SCU Board Leadership Academy

Day 1

Breakfast (9:30 am – 10 am)

Session 1 (10 am – 12 pm): Mike Wallace (University Relations), Alison Benders (Mission & Ministry), and Shá Duncan Smith (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion)

• Introduction: Prospective board member orientation and introduction to the advisory and governing boards at Santa Clara University and our Jesuit educational tradition. This introduction will discuss the history, scope, diversity, significance, and responsibilities of the boards at SCU and our values and commitment to educating the whole person in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.

Lunch (12 pm – 1 pm)

Session 2 (1 pm – 3 pm): Danna Elneil (Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) and Markkula Center for Applied Ethics), Don Heider (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics), and Ann Skeet (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics)

• Board Roles and Responsibilities: This session will overview Silicon Valley’s Nonprofit Sector, as well as board roles and responsibilities – from governance basics to advisory roles and promising practices. Participants will learn more about the legal and ethical obligations of a governance or advisory board, roles and responsibilities of governance and advisory boards, the difference between the work of the board and the work of individual board members, the differences between board and staff functions and governance vs. management roles, assessing board culture, considerations for choosing a “good fit” organization, and promising practices of highly effective boards. Participants will also learn how to evaluate and contribute to ethical organizational cultures, and will leave with practical tips that will help new board members serve organizations more effectively.

Break (3 pm – 3:30 pm)

Session 3 (3:30 pm – 5:30 pm): Kay Sprinkel Grace (Principal at Transforming Philanthropy LLC)

• Fundraising Responsibilities: This session will emphasize the fundamental stewardship responsibility of board members to ensure that the organization whose board they are serving on has the resources necessary to fulfill its mission. Emphasis will be on the responsibility of board members in the area of relationship building and fundraising. Kay Sprinkel Grace, author of The AAA Way to Fundraising Success, will present her concept that board members need to be “Ambassadors, Advocates, and/or Askers” for their nonprofit organization.

 

Day 2

Breakfast (9:30 am – 10 am)

Session 4 (10 am – 12 pm): Guisselle Nuñez (Chief Marketing Officer at SFSU; SCU Board of Regents)

• Personal Branding: Guisselle will focus this workshop on building your personal brand through social media and other traditional outlets. Subjects covered include: personal branding, identifying techniques to build your personal brand, applying personal branding techniques to enhance your career and nonprofit development.

Lunch (12 pm – 1 pm)

Tour of SCDI Building (1 pm – 2 pm)

Session 5 (2 pm – 4 pm): SCU Board Members and Leadership

• Advisory Board Panel and Small Group Discussions: Prospective board members will hear from a panel of current SCU advisory board members and have an opportunity to ask questions about board service. The cohort will also be introduced to SCU deans, executive directors, and board members of SCU’s various advisory and governance boards, and engage in smaller group discussions led by SCU leaders and board members.

Break (4 pm – 4:30 pm)

Session 6 (4:30 pm – 6 pm reception, 6 pm – 8 pm dinner): SCU Board Members and Leadership

• Board Match Reception and Closing Dinner: Prospective board members will be invited to attend a board match reception with SCU leadership and board members to match prospective board member interests with the missions of SCU boards. Participants and their guest are then invited to attend a closing dinner with SCU leadership and current advisory board members.

SCU Board Leadership Academy Interest Form