The Kevin Kearns Endowed Student Resource Fund is currently accepting applications to fund student leadership development opportunities!
The Kevin Kearns Endowed Student Resource Fund, named in honor of our founding director, Dr. Kevin Kearns, was established to support students’ leadership development outside of the classroom. Small grants are available to GSPIA students who are associated with the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership or Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum through research, employment, or participation in programs.
These grants can be used to fund activities that develop the student's leadership or professional skills, on- or off-campus, including conferences, workshops, speaking engagements, and more.
Eligible students can apply for grant funding here.
Recipients will be asked to provide a short summary of the event and how it impacted their leadership development, as well as photos to share on social media.
Past Awardees:
2025
DaChanel Rutherford, a recent graduate of the Master of Public Administration program with a concentration in Public and Nonprofit Management, used support from the Kevin Kearns Endowed Student Resource Fund to pursue the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential. This national certification, offered through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, complements the leadership training DaChanel received through her coursework and experiential learning at the Johnson Institute. She is currently halfway through the CNP modules and is on track to complete the certification by early August 2025. The fund covered the cost of study materials and exam registration, allowing her to deepen her skills in nonprofit governance, fundraising, financial management, and program evaluation. This opportunity has further positioned her for senior-level leadership roles in the nonprofit sector and expanded her professional network beyond the classroom.
2023
Juliana Nike Ndaumanu Nike attended the 67th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women as the only Indonesian delegate for AISEC International, one of the largest youth-led nonprofits in the world. She participated, alongside several other GSPIA students, in over a week of presentations, discussions, and events with international leaders and advocates for women’s empowerment. Nike summarized her experience as follows:
“One remarkable saying, ‘if we can see it, we can be it,’ has lingered in my heart that every woman can be their most significant potential when they can see other women also doing their greatest passions. We women always support women. That is what we call empowerment.”