Review & Highlights

Nonprofit Executive Leadership Forum

April 1, 2026

Purdue University

Advancing Partnerships: Strengthening Connections for Community Impact

On April 1, the Office of Engagement at Purdue hosted more than 50 nonprofit leaders for the 2026 Nonprofit Executive Leadership Forum. Now in its second year, the Forum continues to grow as a space intentionally designed to strengthen relationships between campus and community.

This year’s Forum highlighted presenters and panelists representing nonprofit organization partners, Purdue faculty, staff, and student groups. Together, they offered real examples of partnerships between Purdue courses, students, and local nonprofits. The Forum welcomed both returning participants and new organizations.

Bringing so many nonprofit leaders together in one room is truly inspiring. Being able to highlight the many ways Purdue University can collaborate with these organizations to maximize impact for families in our community makes it even more meaningful.

– Lindsay Mputubwele, Transformed Birth Services

64+

Changemakers in Attendance

42+

Nonprofit Organizations Represented

11

Purdue Collaborators Highlighted

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Forum Highlights and Recap

Throughout the afternoon, attendees engaged in discussions, presentations, and interactive networking to gain a firsthand look at how partnerships between nonprofits and Purdue can address real challenges and create new opportunities.

The format gave people the chance to move around, start conversations, and find common ground with others doing similar work. This was not just about sharing information—it was about creating space for people to connect, learn about available resources, and start conversations that could lead to something more.

Participants were encouraged to think beyond one-time interactions and consider what it looks like to build partnerships that grow over time and create lasting impact.

In Fall of 2025, we partnered with Susan Woods and her ENTR 481 class for a semester-long engagement with four outstanding students. Their work focused on marketing, increasing awareness, and strengthening both donor and community engagement. As a result, we’ve seen measurable growth in our social presence, including an increase in followers.

– Cory Shively, Cars for Keeps

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Collaboration and New Connections

Just as important as the formal sessions were the connections happening throughout the room. Attendees shared stories, exchanged ideas, and explored shared priorities—each conversation a seed for future collaboration.

By prioritizing relationship-building alongside resource-sharing, the Forum reinforced a simple but powerful idea: meaningful change happens when campus and community work side by side over the long term.

Spending intentional time learning about Purdue’s service-learning opportunities was both informative and inspiring. Hearing about the wide range of meaningful connections that can be made between student leaders and community nonprofits opened the door to new possibilities for deeper, more impactful collaboration.

– Jennifer Layton, CEO, LTHC Homeless Services

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Meet the Panelists

Lindsay Mputubwele

Founder, Transformed Birth Services. Transformed Birth Services is dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes and building stronger support systems for families across the region.

Cory Shively

Founder, Cars for Keeps. Cars for Keeps addresses transportation barriers by providing reliable vehicles to individuals and families in need.

Susan Woods

Senior Lecturer, Daniels School of Business, Purdue University. Susan Woods teaches the ENTR 481 capstone course, where student teams partner with local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Through this hands-on experience, students provide objective, outside analysis of real-world challenges, delivering actionable recommendations and strategic plans that organizations can implement to strengthen and improve their operations.

Keya Jadhav

ENTR 481 Capstone Course & Project Participant. Keya shared a student perspective on how the capstone partnership translated classroom learning into real outcomes for a community organization.

Umar Yasser

ENTR 481 Capstone Course & Project Participant. Umar reflected on the value of working alongside nonprofit leaders and the lasting impact of applied, team-based consulting projects.

Meet the Presenters

Nicole McCabe

Career Services Consultant, Purdue University. Nicole manages the Federal Work-Study Program, which enables nonprofits to hire Purdue student workers at a significantly reduced cost. The program helps organizations access staffing support while creating meaningful, career-building opportunities for students.

Lt. Sarah Clark

Purdue University Police Department. Lt. Clark coordinates civilian safety training and building security assessments within the Crime Prevention Division. Her team provides these services to the community at no cost, enabling nonprofits to enhance safety practices and offer critical training for staff and volunteers.

Cara Cray

Associate Director of Student Support, Daniels School of Business, Purdue University. Cara oversees 39 student organizations within the Daniels School of Business, supporting student leaders in creating meaningful community impact through their shared interests.

Lupe Valtierra

Community Development Educator, Purdue Extension. Lupe works through Purdue Extension to provide resources for non-formal education, technical assistance, and specialized training. His work supports nonprofits in strengthening board leadership, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and improving grant writing capacity.

BAIM Association

Chloe Riggs, VP of Corporate Projects & Anisha Nanda, Project Manager. BAIM Association students lead teams that transform messy, unstructured datasets into clean, reliable models and actionable recommendations.

Purdue 180 Degree Consulting

Sebastian Accetta, President & Anika Gandhi. Purdue 180 Degree Consulting helps nonprofits maximize their impact through providing strategic support in areas like organizational efficiency, marketing, and technical implementation.

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Looking Ahead

As the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Forum continues to grow, the Office of Engagement remains committed to expanding opportunities for collaboration, connection, and shared learning. Each year, the Forum builds on the partnerships already in motion—deepening ties with returning organizations while opening doors for new ones to join the conversation.

By investing in this work over the long term, Purdue University aims to sustain a space where nonprofit leaders, faculty, staff, and students can co-create solutions that strengthen the region.

Our nonprofit partners are vital to strong communities. Supporting them is not separate from Purdue’s mission—it is central to it, and a big part of what makes this a place people want to call home.

– Lisa Duncan