NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Beginning next fall, the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and the Center for Nonprofit Management will offer an annual tuition sponsorship to an area nonprofit executive to attend the Owen School’s Executive MBA (EMBA) program. Each sponsorship is valued at approximately $70,000.
The Vanderbilt/Center for Nonprofit Management Executive Program is open to executives and senior staff members of any Middle Tennessee 501(c)3 organization. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to serving in the nonprofit sector.
“This is an incredible opportunity for leaders of our nonprofit community,” said Lewis Lavine, president of the Center for Nonprofit Management. “I am excited about our collaboration with Vanderbilt to enable Middle Tennessee nonprofit leaders to receive a world-class management education.
“The Owen Executive MBA is a selective and academically rigorous program, and nonprofit leaders will benefit tremendously from the curriculum as well as the interaction with executives from many other industries,” Lavine added.
BusinessWeek magazine recently ranked the Owen EMBA program No. 24 in the world on its list of top programs and No. 3 in strategy.
“Nonprofit organizations play such a vital role in Middle Tennessee and contribute enormously to our quality of life,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee. “I can think of no better tribute to them and the important work they do every day than to enable this sector’s leaders to earn management degrees and put that education to use in serving the community.
“The leaders and staff of nonprofit organizations make many personal sacrifices to fulfill their missions. We are delighted to recognize their dedication and the contributions they make to society, and we are confident that this will be a investment in the future not only of these individuals but of the thousands others they serve in our region,” Gee added.
The first recipient will enroll in the two-year EMBA program in August 2006. Candidates will be required to submit an application, available online at www.cnm.org, and to provide academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, GMAT test scores and a personal statement by May 1, 2006.
A selection committee will interview finalists and make its announcement of the first sponsorship recipient the week of May 22, 2006.
Anyone interested in applying for the sponsorship is urged to attend an information session scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Nonprofit Management at 44 Vantage Way in Nashville.
The executive MBA degree takes 21 months to complete, with students taking 60 hours of curriculum. Students attend class on the Vanderbilt campus every other weekend, enabling them to continue in their full-time jobs. Classes are taught by the Owen School’s internationally recognized faculty.
The Center for Nonprofit Management is a nonprofit organization committed to helping Middle Tennessee nonprofits enhance their results by providing education, consulting, research, performance evaluation and recognition. Established almost 20 years ago, it has about 600 member agencies.
The Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University is ranked as a top institution by BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Financial Times and Forbes. For more news about Owen, visit www.owen.vanderbilt.edu.
Media contact: Susanne Hicks, (615) 322-NEWS
susanne.hicks@vanderbilt.edu