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For more information regarding the articles posted, please contact
Breck Knauft, Director of Development at breckk@woodbury-college.edu

Even if you're familiar with Woodbury College, you'll find new and exciting developments posted here and in our Woodbury Perspectives newsletter.

March 3, 2008

FREE PRESENTATION ON NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP BY AUTHOR AND EXPERT SHIRLEY SAGAWA, MARCH 13

MARLBORO, VT – Author Shirley Sagawa will be at Burlington’s Main Street Landing on Thursday March 13 for a free presentation on effective nonprofit management, starting at 7:00 pm in the Great Room.

Newsweek magazine has called Sagawa a "Woman to Watch in the 21st Century.” Her lecture, “The Charismatic Organization: How Effective Nonprofits Build and Benefit from Strong Communities,” discusses the important roles that nonprofits play in building social capital and the economy, and the characteristics of effective nonprofit leaders.

Woodbury College and the Marlboro College Graduate Center are sponsoring this event in conjunction with the Main Street Landing. Ms. Sagawa will be teaching a workshop on Effective Leadership this spring for a Nonprofit Management Certification course jointly offered by the two Vermont-based institutions.

Sagawa has served as a presidential appointee in both the first Bush and Clinton Administrations. As Deputy Chief of Staff to First Lady Hillary Clinton, she helped organize the first-ever White House Conference on Philanthropy. Her award-winning book, “Common Interest, Common Good:
Creating Value through Business and Social Sector Partnerships” (with co-author Eli Segal, Harvard Business School Press) describes how business and social sector organizations can collaborate for mutual gain. Her new book, “The Charismatic Organization: Eight Ways to Grow a Nonprofit that Builds Buzz, Delights Donors, and Energizes Employees,”
is scheduled for publication by Jossey-Bass this fall.

Marlboro College and Woodbury College have received over $80,000 in grants and individual donations to start their Nonprofit Management Certification program. Granting organizations include the Workforce Education and Training Fund (WETF), which is a division of the Vermont Department of Labor, anonymous donors and the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, which recently launched a new program to provide funds for nonprofit employee education and professional development.

Vermont’s nonprofit sector comprises nearly 11 percent of the state’s economic activity and employs over 12 percent of the workforce. After the Vermont Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (VANPO) ceased operations, the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) led a series of meetings to discuss the unmet needs of the nonprofit sector. As a result of these meetings, VCF stepped up its efforts to meet some of the networking and information needs by acting as a clearinghouse for donors and to publicize training efforts, while the need for more training is being filled by the Marlboro-Woodbury collaboration.

The Marlboro College Graduate Center is located at 28 Vernon Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. For more information, contact the Marlboro College Public Relations department at 802-251-7644 or pr@marlboro.edu.
For information about Woodbury College, please contact Jessie Lynn at 802-229-0516, x245 or jessiel@woodbury-college.edu.

Celebrating its 60th commencement in 2008, Marlboro College offers undergraduate education in the liberal arts and, since 1997, career-enhancing degree programs to working adults at the Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro, Vermont. Programs include management of information systems and technologies, healthcare administration, Internet engineering and an MBA in Managing for Sustainability.

Woodbury College offers Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as Certificate programs. Woodbury offers a challenging and supportive learning environment for students to prepare for fulfilling new careers in the fields of mediation, law, advocacy and conflict management.

January 31, 2008

VERMONT COLLEGES JOIN FORCES TO OFFER NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE
- Marlboro and Woodbury awarded over $80,000 in grants to develop joint program

Marlboro, VT – Organizations in the state of Vermont are combining resources to help those who help others by offering a nonprofit management certification course. Starting in March, 48 students will assemble at either the Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro or at Montpelier’s Woodbury College for ten in-person sessions supplemented by an online component.

Each workshop will focus on an aspect of nonprofit operation, including effective leadership, understanding boards, human resources and conflict resolution, financial management, fundraising and marketing, and strategic planning and evaluation. Over $80,000 in grants have been awarded to Marlboro College and Woodbury College to recruit faculty, develop a curriculum and obtain the necessary materials to create a program that will help leaders of Vermont’s nonprofit organization to better serve the needs of their respective constituencies. With the nonprofit sector comprising nearly 11 percent of the state’s economic activity and employing over 12 percent of the workforce, Marlboro College president Ellen McCulloch-Lovell says it was only natural that the Marlboro College Graduate Center -- known for providing continuing education for adults in several facets of business management -- would want to be involved.

“The health of Vermont’s nonprofits is vital to the health of the statewide economy. We are grateful for the generous support we’ve received to develop this program and the enthusiasm generated by both the faculty and incoming students,” said McCulloch-Lovell. Woodbury and Marlboro’s long-standing commitment to adult education make them strong and logical partners in this endeavor. Woodbury’s president, Larry Mandell believes that career-oriented adult colleges like Marlboro and Woodbury are best equipped to work with the leaders of Vermont’s nonprofits. “Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in Vermont communities. Helping the leaders or future leaders of these organizations strengthen their skills is at the heart of Woodbury College’s mission to help create a healthy, just and democratic society.”

Granting organizations include the Workforce Education and Training Fund (WETF), which is a division of the Vermont Department of Labor, an anonymous donor and the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, which recently launched a new program to provide funds for nonprofit employee education and professional development.

"TD Banknorth partners with many non-profit organizations across the state of Vermont. It is a highly competitive work environment, with thousands of non-profits competing for limited resources and funding," stated Philip R. Daniels, TD Banknorth President in Vermont. "Participation in this program will help non-profit organizations to strengthen their management skills and, in turn, enhance the services provided to our communities."

The grants have allowed the schools to cap tuition costs for in-state students at just $500. In addition, local chapters of the United Way are helping to further defray the costs. The Green Mountain United Way is offering eight scholarships of $250 for applicants who are members within the counties of Orange, Washington, Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans; while the United Way of Windham County is contributing $100 towards tuition for any of its members, as well as ten $250 scholarships, according to executive director Konstantin von Krusenstiern. "Helping nonprofits build capacity is central to United Way's mission.

This sort of professional training will have a tremendous impact on an organization’s ability to be more effective and efficient in serving the community,” said von Krusenstiern. After the Vermont Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (VANPO) ceased operations, the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) led a series of meetings to discuss the unmet needs of the nonprofit sector. As a result of these meetings, VCF stepped up its efforts to meet some of the networking and information needs by acting as a clearinghouse for donors and to publicize training efforts, while the need for more training is being filled by the Marlboro-Woodbury program. “The VCF supports the colleges’ nonprofit management training initiative as a way to strengthen community-based organizations and help them achieve in greater things for Vermont and Vermonters. Woodbury College and Marlboro College are perfect providers,” said VCF president and CEO, Brian Byrnes.

A complete schedule of workshops, course descriptions and faculty information can be found online at gradcenter.marlboro.edu/woodbury or www.woodbury-college.edu.

For information about the Marlboro College Graduate center part of the program, please contact the Marlboro College Public Relations office at 802-251-7644 or pr@marlboro.edu. For information about Woodbury College, please contact Jessie Lynn at 802-229-0516, x245 or jessiel@woodbury-college.edu.

Celebrating its 60th commencement in 2008, Marlboro College offers undergraduate education in the liberal arts and, since 1997, career-enhancing degree programs to working adults at the Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro, Vermont. Programs include management of information systems and technologies, healthcare administration, Internet engineering and an MBA in Managing for Sustainability.

Woodbury College offers Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as Certificate programs. Woodbury offers a challenging and supportive learning environment for students to prepare for fulfilling new careers in the fields of mediation, law, advocacy and conflict management.

January 16, 2008

Woodbury College Announces New Online, Practice-Based Paralegal Certificate

Montpelier , Vt. — Larry Mandell, President of Woodbury College, announced today the addition of a new online, practice-based paralegal certificate to the college’s curriculum, slated to start April 14. This new certificate is an extension of the College’s very popular paralegal certificate.

“Working adults have been coming to Woodbury’s programs to learn their way into better careers as paralegals and advocates,” says President Larry Mandell. “We continue to respond to the needs of adult students, while maintaining our mission to provide practice-based study and personal attention. Adding more and more online programs, while keeping our hands-on approach, is our response to their needs. It’s also what sets us apart in the marketplace.”

Woodbury’s online paralegal certificate is unique. As with all Woodbury programs, it will provide a competency- and practice-based approach, unusual for an online program. This hands-on approach to paralegal skill building is accomplished through an intensive online program of study that combines active learning and engaging discussion with actual practice of case problems that reflect those dealt with in the field.

This challenging new curriculum has been designed to help build essential skills and knowledge of law and the legal system, legal research, investigation, legal analysis, legal writing, and the legal profession and legal ethics. In addition, students will learn the substantive laws and procedural skills needed to prepare and manage a case through both civil and criminal litigation. From interviewing witnesses to fact investigation, researching and analyzing legal cases to drafting of legal documents, they will learn the skills necessary to successfully work as paralegals or to enhance their current career skill set.

Woodbury College is one of the oldest providers of paralegal training in the United States, offering programs continuously since 1975. The College’s highly respected paralegal program and long connection to the legal community means students learn law as it’s practiced and gain valuable contacts useful in helping them prepare for their careers.

Woodbury College introduced paralegal and mediator education to the state of Vermont in the 1970s. Their prevention program offered the nation’s only Bachelor’s degree in this subject. Two years ago, Woodbury launched the nation’s only fully accredited Master’s degree in mediation, which now has students from coast to coast. Last September, they launched an M.S. in Law, the nation’s only fully online program that focuses on managerial, human resource, elder and health law. The new online paralegal certificate continues that tradition in offering accessible and valuable law education to ordinary citizens.

December 17, 2007

Non-Profit Management Certificate to be offered this Spring!

Starting in early March, Woodbury College and Marlboro College will be offering a series of trainings in Montpelier and Brattleboro, Vermont, which will lead to a Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

The workshops will be held on ten Friday's between March and mid-June. The cost of the trainings is $500.

Workshop topics will include:

Effective leadership and Board Development
Human Resources
Conflict Resolution
Financial Management
Fundraising and Marketing
Strategic planning and Evaluation

These trainings are funded by a grant from the Workforce Education and Training Fund (WETF) through the Vermont Department of Labor. The WETF is one of three workforce development programs for which the 2007 Legislature appropriated funding.

Participants should be currently working in nonprofit organizations, either seeking a higher-level position or working in a management position. Information and dates of workshops will be available through both college websites at http://www.gradcenter.marlboro.edu and http://www.woodbury-college.edu in mid-January. Stay tuned for more details.

Contact the project coordinator, Jessie Lynn at jessiel@woodbury-college.edu for more information.

November 9, 2007

WOODBURY COLLEGE AND MARLBORO COLLEGE AWARDED GRANT
TO PROVIDE NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Montpelier , VT- Larry Mandell, President of Woodbury College, announced this week that Woodbury, in collaboration with Marlboro College, has been awarded $47,500 from the Workforce Education and Training Fund (WETF) to design and deliver a series of workshops that lead to a certificate in nonprofit management.

The WETF is one of three workforce development programs for which the 2007 Legislature appropriated funding. The purpose of the grants in the WETF is to support training that will improve the skills of Vermont workers who are unemployed, under-employed or at risk of becoming unemployed.

Woodbury College and Marlboro College are collaborating to specifically address the needs of the nonprofit sector in Vermont, by offering specialized leadership training to increase both the talent pool and the skill sets of workers and leaders in this sector.

The purpose of this new nonprofit management training program is to improve the capacity of Vermont's nonprofit organizations. The program will be delivered at reasonable cost through ten-day workshops spread over six months, each session available at Woodbury's Montpelier and Marlboro's Brattleboro campuses. The entire program will constitute a firm grounding in management and leadership issues and will respond to a need expressed by the nonprofit sector for more training and education.

There are over 2,700 tax-exempt organizations in Vermont supporting all sectors: education, youth, environment, economic development, human services of all kinds, agriculture, arts and culture, citizen action and a variety of causes. The state's nonprofit sector comprises nearly 11% of the economic activity in the state and employs over 12% of the workforce. Thousands of citizens are involved as board members and volunteers, as well as staff members.

From 1998 until 2006, the voluntary sector was served by the Vermont Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (VANPO), which attracted 400 members who received access to research, advocacy representation and member services, including training workshops and an annual conference. After VANPO ceased operations, the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) led a series of meetings to discuss the unmet needs of the nonprofit sector.

As a result of the recommendations made in these meetings, VCF has stepped up its efforts to meet some of the networking and informational needs by acting as a clearinghouse for donors and to publicize training efforts. The need for more training is being filled by Woodbury College and Marlboro College in their efforts to provide education for nonprofit leadership.

"Nonprofits already play vital roles in building strong communities by providing essential services, giving voice to the disenfranchised and ensuring that our democracy works for everyone. The VCF supports the colleges' nonprofit management training initiative as a way to strengthen community-based organizations and help them achieve even greater things for Vermont and Vermonters. Woodbury College and Marlboro College are perfect providers," said Brian Byrnes, President & CEO of The Vermont Community Foundation.

Paul Costello, Executive Director of Vermont Council on Rural Development expressed his support of the project, "I'm pleased that Woodbury College is developing a certificate of non-profit management. Since Vermont leads the nation in per capita non-profits, and they can play a lead role in both community and economic development in Vermont, this is a critical need. Leadership skills to support entrepreneurial non-profits and start-ups is particularly needed to build efficiencies and positive collaboration, and to help these organizations get the job done."

Workshop topics would include successful fundraising, financial and personnel management, conflict resolution, effective and efficient use of technology, advocacy for public policy issues and strategies in organizational leadership.

October 11, 2007

WOODBURY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES NEW ACADEMIC DEAN

Woodbury College President Larry Mandell announced this week that Susan Palmer, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, has accepted the new position of Academic Dean of the College. This new position is part of a series of recent developments at the college, including several recent hirings and program changes.

Mandell commented on Palmer’s promotion, “Susan brings her great collaborative leadership style to this work, along with her passion for Woodbury’s mission. We are very excited to have her in this new role, as it will strengthen the academic leadership at a pivotal time for the college.”

In this new role, Palmer will oversee all of Woodbury’s degree and certificate programs, both undergraduate and graduate. A large part of her role will involve developing plans and partnerships for new curricula.

Palmer has held several positions at Woodbury College.

Before becoming Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Woodbury in 2006, she was the Interim Academic Dean and the Director of Interdisciplinary Studies from 2003 to 2005. Palmer was also a former staff attorney in Vermont Legal Aid’s Poverty Law Project and an assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office.

Palmer earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Cornell Law School in 1996, and her Master’s Degree in English Literature from the University of Vermont. She earned her undergraduate degree from Middlebury College.

August 24, 2007

WOODBURY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES Pioneering Masters Degree in Law for Non-Lawyers

Larry Mandell, President of Woodbury College, announced today the addition of a new Master’s program to the college’s curriculum. Woodbury is introducing a Master of Science in Law degree, which will help non-law professionals to gain legal knowledge and skills to enhance their effectiveness and marketability.

Woodbury’s M.S. in Law will be the nation’s only fully online program that focuses on managerial, human resource, elder and health law. Most graduate programs in law are for lawyers, focusing on educating lawyers in specific areas of legal practice. Other programs for non-lawyers only focus on one area or do not offer the flexibility needed by working professionals by being entirely online.

“Adults have been coming to Woodbury’s programs to learn their way into better careers as paralegals and advocates, “ says President Larry Mandell. “This program expands on the current offerings of Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Certificate programs in pre-law, paralegal studies, advocacy, and prevention and the graduate programs in mediation.”

Woodbury College introduced paralegal and mediator education to the state of Vermont in the 1970s. Their prevention program still offers the nation’s only Bachelor’s degree in this subject. Two years ago, Woodbury launched the nation’s only fully accredited Master’s degree in mediation, which now has students from sea to shining sea, Washington state to Maine. This new offering continues that tradition in educating ordinary citizens to understand law and participate in democracy.

This new graduate program will educate professionals in a variety of fields to understand the legal dimensions of their work. The Woodbury M.S. in Law will orient managers, human resource workers, health professionals, educators and gerontologists with their day-to-day work. It will equip them with knowledge in the areas of contracts, employment law, the administrative and regulatory dimensions of their work, privacy and other constitutional issues and liability. They will learn to find and interpret the law affecting their activities, how to identify and handle situations with legal implications and how to keep legal problems from happening. All students will study conflict management to learn skills for preventing and resolving disputes that need not go to litigation and all develop their ethical thinking by recognizing the legal, moral and social implications of their professional decisions.

The M.S. in Law also has special value for foreign attorneys and foreign business executives who wish to understand the American legal system and work with it effectively and for paralegals who wish advanced training and an advanced degree.

Applications are being accepted now for the Fall start of all Woodbury College programs. The undergraduate majors in pre-law, paralegal studies, advocacy and prevention have a start date of September 14, and applications are welcome until September 7. The graduate mediation programs begin September 17 and the deadline is August 27. For the October start of the new MS in Law degree, there is a September 24 deadline. Information about all Woodbury College programs is available by visiting www. woodbury-college.edu or by calling 1-800-639-6039 for undergraduate and mediation programs or 1-866-441-0427 ext. 3517 for the M.S. in Law.