June 27, 2002 | Read Time: 6 minutes
Kala M. Stroup has spent her career in academic circles, as professor, dean, college president, and, currently, Missouri’s commissioner of higher education. Her next challenge also involves education of a sort — informing the American nonprofit world about the little-known organization that she has agreed to head.
American Humanics, although founded more than five decades ago, is far from a household name, even among nonprofit groups. Established in 1948 to train Midwestern college students for careers as Boy Scout leaders, the group has since broadened its mission to preparing college students for careers in other youth and human-service charities as well.
The organization now operates programs on some 80 campuses around the country leading to a certificate in nonprofit management. Successful candidates must show mastery of skills and areas in which nonprofit managers should be competent, including communication, financial management, fund raising, and management of volunteers. In addition to their 180 hours of academic coursework, students also attend workshops and seminars taught by nonprofit officials and spend at least 300 hours as interns with nonprofit groups affiliated with the program, gaining practical experience working in the nonprofit world.
Among the program’s national affiliates are the American Red Cross, America’s Second Harvest, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Boy Scouts of America, Camp Fire USA, Catholic Charities, Easter Seals, Girl Scouts of the USA, Junior Achievement, March of Dimes, National Urban League, Special Olympics, United Way of America, Volunteers of America, and the YMCA of the USA. In a recent interview, Ms. Stroup (rhymes with “troop”) spoke with The Chronicle about her new position, which she assumes in September.
What most attracted you about taking a job leading American Humanics?
When I was president of Murray State University, American Humanics had only 10 programs nationwide. We had one of the 10, so we were on the front end of the academic alignment with the needs of the nonprofit sector. That was in the early 1980s. I was so impressed with an organization that was trying to link those nonprofits that actually employed college graduates with academic competencies, while also providing internships. So few programs at that time offered learning experiences such as internships that were related to what students were interested in.
Why do you think American Humanics still has such a low profile after 54 years –and what steps should be taken to make it better known?
It’s a best-kept secret. I don’t know why. If I had not had experience with the academic program at Murray State, I would not have even talked to that headhunter [who approached me about the job].
What do you see as the key challenge for American Humanics?
First of all, to draw attention to the organization. The national leaders of the nonprofit sector know about the organization, but we also need local providers to know about it so they can link with local colleges and universities to tie into these programs. We need to have this filter all the way through so these students have local opportunities for internships and local employment opportunities, and so that people like the American Red Cross and the United Ways at the local level have a way to link up with these programs.
How do current trends in the nonprofit world affect the way nonprofit leaders should be taught?
I will need to listen to leaders of the nonprofit sector talk about their satisfaction with the products. I really have not listened or been with them for about 10 to 12 years. I need to hear from them about what they feel is important and what they feel is lacking.
Is the nonprofit world getting its share of the best candidates coming out of college? Or does the perception that nonprofit work doesn’t pay very well hinder the recruiting process?
I know the economic factor is important. But my experience with college students is that there is a large number of students who are very interested in and driven by the idea of performing public service of some kind. They sometimes don’t know how to intersect that world; they have had good experiences at the Y, or Camp Fire USA, or the Girl Scouts, but sometimes they don’t know how to link with that world, and they may not see as much of a career ladder in those fields as in some others.
Their experience has usually been very localized as volunteers, so they don’t see the behind-the-scenes career ladder. But there are students who are drawn to all elements of public service. Pay is important, yes, but so is job satisfaction.
Have community-service requirements at many colleges affected enrollment in American Humanics?
My experience has been basically here in Missouri. We have service learning at many of our campuses. Thirty-two campuses have joined the Campus Compact [which promotes civic engagement]. The public-affairs programs, volunteer, and service-learning pieces have become more and more a part of the college scene. There’s also an entire group of nontraditional learners out there: people returning to college, individuals wanting to make a career change. Those individuals are important to draw in, too. They often don’t know how they can enter into some kind of program to retool, or bring their expertise to this sector.
American Humanics has expressed interest in increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of nonprofit leadership. What steps should be taken next?
One of the ways to do that is to affiliate with colleges and universities that have this historically as part of their mission, including institutions that serve large numbers of African-American, Native American, and Hispanic students. It’s important not only to show career-ladder opportunities but also to provide role models. Sometimes that involves using internships in college to attract people to your field; that’s often how students get acquainted with a nonprofit. Something like 70 percent of all college students who take internships end up being employed by the people they take them with, so those internships are very important.
What will you find most refreshing about moving from a government agency to a charity?
I believe there has been a renewed interest in public service. Many people think of public service in terms of the more obvious functions — like being a legislator. But a lot of very important work done in our country is done by these organizations. The community would not have had the quality of life it does without the Boy Scouts, Junior Achievement, the Y, Boys & Girls Clubs, and so on. Particularly among college students, there is a strong interest in service learning; I find that very refreshing and exciting.
ABOUT KALA M. STROUP, PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN HUMANICS
Education: Received her bachelor’s degree (in speech and drama), master’s degree (in psychology), and doctorate (in speech communication and human relations) from the University of Kansas.
Previous employment: Was an assistant professor of speech communication and human relations at the University of Kansas, where she subsequently was dean of women and assistant to the chancellor. She later was president of Murray State University, in Kentucky (1983-90), president of Southeast Missouri State University (1990-95), and Missouri’s commissioner of higher education (1995 to present).
Nonprofit affiliations: Ms. Stroup has a long association with the Boy Scouts of America, having served on its national executive board and professional development board. She helped establish the National Scouting Museum on the campus of Murray State University when she was the university president.
Book she was reading at the time of the interview: David McCollough’s John Adams.
