AUBURN, Ala. – One key metric that the international organization Nonprofit Academic Centers Council uses to measure effectiveness is the connectivity between an academic center and community stakeholders.

LSU Shreveport’s Institute for Nonprofit Administration and Research was lauded as a positive example of this connectivity at the NACC conference held in late July.

INAR executive director Dr. Heather Carpenter and INAR advisory board member Jeff Brasher presented to the conference on this topic.

Brasher, who is CEO of the Boy Scouts Norwela Council, is also an LSUS student pursuing a masters in nonprofit administration.

Brasher presented and Carpenter moderated a round table titled “Challenges and Opportunities for NACC Centers and Programs that Emphasize Community Engagement.”

He shared how he has helped INAR raise its visibility in the community. 

“It was a privilege and honor to attend the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council conference and present with Dr. Heather Carpenter,” Brasher said. “Having the opportunity to represent INAR and LSUS and share what they are doing in the nonprofit community was a tremendous experience. 

“I can say that both as a graduate student and INAR advisory board member, the institute does some amazing work and is a great resource for those in our field.”

Carpenter also presented in a session about the Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership Research in which she is a creditor of and in another session about conducting community research through Nonprofit Academic Centers.

"Participating in the NACC conference allows us to learn and share best practices with other nonprofit academic centers and programs across the United States,” Carpenter said. “This conference included keynote panelists discussing nonprofit academic programs and curriculum around the world." 

The NACC is an international membership association comprised of academic centers or programs at accredited colleges and universities focused on the study of nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations, voluntary action, and/or philanthropy. This organization serves as the accrediting body for master’s programs in nonprofit administration.

LSUS’s INAR is just one of four sustaining members in NACC, joining Auburn, Oregon and Texas A&M in making additional investment to the organization to ensure the vibrancy of the nonprofit academic centers community.

Brasher’s participation was made possible because of funds from the LSUS Office of Graduate Studies and the dean's office in the College of Arts and Sciences.