diversity
Financial Resource Development & Management
Foundations & Management of the Nonprofit Sector
Governance, Leadership & Advocacy
Legal & Ethical Decision Making
Personal & Professional Development
Program Development
Volunteer and Human Resource Management
Future of the Nonprofit Sector
The Key Competencies

9. Research Question
 How does involvement in the Nonprofit
Leadership Alliance Student Association
contribute to the learning and leadership
development of students?

10. Methodology
 Survey constructed in Survey Monkey
 N=743
 Reported Frequencies.
 Conducted a Kruskal Wallis H test and reported significance at the .05
level.
 Development of Competencies
 Number of Semesters Student Association
 Level of Involvement Activities
 Frequency of Meetings
 Conducted a Mann-Whitney U Post-Hoc test and reported significance
at the .0167 level.

11. Overview of Demographics
 78% Female
 40% Alumni, 25% Senior
 30% Nonprofit
Management Major,
12% Pub Ad & Social
Sciences
 Semesters Involved
 21% 2 and 4 semesters
 15% 1 semester
 16% 3 semesters
 Level of Involvement
 15% minimally
 45% average
 40% highest
 Frequencies of SA Meetings
 30% once a week
 30% 2x a month
 34% once a month

12.  Conducted a Kruskal Wallis H test and reported
significance at the .05 level.
 How the Development of Competencies are
influenced by involvement in the Student
Association associated with:
 Number of Semesters Involved
 Level of Involvement
 How Often Student Association Meets
 Conducted a Mann-Whitney U Post-Hoc test and
reported significance at the .0167 level.

13. Poll Time!
What do you think is the optimal number of
semesters a student should be involved in a
student organization to achieve the learning
objectives of that organization?

15. Major Findings
 Students involved at least 3 semesters report
association more helpful with development of
competencies (no significance between 4 & 5 semesters).
 Diversity competency no significance at 5+
semesters compared to 1-2 semesters.
 Employability Skills significant at all levels.

17. Major Findings
 Students involved on average level and at the
highest level all report student association more
helpful.
Poll Time!
 Diversity shows no significance at any level.
 Ethics and Values and Communication Skills only
significant from minimal/average to highest level of
involvement.
 Historical/Phil Foundation only significant from
minimal to average/highly involved.

18. Poll Time!
What do you think is the optimal frequency
for student organization meetings?

20. Major Findings
 Association meetings at least once a week more
helpful in the Development of Competencies
 No significance on
 Diversity,
 Financial Management,
 Youth/Adult Development,
 Career Development, and
 Communication skills.
 Employability skills significant at all levels.

21. So…
 For maximum development of competencies
students should be involved in their student
association for at least 3 semesters, and be highly
involved.
 In addition for maximum development of their
student’s competencies, faculty/staff should have
student association meetings at least once a
week.

22. Now what about what is happening
within the student organization?
 How are students involved in community
engagement within student organizations?
 How do community engagement activities
impact students’ experience and development?

23. Poll Time!
 What community engagement activities
are your students involved in?

24. Community Engagement and the
UNI Nonprofit Leadership Alliance
 Annual Giving Campaign
 Service Partnership
 Cedar Valley Nonprofit Awards Luncheon
 Advisory Board
 Case Studies
 Meet & Greet
 Nonprofit Explore-A-Ganza

25.  Conducted a Kruskal Wallis H test and reported
significance at the .05 level.
 How the Development of Competencies are
influenced due to Activities in the Student
Association are associated with:
 Number of Semesters Involved
 Level of Involvement
 How Often Student Association Meets
 Conducted a Mann-Whitney U Post-Hoc test and
reported significance at the .0167 level.

27.  Activities helpful to at least 3 semesters
(no significance between 4 & 5 semesters).
 Interaction with advisory board not significantly
helpful.
 Attending meetings only significant comparing 1-2
semesters and 5+ semesters.
Major Findings

29.  Students involved on average level and at the
highest level report student association activities
more helpful
 Letter-writing campaign significant from minimal to
average/highly involved
 Grantwriting and AMI only significant from
minimal/average to highly involved
Major Findings

31.  No real pattern between activities’ impact on
development of activities and frequency of
association meetings.
Major Findings

32. Pair and Share
 Why are we involved in community
engagement activities in higher eduation?
 What objectives are important to define for
community engagement activities?
 What are the most effective community
engagement activities in meeting those
objectives?
 How do you select the community
engagement activities that will be impactful
and enable us to achieve our objectives?

33. Future Research
 The primary purpose of the research is to analyze
the impact of student involvement in student
organizations on students’ development in core
competencies during their experience at the
University of Northern Iowa.
 Almost 400 responses