Finding your social impact career at Chicago Booth
Rustandy Center Executive Director Caroline Grossman, '03, explains ways that Booth students can engage in social impact while pursuing an MBA.
Finding your social impact career at Chicago BoothWhat do you consider to be the primary role of a board member?
I think there are three main things that every board member should do.
What qualities make a board member effective?
Passion and dedication are two qualities that make the most effective board members. Passionate and engaged individuals are able to provide solutions and recommendations at board meetings. Dedication is also extremely important, since nonprofits may have significant time commitments. That passion and dedication can also influence others to contribute to the board.
As board chair, what do you expect your new board members to do during their first six months?
I would recommend doing three things first.
Do you have any advice for Booth alumni who are interested in joining a nonprofit board?
Make sure it is a cause you are passionate about and to which you can dedicate time. Then, do your research. In that same vein, determine how your specific skills and experience will benefit the organization. This is also a good time to think about what skills or qualities you want to develop by serving on the board. Once you’re on the board, be patient and understand the capabilities of the board and the organization. There will most likely be areas of opportunity for you to identify, assess, and prioritize. Don’t be afraid to leverage your business expertise, which can be extremely important in making decisions for the nonprofit.
Andrew Puente, ’05, is the director of global sourcing at the Dover Corporation. Puente also serves as board chair for the Center for Speech and Language Disorders, an organization he was matched with in 2013 through the Rustandy Center’s Alumni Board Connect program.
Rustandy Center Executive Director Caroline Grossman, '03, explains ways that Booth students can engage in social impact while pursuing an MBA.
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