Board Fellows
Board Fellows places Foster MBA and Evans MPA students as non-voting board members with local nonprofit organizations. With more than 75 graduate students and over 2.5 million people impacted annually, it is one of the largest Board Fellows programs in the country, serving nonprofits throughout Washington.
What to Expect
Students develop board leadership skills through three channels:
Board Service
Students participate as non-voting members of a nonprofit’s board of directors throughout the Fellowship. They attend regularly scheduled board meetings, typically held monthly, and actively engage with one board committee. While they do not vote, Fellows bring their academic insights and professional perspectives to the board’s work and contribute to strategic decision-making.
Board Project
Each nonprofit will be assigned no more than two student Board Fellows who collaborate on a board-level project. Guided by a designated Board Mentor, the Fellow(s) identify a project that supports organizational priorities, leverages their academic and professional skills, and advances the work the board. The project provides students with a meaningful experience while delivering actionable value to the organization.
Board Leadership Class
The Board Leadership Class strengthens students’ board service experience by grounding their work in best-practice governance frameworks. The course helps Board Fellows connect what they learn in the class with what they will observe and practice in their Fellowship. Class topics may include:
- Core responsibilities of board members
- Current challenges facing nonprofit boards and how to navigate today’s dynamic operating environment
- Shaping organizational strategy through priority-setting and long-term planning
- Supporting financial stability through risk management and fiduciary responsibilities
- Strengths and limitations of different governance structures and how they influence board effectiveness
Why be a Board Fellow?
Seeing your knowledge in action is one of the most important and rewarding experiences you can have as a graduate student. No matter where you are in your educational journey, Board Fellows is a powerful way to apply academic training to real-world challenges and create a lasting impact in local communities. Here are some of the things you can look forward to during the program:
- Develop a strong foundation in board governance and consulting practices by working on board-level projects with nonprofits.
- Build effective and creative leadership skills through active participation in board meetings and committee work.
- Make a lasting community impact through meaningful projects and relationships that continue beyond the Fellowship.
- Earn academic credit toward MBA/MPA electives, with board-level projects eligible for practical experience credits upon approval
Application Timeline and Notification Dates
The Foster Board Fellows Program offers one per year—each fall.
| DATE | EVENT | AUDIENCES |
| Sept 26, 2025 | Board Fellows Application Opens | Board Fellows candidates |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Interview/Matching Day | Board Fellows candidates & nonprofits |
| Nov 5, 2025 | Nonprofits select students for interviews | Nonprofits |
| Nov 7– Nov 11, 2025 | Students notified if selected for interviews | Board Fellows candidates & Nonprofits |
| Nov 13, 2025 | Interview schedule is available | Board Fellows candidates & Nonprofits |
| Nov 14, 2025 | Deadline for rankings from nonprofits and students | Nonprofits & Board Fellows candidates |
| Nov 18, 2025 | Matches announced to nonprofits and students | Nonprofits & Board Fellows candidates |
| Nov 21, 2025 | Deadline for Board Fellows to accept offers | Board Fellows candidates |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Program Kick-Off Event (In-Person Event) | Board Fellows candidates & Nonprofits |
Eligibility
Board Fellows is available to graduate students completing their second or third year of their academic program, including full-time MBA, evening MBA, hybrid MBA, TMMBA, and MPA.
The application opens September, 26, 2025.
Application Requirements
- Complete an online application
- Complete a short essay question
- Resume
Matching Process
Questions?
CONTACT
Amina Bouayad| | [email protected]
The Power of Access: Impact Lending to Underserved Communities (FIN 579)
Do you want to gain valuable career skills? Expand your professional network through a unique opportunity for firsthand experience in financial consulting! Apply to our MBA Lending Course this winter, The Power of Access: Impact Lending to Underserved Communities (FIN 579 E/F)!
Class Purpose: Engage our MBA students in working with underserved businesses to gain access to loans. Teams of students will perform financial assessments, risk analyses, and forecasts and create loan packages for these businesses to submit to The Commerce Bank of Washington for approval. In addition to helping businesses secure debt financing, MBA students will learn how systemic bias can play into the gaps in access to capital.
What You’ll Learn:
- Conduct comprehensive financial assessments.
- Perform risk analyses and financial forecasts.
- Create a tailored loan document for underserved businesses.
- Collaborate with business owners to project their financing needs.
- Understand and address systemic biases in access to capital.
- Expand your professional network within the industry.
Course Highlights:
- Gain hands-on experience in financial consulting.
- Work in teams to develop a unique loan document.
- Submit loan document to The Commerce Bank for approval.
- Collaborate with BIPOC businesses to bridge the gap in access to capital.
- NO FINAL TEST
Course Details:
- Class Title: The Power of Access: Impact Lending to Underserved Communities (FIN 579 E/F)
- Duration: Winter Quarter
- Instructor: Michelle Purnell-Hepburn
- Credits: 4 (Practical Experience Credit)
Contact
Amadou Loum | [email protected]
MGMT 504: Ethical leadership
- Examines the ethical aspects of conducting business. Topics include ethical decision-making, the ethical aspects of leadership and culture, stakeholder management, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and corporate governance.
- Fall Quarter
- For 2nd year MBA Full-time students
- Students work in a team project to support a business in the Ascend National Cohort.
Contact
Prof. Elizabeth Umphress | [email protected]
MBA Student Scholarships
UW Foster School of Business MBA students can take advantage of financial support through the Consulting and Business Development Center to make a difference with multicultural businesses while strengthening business skills and rounding out the Foster academic experience.