about neXt
Nonprofit Excellence and Transformation (NExT) is a for-credit experiential learning fellowship. Using a community engagement model, students work in teams of 3-4 to address real-world problems as researchers and consultants for local nonprofits. Students from any major who are interested in learning more about the nonprofit world and/or students looking to bring Siena's social justice mission to life are a great fit for the NExT Fellowship!
WhY SHOULD YOU APPLY?
As a NExT Fellow, you will:
- Gain real world skills and experience from helping improve a local nonprofit organization and the Capital Region community.
- Engage with organizations in a consultant role, diving deep into the operations and finding ways to improve their capacity to help others.
- Practice and apply skills from your major and minor. We focus on policy research, program analysis, marketing and communications, and data analysis, which means we have a project for every major and area of interest.
- Gain tangible experience to highlight on your resume and in interviews! Each NExT Fellowship project concludes with a deliverable to the partner, and the work you do will materially impact the nonprofit.
Program Requirements:
NExT Fellows from any major and year may be a good fit for NExT. All students must be interviewed by the Assistant Director for NExT to ensure fit with the program.
Here are some expectations for the program:
- NExT Fellows receive 0-3 credits for their project work, and the credits may count toward elective credits or a Certificate in Community Development.
- The NExT Fellowship meets for a class on Wednesday nights from 6-8 pm, where you will learn community engagement skills, develop dialogue and leadership skills, and workshop your projects with other NExT teams.
- Serve mostly, or entirely, remotely for your non-profit partner.
- You may choose to participate for one semester or to continue in the program if you are interested in developing more skills!
- If you are interested in developing your community engagement skills, you may choose to continue in NExT to complete a Certificate in Community Development at Siena College.
NExT Fellow Publications
If you'd like to learn more about how our students and partner grow in our three pillars "Relationship, Leadership, Action" please read this article published in 2022 below!
Explore a student's first-hand account about how NExT, and community engagement in the program, helped bring meaning to a former Fellow's education at Siena.
| Current Projects | |
Bring on the Spectrum |
The Bring on the Spectrum team, which will run from fall 2025 through spring 2026, will investigate current job training opportunities for neurodivergent individuals and exploration of possible collaborations and /or new programs to develop pathways to employment here in the Capital Region. Fellows on the project will have the opportunity to not only research job training programs but also conduct interviews with parents and staff administrators to learn more about the gaps and opportunities. Students interested in research, education, and strategic planning would be great fits on this project! |
Siena's - Title IX project |
Siena's - Title IX project is working to address a critical gap in student understanding of healthy relationships. NExT Fellows working on this project are not only gathering insights from students to learn more about what students need to know about healthy relationships, which will help the team identify and create timely programming. Students interested in the topics of gender and sexuality, healthy relationships, and curriculum development would be great fits for the fall 2025 iteration of this project! |
The Joan Nicole Prince Home |
The Joan Nicole Prince Home project is an end of life care facility, which requires volunteers to support housekeeping, caretaking, and more. To support their efforts to expand their volunteer list, NExT Fellows are developing a marketing and social media strategy. Members on the team are students who are interested in health, marketing, and communication, but students who want to learn more about nonprofit management would also be great fits for the fall 2025 semester! |