Full-time MBA candidates are invited to apply for the fellowship in the fall quarter of their first year at Kellogg. Applications are managed entirely by the student leadership of the Kellogg Board Fellows Program, which hosts a variety of informational sessions for interested students prior to the application period; the student leadership is also available to answer questions via e-mail at: kbf-leadership@kellogg.northwestern.edu
A successful fellowship is one in which the board fellow gains insight into the challenges and rewards of nonprofit board governance and real world experience serving on a board of directors. In addition to the fellow, two primary partners play a critical role in the fellowship experience: the mentor and the CEO of the nonprofit. Below is a brief list of expectations for the fellow.
The Fellow should:
- Commit to and participate fully in the program.
- Attend board and committee meetings.
- Identify a project for the fellowship with the CEO and the mentor. The project(s) should be related to the board’s work, of value to the nonprofit and should use the fellow’s expertise to help advance the work of the board.
- Communicate regularly with the CEO and the mentor regarding board-related events, as well as Kellogg activities that will impact his/her availability (e.g., Kellogg exams, interviews, etc.).
- Maintain the same standards of confidentiality expected of all other board members.
- Participate in the academic portion of the program.
- Attend KBF Orientation session.
- Participate in the KBF Transition Breakfast at the end of May.
First Year
- October — Application and selection of fellows.
- February/March — Fellows take Nonprofit Board Governance course.
- February — Fellows interview a potential nonprofit host organization. Most often, these interviews result in the fellow opting to continue as a fellow at the host organization.
- April-June — Fellowship begins including:
- Board fellow is introduced at first Board meeting.
- A mentor from the board of directors is assigned.
- Transition breakfast is held in late May.
- The project or project area is identified before student leaves for summer internship.
Summer
Most fellows leave for summer internships and often need to participate via email and conference calls. Those who remain in Chicago often attend board meetings or board retreats.
Second Year
- Late September — Fellows return to school for fall quarter and begin actively participating with the host organization and nonprofit board of directors.
- September through June — Fellows take the Advanced Board Governance course to study best practices in board governance and learn how to be an effective board member.
Kellogg Board Fellows Campus Groups site
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