A Semester of Growth: Ethics, Engagement, and Leadership, Spring 2025

Editor's Note: Since 2018, The Patterson Foundation (TPF) has collaborated with Indiana University Indianapolis Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (LFSOP) through its Advancing Philanthropic Leadership initiative. Recognizing the value of academic and professional educational experiences offered by LFSOP, the Foundation is providing opportunities for its staff and consultants to enroll in LFSOP graduate and professional development courses through its Tuition/Fees Reimbursement Program. TPFers, including Lyndsey Smith, Carrie Miley, Alicia Exantus, Josephine Eisenberg, and Stacy Sternberg, are pushing beyond their respective professional and personal comfort levels and are successfully completing challenging LFSOP courses.

As this semester wraps up, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons learned in each of my courses. Even though I took three different classes, Ethics in Philanthropy, Volunteer Engagement, and Board Members as Leaders, it was interesting to see how they all ended up connecting. Each one offered a unique perspective, but together they painted a fuller picture of what it takes to lead and serve effectively in the nonprofit world.

Ethics in Philanthropy
This course pushed me to really think about the values behind giving and decision-making. It connected big-picture ideas with real-world situations and helped me strengthen my own ethical framework. One thing it really taught me is that just because we want to help doesn’t always mean our way is the right way. We have to take the time to understand the values and beliefs of the communities we’re trying to support. We talked a lot about empathy, character, and what it means to respect the many different ways people define the “public good.” It was challenging at times, but I was reminded that doing good work means thinking deeply about how we do it.

Volunteer Engagement
This class was all about people and how we connect with them, support them, and work alongside them. Volunteers play such a huge role in the nonprofit world, and this course really emphasized just how important it is to create meaningful experiences and relationships. From recruitment strategies to recognition, I walked away with a better understanding of what it takes to build a strong volunteer community.

Board Members as Leaders
This course gave me a new appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes in nonprofit leadership. We dug into governance, board-staff relationships, and what makes a board truly effective. It was eye-opening to learn how much impact thoughtful, engaged board members can have on an organization’s success and long-term vision.

While each of these classes brought something different to the table, they’re all connected. Ethics, volunteer engagement, and board leadership each play a key role in the nonprofit sector, and when they work together, they help build strong, mission-driven organizations that truly make a difference.