Is a separate application required for the Board Fellows
Program? ~ Show Answer
Acceptance into the Butler MBA program does not mean automatic
acceptance into the Board Fellows Program. You will find the
application on the MBA Board Fellows Program Web site. Submit your
completed application via email to bodonnel@butler.edu or print it
and mail it to:
Bill O'Donnell, MBA Program Director
College of Business
Butler University
4600 Sunset Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46208-3485
When can I apply to the Board Fellows program? Are there
any prerequisites? ~ Show Answer
MBA 510 and MBA 515 are prerequisites to participating in the
Board Fellows program. Applications are due November 22 of
each year. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by
December 22, with enough time to formally commit to the program
before classes begin in January.
Do I get to choose which nonprofit I work with?
~ Show
Answer
The applications contain several questions that will help to
match the accepted applicants with the nonprofit organizations. The
applicant will have the opportunity to share both interest in and
previous experience with nonprofit organizations in the
community.
Can I find my own nonprofit to bring to the
program? ~ Show Answer
There is always interest in establishing relationships with
nonprofits that are not currently in the program. However, just as
the students go through a rigorous screening process, the
organizations are scrutinized for the appropriateness of the fit
between the organization's needs and the program's purpose.
Organizations that might be interested in participating should be
referred to the MBA Board Fellows program website for information
and details concerning the application process.
Do Board Fellows Program participants get academic
credit for their service? ~ Show
Answer
Yes, Board Fellows will begin in January of each year.
Participants will enroll in MBA 594, Non-profit Board Management,
for two credit hours in the spring semester. During this first
semester, students will work with a team of instructors to develop
a foundation of knowledge for working with nonprofit boards.
Students will also meet with their organizations and begin
participation as a board member in an observation/nonvoting
capacity. Students will be given in incomplete in this course as
their work progresses through the summer and fall.
At the conclusion of the spring semester, students will be ready
to devote time and energy to their organizations, including
attending meetings, working on committees, helping with events,
etc. During the summer, students will craft a comprehensive project
to be done in conjunction with the organization/board leadership
and a Butler College of Business mentor.
The following fall semester, students will earn an additional
two credits for their board efforts by enrolling in a seminar
format course managed and prepared by the participants, MBA 594,
Non-profit Board Seminar. Participants are expected to complete and
present their comprehensive projects and to continue contact with
their organization/board and their Butler College of Business
mentor during this period. At the completion of the Non-profit
Board Seminar in December, the incomplete for the spring Non-profit
Board Management course will be removed and letter grades will be
assigned for both courses.
How do Board Fellows courses count in the
curriculum? ~ Show Answer
The spring MBA594 course, Non-profit Board Management, counts as
a leadership elective. The fall MBA 594 course, Non-profit Board
Seminar, may count as an elective toward any of the areas of
concentration (leadership, marketing, international business,
finance) depending on the nature of the project.
Do Board Fellow participants get paid a stipend for
their work? ~ Show Answer
No, Board Fellow participants will not be paid for their work
with the nonprofit organizations, similar to the practice of other
organization board members. This course is considered a learning
initiative and serves to establish both a new level of leadership
for the student but also a social commitment to the community by
Butler University. The participants are serving as volunteers to
the organizations and are receiving valuable learning and
experience in the process.
How many students will be assigned to each nonprofit
organization? ~ Show Answer
Each participating nonprofit organization will be assigned only
one Board Fellow participant.
How much time does a Board Fellow Program participant
put in? ~ Show Answer
During the spring and fall semesters in which students are
enrolled in MBA 594, students are expected to devote the same
amount of time that they would normally devote to a 2-credit
course. During the summer, students are expected to spend 5-10
hours per month in Board Fellow Program activities.
Can Butler alumni participate in the Board Fellows
Program? ~ Show Answer
At this time, alumni cannot participate in the Board Fellows
Program. Ideally, this program will expand to include several
partnering organizations and both current students as well as
alumni in the future.