From the Classroom to the Boardroom
Recent graduate Mitchell Moravac (MPA’20) has joined the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) making him the third NC State Master of Public Administration student or alum to serve on the YNPN board since 2017. Jack Ahern (MPA ‘17) recently completed his service to the YNPN board as the fundraising chair for the Triangle chapter, which is part of a national network of chapters that collectively engage and support future nonprofit leaders through professional development, networking, and social opportunities. The Triangle chapter includes over 2,900 members and fosters community through information sharing, networking events, and professional development.
“I jumped into this organization on the advice and motivation of the faculty in the MPA program, Moravac said, “and I’m already seeing the return on investment. I’m excited to become even more
connected to the nonprofit sector of the Triangle, to bring my best self to the board and to empower young nonprofit professionals.
Ahern agrees. He observed that working with the board of YNPN-Triangle gave him the opportunity to put everything he learned in his MPA program into practice. “It is rare for someone at this point in my career to have that level of responsibility at a nonprofit,” Jack said. “To further the mission of this incredible organization was an invaluable learning experience.”
Adrian Day (MPA ‘21) served on the YNPN board as treasurer from 2017-2019 and said it was one of the best decisions he made while in graduate school.
“As an MPA student, I wanted to apply what I was learning in the program to a real-world nonprofit. It was a great way to network and learn about all that the Triangle has to offer.”
Day, Ahern and Moravec have all been students in Associate Professor Amanda J. Stewart’s management of nonprofit organizations class where she teaches about board governance, nonprofit management, and leadership development. Stewart introduces the YNPN to all her students because, she explains, “it is a rarity to have a local network dedicated to the sector’s leadership development and it provides an opportunity for students to engage the MPA curriculum outside the classroom.”
The mission of the Masters of Public Administration program at NC State’s School of Public and International Affairs is to develop principled and skilled public service professionals who fulfill leadership roles within governmental and nonprofit organizations.
“I’m really proud of my students,” Dr. Stewart said, “I have followed their careers and they are to be commended for their willingness to serve, and to translate lessons from our classroom into their board service as YNN helps grow the next generation of nonprofit leaders for our state and the region.”
