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Mission: To strengthen and inspire leaders of the social sector and their partners in business and government.

Jeong Bae wins 2006 University of Notre Dame Scholarship Essay Contest

December 1, 2006: NEW YORK-- Jeong Bae, Chief Operating Officer, Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute, was the winner of the 2006 University of Notre Dame Scholarship Essay Contest. Essays, expressing a personal viewpoint on the general subject of nonprofit management, were judged by a three-member panel of experts. Thomas Harvey, Director of the Master in Nonprofit Administration (MNA) Program at the Mendoza Business School, presented the scholarship at an alumni gathering on November 30, 2006.

Bae's winning entry, "Leadership Deficit is Imminent but can be Triumphed," examines leadership challenges the social sector and its nonprofit organizations are facing today, and offers viewpoints from within the nonprofit profession. "This essay was an opportunity to give a voice to young nonprofit leaders who are often unheard by the community," states Bae.

In the essay, Bae praises University of Notre Dame and several other organizations for tackling the leadership deficit problem in the social sector. "University of Notre Dame has really hit the sweet spot with the MNA Program. It is taught by a world-class full-time faculty and offered at a fraction of tuition charged by other universities." However, Bae strongly urges more nonprofit organizations to act before it is too late. "There's a very real risk that lives may be in jeopardy," writes Bae.

"The social sector has come a long way, but we are not there yet. In fact, there needs to be a complete transformation in ways we [nonprofits organizations] manage and govern ourselves," shares Bae. He thanked the Board of Governors of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute, and especially Frances Hesselbein for providing inspiration and encouragement. He hopes to continue the journey to serve the mission to "strengthen the leadership of the social sector."

Essay published as a "Point of View" in the New York Nonprofit Press, December 2006, Volume 5, Issue 11 is available at www.nynp.biz