Local nonprofit foundations and the Dillard College of Business Administration faculty and staff are coming together for the grand opening of the Center for Nonprofit Management and Leadership Feb. 1.

Sonia White, instructor and director of the center, said they want the center to become a learning lab for students going into the non-profit world. 

“The funders for the center wanted a place that was not only dedicated to supporting the local non-profit community but also supporting emerging non-profit leaders, like the students,” White said.

To complete the 15-hour minor, students have to take three core classes, and two additional electives.

“We are catering this minor to not only the business school but to the other departments such as education, the social sciences, and the fine arts, so that to me, is pretty exciting,” White said.

Since the nonprofit minor was approved a year ago, it has only taken about six months to get the center ready to open.

“This has actually been a fairly quick process, the minor came first and then the university moved forward with finding an instructor and about that time, they found out there was an opportunity to have a center for nonprofit management located on campus,” White said.

White said, the center hopes to be able to connect students in the nonprofit minor, with connections in the local community of non-profits.

“I hope to help students who have a personal interest in the non-profit world, and connect them with the centers in the Wichita Falls area, rather it be volunteering, doing research or maybe internships,” White said.

Marla Malone, assistant director of the center, has been involved in the nonprofit world for longer than a decade.

“I was director of operations at the other center for 11 years so when we closed that other center, the opportunity arose for this new one to come about and I jumped at the chance,” said Malone.

The center has multiple funders from nonprofit agencies around the community including Bridwell, Bryant Edwards, Fain, McCoy, Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation, and the Priddy Foundation.

Leslie Schaffner, president of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundations said having an extra level of training is valuable to the nonprofit community.

“Having a center on campus helps in many ways. Having experience and learning more about nonprofit is very valuable,” Schaffner said.

The Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation also helped to transition the center to the university.

“Working with all local nonprofits to bring the center to the campus makes for a stronger nonprofit community,” Schaffner said.