Joe Lawless

Learning About Governance Through Nonprofit Board Service

Business educators have a responsibility to ensure that future managers, employees, and shareholders are well versed in governance. Governance provides a vital link between organizations and society, allowing people to place their trust in an organization, support its mission, and ensure a continuing flow of resources to accomplish the mission. This article discusses coursework in board governance that combines a 5-month internship on a community nonprofit board with academic class work on governance topics to create a unique learning opportunity. The course combines elements of internship, mentorship, and service learning with more traditional academic activities such as lectures, guest speakers, research, and analysis. Students gain greater awareness of the needs of the broader community and the challenges of serving them. The community gains from a growing pool of people with governance knowledge and skills who understand the value of community service.