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.
Student Benefits
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-Level 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.
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.
Students must register and participate in MGMT 555 in both Fall and Winter Quarters as part of the Board Fellows program.
2026 Program Timeline and Dates
- Application: 2026-2027 Board Fellows Program | Student Application Link (to be announced)
- Student Application Deadline: April 24, 2026
- Selection Notification Sent: May 1, 2026
- Board Fellows Bootcamp: October 2, 2026
- In-person Networking & Interviews: October 30, 2026
- Match Process: October-November 2026
- Breakfast Kickoff and Match Announcement: December 4, 2026
- Board Fellow Service: January 2027-June 2027 (with the option to extend)
Questions?
CONTACT
Amina Bouayad| | [email protected]
The Power of Access: Borrowing for Growth for Small Entrepreneurial Firms (FIN 579 I/J)
Do you want to gain valuable career skills and expand your professional network through hands-on experience in financial consulting? Consider applying for our MBA lending course, The Power of Access: Borrowing for Growth for Small Entrepreneurial Firms (FIN 579 I/J) this spring.
Class Purpose: Engage our MBA students in working with small businesses to gain access to business loans. Teams of students will perform financial assessments, risk analyses, forecasts, and create loan packages for these businesses to submit to Commerce Bank for approval. In addition to helping businesses secure debt financing, students will learn how bias plays into gaps in access to capital.
What You’ll Learn:
- Conduct comprehensive financial assessments.
- Perform risk analysis 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 businesses to bridge the gap in access to capital.
- NO FINAL TEST
Course Details:
- Class Title: FIN 579 I/J
- Duration: Spring Quarter
- Instructor: Michelle Purnell-Hepburn
- Credits: 4 (Practical Experience Credit)
- Apply: Click on the Button below, fill out the form, and you will be added to the class.
Contact
Amadou Loum | [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 (CBDC) to make a difference with Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individually (SEDI)-owned businesses while strengthening business skills and rounding out the Foster academic experience.