Digital Commons Network^™

2009 Applied Projects Organizational Impact Report, Heather Carpenter, Paula Krist

USD Evaluation of Applied Learning Model in Nonprofit Leadership and Management Master's Program

Student learning outcomes and student satisfaction of nonprofit management graduate degree programs have received much attention recently from researchers. However, little research examines the community impact of such programs.

This paper reports findings from a community impact study of the Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at the University of San Diego. An extensive qualitative study was conducted to determine whether student-led applied projects conducted for nonprofit organizations had an impact on those organizations, and if so, to assess the type and duration of that impact. A key finding was that all organizations that were interviewed for the …

San Diego Natural History Museum Strategic Planning Project, Stephanie Delong, Maureen Guarcello, Anna Plaster, Jim Stone

Strategic Planning

In January 2009, a team of students from the University of San Diego’s (USD) Nonprofit Leadership and Management conducted a pre-planning exercise to help prepare the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDNHM) for its 2012-2022 strategic plan. With an annual attendance last year of more than 600,000 visitors, the Museum is one of the largest cultural institutions in Balboa Park. The consulting team engaged in an extensive discovery process, including a review of the Museum’s current strategic plan1 and preliminary key informant interviews. The results of this discovery process pointed towards a number of themes from which, three key strategic …