Advice you would give to future applicants : Come ready to be fully present, especially during the in-person convening. Those three days on Penn’s campus are where the program truly comes alive. Take full advantage of the time with your world-class instructors and invest in getting to know your peers. This community is extraordinary precisely because everyone in it has made a deliberate, intentional choice to pursue social impact, from all kinds of backgrounds, sectors, and corners of the world. The learning that happens between people in that room is just as powerful as anything in the curriculum. Don’t leave any of it on the table.
How did the pathway from your Executive program to your Master’s program benefit your success in the NPL program? I’m graduating from the NPL program this August, and I can say without hesitation that the executive program laid the foundation for everything that followed. The NPL program has given me rigorous training in areas such as impact measurement, fundraising, philanthropy, and marketing for social impact.
Beyond the academic preparation, the executive program gave me a strong sense of belonging within the Penn community. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice has become far more than a place where I earned credentials; it is a true community of practice. The relationships, collaborative spirit, and shared commitment to social change that I first experienced in SIS continued throughout the NPL program and have deeply enriched both my personal and professional growth.
Thank you Cindy! If you are interested in learning more about CSIS Executive Program check out our website and stay tuned for news about our 2027 cohorts! Also, SIS graduates are eligible to apply to the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL) in an accelerated, on-campus, or online format. The NPL program is a ten-credit master’s program; SIS Alumni must complete six credits to graduate.