The Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Development (CNLD) is proud to announce that Dr. Cleopatra Charles, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark, represented Rutgers at the 2025 Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) Conference, hosted by the University of Maryland.
Dr. Charles delivered a talk titled “Establishing a Beacon for Change: The Journey of Launching the Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Development.” In her presentation, she shared the origin story of CNLD and highlighted the center’s mission to strengthen nonprofit leadership through education, research, and community partnerships.
Her session offered a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities of building an academic center focused on nonprofit leadership development. Key themes included:
- Institutional Alignment & Strategic Stakeholders – emphasizing the importance of collaboration across the university and with external supporters.
- Curriculum & Co-Curricular Integration – demonstrating how CNLD embeds nonprofit leadership training into academic programs.
- Faculty Research & Community Engagement – underscoring the Center’s commitment to bridging scholarship with practice.
- Navigating Resource Constraints – addressing the realities of launching and sustaining a new university-based initiative.
Her presentation reinforced CNLD’s growing role as a hub for advancing nonprofit scholarship and practice, while also creating opportunities for collaboration with peer institutions nationwide.
About CNLD
The Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Development (CNLD) is dedicated to strengthening New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and advancing scholarship on nonprofit management and philanthropy. Through research, education, and community partnerships, CNLD prepares students, practitioners, and organizations to lead with impact.