Setting The Scene

Welcome to the exclusive watch party of Nonprofit Management at SRU -- 25 years in the making! Dozens of scripts, hundreds of actors, and thousands of scenes have made this production possible. Please help us piece together the scenes and properly document 25 years of making a difference while making a living through the nonprofit initiatives at SRU.

The story begins in Auburn, Illinois in 1979 with Kids That Care which came onto the Slippery Rock University scene in 1988 followed by its premier in 6 Butler County school districts by 1990. The Kids That Care remake at SRU led to reels of programming including the Center for Rural School Partnerships, the Community Service-Learning Institute (CSLI), Care Break, the Connector Corps AmeriCorps programs, the I CARE House, the Institute for Community, Service-Learning and Nonprofit Leadership, the Student Nonprofit Alliance, Sigma Nu Alpha honorary, the PNPM Advisory Council, and, most recently, the Department of Nonprofit Management, Empowerment and Diversity Studies. In 1994, an introduction to nonprofit leadership course was added to the marque followed by approval of a minor in 1995, a concentration in nonprofit management in 2009 and current plans for a bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management with eyes on a graduate program in the future.

The story lines are varied -- heartwarming, humorous, heroic, human interest, inspirational and sometimes even sad. The scenes were shot in 18 states and 10 countries. The cast includes high school students, student aides, graduate assistants, AmeriCorps members, VISTAs, Care Break participants, Institute volunteers, donors, community partners, professional staff and faculty. Hundreds of actors have crafted their own sequels that are making a difference.

Between now and April, come back every first and third Monday of each month to tell us about your scenes, script, and stories. This memory blog will help us capture it all so that the story is complete.