Four students in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management’s Scholars on Board Program will present their experiences from serving on the board during a symposium Tuesday, May 19, from 8-9:30 a.m. in Bowerman Heritage Hall in the Bowerman Family Center at University of Oregon.

This year, sixteen graduate students have enrolled in the board governance program, with each spending a minimum of nine months serving on a regional nonprofit board of directors. The students’ projects range from redesigning board practices to leading strategic planning retreats.

In addition to their board service, scholars also enroll in a Nonprofit Board Governance class with Instructor Diane Lang. In this class, students review relevant board governance literature and discuss the features of a highly effective nonprofit board. The experience provides them with the opportunity to reflect on the relevance and application of the literature and share their knowledge gained through experience with their classmates.

Also during the symposium, Lang will speak about her experience working with the students. Afterward, a facilitated discussion will take place among the guests. The program will close with remarks from a representative from Pacific Continental Bank and a presentation of certificates to all of the board governance scholars.

Guests at the symposium will include all graduate students enrolled in program, representatives from their respective nonprofit organizations, and distinguished invitees from Pacific Continental Bank, the Oregon Community Foundation, and the University of Oregon. 

The Scholars on Board Program has been made possible for the past nine years through the generous sponsorship of Pacific Continental Bank. To date, PCB has donated more than $100,000 to this program, which assists the greater Eugene and Portland communities in prioritizing the development of future nonprofit leaders.