The Boardroom Beyond the Classroom

By: Parth Handa 

The Art of the Possible 

In the quiet confines of a hospital room, a child’s world can feel small and lonely. Days are measured by medical routines, and the vibrant life outside the window can seem like a world away. Then, a teaching artist walks in, and everything changes. For an hour, that sterile room becomes a creative sanctuary (imagine a music studio, a writer’s desk, a painter’s easel). This is the magic of Snow City Arts, an organization with the mission to deliver one-on-one arts education to hospitalized children, restoring a measure of choice and self-expression when they're needed most. 

Gallery Night

I discovered this mission as a new board member through the Golub Capital Board Scholars Program. But my first true connection to their work wasn't in a board meeting; it was at their 2025 Gallery Night, surrounded by vibrant paintings and works of art created by the very children Snow City Arts serves. Seeing the immense talent and resilience captured on each canvas was a profound lesson in a different kind of value. The conversations that night weren’t about profit margins, but about the stories behind each piece and the immeasurable return of a child’s rediscovered voice.  

That night left me with a driving question: In a world obsessed with scale and speed, what does it take to move the needle on a mission like this? The Paradox on Purpose Street 

Many people think of the nonprofit sector as a well-intentioned but peripheral part of the economy. The reality is that the "third sector" is an economic powerhouse (driving 12.8M jobs contributing to ~10% of private workforce in US) and the last bastion of public trust, outpacing government, business, media and even the military. Society has increasingly relied on these organizations to solve our most intractable social problems. 

And that’s the paradox. The systems that should support them are dangerously unreliable, with a majority of leaders expecting significant negative impact from the ongoing federal funding changes. This has created a dangerous feedback loop: funding uncertainty leads to overworked staff, which cripples an organization's capacity to meet the very needs, causing the pressure.  

More Than a Seat at the Table 

Kellogg’s answer to this crisis is the Golub Capital Board Scholars Program, a form of experiential learning that places MBA students directly into the strategic heart of a nonprofit: the boardroom. Led by Professor Allison Henry, the program is deep dive into governance. Its philosophy is woven through three pillars: rigorous academic coursework, year-long service as a non-voting board member at a Chicago nonprofit, and a strategic project designed to ‘move the needle on the core mission’. 

This structure is focused on delivering strategic intervention. A resource-strapped nonprofit gains dedicated MBA talent to tackle complex problems, while students gain exposure to leadership that blends empathy and execution. 

The results speak for themselves. Board Fellow alumni are significantly more likely to serve on nonprofit boards, join sooner, and feel more prepared. 

A Different Kind of Bottom Line 

The lessons from the boardroom extend far beyond the nonprofit sector. The ability to listen, ask insightful questions, and align strategy with purpose are hallmarks of leadership in any field. It’s the acquisition of what I believe is the most underrated skill in modern leadership: organizational empathy. It's the ability to deeply understand the culture, motivations, and constraints of a mission-driven enterprise, a skill that's invaluable whether you're leading a nonprofit or a Fortune 500 company. 

The work of organizations like Snow City Arts represents the best of our community. I challenge you to think about your own journey. We are surrounded by opportunities to apply our skills to problems that matter. Find your boardroom. Find your mission. The experience will redefine your understanding of value.