Board Fellows Program
The Board Fellows Program places Foster MBA and Evans MPA students as non-voting board members of local nonprofit organizations. With 75+ graduate students and over 2.5 million people impacted annually, this is one of the largest Board Fellows Programs in the country and serves nonprofits throughout Washington, California, and New York.
What to Expect
Students develop board leadership skills through three channels:
Board Service
Students attend regularly scheduled meetings of the board (generally monthly) from September to May and actively participate in one board committee. Students are non-voting board members but are encouraged to participate in discussions and share their unique knowledge and perspectives.
Board Project
Each board will be assigned two student board fellows, and together, the students will complete a board-level project for their nonprofit. Students work with their board mentor to identify a project important to the board of directors, use the fellows’ skills, and further the work of a board committee or the board.
Board Leadership Class Webinars
The Board Leadership Class Webinar assists the student in maximizing their learning by matching best-practice frameworks they apply through their board service. Among topics covered are:
- The fundamental responsibilities of board members
- The challenges faced by board members during these present times
- The ways boards shape the organization’s strategic direction
- The ways that board members can strengthen their organization’s financial management and stability
- The strengths and limitations of various board governance structures
Why be a Board Fellow?
Seeing your knowledge in action is one of the most important and rewarding experiences you can have as a student. No matter where you are in your educational career, the Board Fellows Program is a great way to use your business education to make a meaningful impact in our local communities. Here are some of the things you can look forward to during the program:
- Develop a solid foundation in board governance and professional consulting practices through board projects with nonprofits
- Build effective and creative skills for community leadership through board service and committee participation
- Make an impact that will be felt way beyond the time you serve on the nonprofit board through the work you do and the people you meet
- Earn credit to fulfill MBA/MPA electives
- Projects can be used for practical experience credits upon approval
Check out one of our prerecorded information sessions for more details about the program.
Application Timeline and Notification Dates
The Foster Board Fellows Program offers one per year—each fall.
| DATE | EVENT | AUDIENCES |
| April 7, 2025 & April 16, 2025 | Host Information Sessions (In-Person & Virtual) | MBA Students |
| April 21 – May 22, 2025 | Board Fellows application period opens | MBA Students |
| May 25, 2025 | Application Deadline | MBA Students |
| Sept 25, 2025 | Virtual Pre-Kickoff Meeting Training | CBDC & Nonprofits |
| Sept 26, 2025 | In-Person Bootcamp | CBDC & Nonprofits |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Interview/Matching Day | CBDC, Board Fellows candidates & nonprofits |
| Nov 5, 2025 | Nonprofits select students for interviews | Nonprofits |
| Nov 7– Nov 11, 2025 | Students notified if selected for interviews | CBDC, Board Fellows candidates & Nonprofits |
| Nov 13, 2025 | Interview schedule is available | CBDC, 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 | CBDC |
| Nov 21, 2025 | Deadline for Board Fellows to accept offers | Board Fellows candidates |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Program Kick-Off Event (In-Person Event) | CBDC, Board Fellows candidates & Nonprofits |
Eligibility
Board Fellows Program is available to students completing their second or third year of studying, including full-time MBA, evening MBA, hybrid MBA, TMMBA, and MPA..
The 2025-2026 Board Fellows Program opens to the Class of 2026 (2-year programs) and 2027 (3-year programs)..
The application will be open on September, 26, 2025.
Application Requirements
- Complete an online application
- Complete a short essay question
- Resume
Matching Process
Questions?
CONTACT
Vy Nguyen, [email protected], (206) 543-3681
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 small BIPOC businesses to gain access to business 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 BIPOC 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 2024
- Instructor: Michelle Purnell-Hepburn
- Location: PCAR 393
- Credits: 4 (Practical Experience Credit)
Our next application cycle begins in Fall 2025. Stay tuned for updates!
Contact
Wil Tutol | [email protected]
Ascend
Ascend will help SEDI-owned businesses by growing 400 businesses above $1M in annual revenue, 75 grow beyond $5M, and 25 businesses beyond $10M.
Ascend MBA Fellowship
Eager to gain hands-on experience while making an impact? This opportunity will allow you to apply your classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, collaborate with industry experts, and make a tangible impact. If you’re ready to elevate your consulting skills and grow your professional network, this is the perfect opportunity for you!
Ascend Fellows will work with Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual (SEDI) owned businesses during the 2024-2025 Winter Quarter. Each MBA Ascend Fellow will work with 1 company and complete a consulting project during Winter Quarter 2025
Who is this for?
- Evening MBA (may opt for credit)
- Full-time MBA (may opt for credit)
What You’ll Gain from This Opportunity
- Collaborate with C-suite leaders to develop and implement solutions for operations, financial management, supply chain, technology, and marketing challenges. This experience will enhance your strategic and analytical skills, helping SEDI-owned businesses achieve measurable improvements. You’ll also be paired with experienced business entrepreneurs who support these businesses.
- Gain hands-on experience by analyzing issues, interviewing staff, formulating recommendations, or implementing leading practice solutions.
- Apply a ‘business first lens’ to address functional and industry topics, shaping strategic agendas, driving enterprise transformations, and delivering innovative solutions to clients. Embrace the challenge of tackling a variety of business, technological, and organizational issues.
- Develop your ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team setting.
At the End of the Program You Will
- Receive Critical Constructive Feedback
- Students will receive comprehensive feedback on their work, providing valuable insights into their strengths and areas for improvement.
- Complete an Oral Presentation + Submit Deliverables.
- Students must conduct an oral presentation summarizing their work and any deliverables completed through their project with business stakeholders.
Qualifications
- A critical thinker, tech-savvy innovator, entrepreneur, and purpose-driven leader who thrives in ambiguity and enjoys working in a team environment.
- Strong written and oral communication skills and professionalism with co-workers and customers.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, spelling, grammatical and proofreading abilities.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Outlook) and other presentation/ analysis tools.
- Able to meet deadlines.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or at any time.
- Program can be done remotely, with in-person events on campus.
Application Timeline and Notification Dates
The application has now closed for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Apply
The application for the 2024 – 2025 AY is now closed. Check back next Fall 2025 for program updates.
Contact
Mayte Manzo | [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.