Aiming to bridge classroom learning with real-world experience, the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) has launched a new Non-Resident Fellow Program, naming non-profit consultant, coach and team coach Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken to serve in the inaugural role.

“The goal is to import the perspective of people on the front lines of the subjects that we learn about and research every day. We want students to better understand how the material we cover in the classroom applies in the world beyond the classroom walls. We want faculty to hear practitioners’ perspectives on many of the topics we study, often in a more abstract way,” said political science professor Mark Nance.

“The goal is to import the perspective of people on the front lines of the subjects that we learn about and research every day.”

The program is also designed to enhance the school’s academic visibility, support practitioners in addressing global challenges and connect them with students and faculty. Nance and political science alumnus and SPIA advisory board member Andriy Shymonyak developed the program.

Through the program, fellows are selected by SPIA faculty for one-year terms, give a public talk, engage with students and faculty, and remain available remotely. Preference is given to candidates with writing or publication projects aligned with SPIA’s academic priorities.

“We selected Tosca because she has a range of experiences in the world of transnational NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and nonprofits, helping them achieve their missions,” said Nance. “We have a growing interest, especially among students in our Master of International Studies and Master of Public Administration programs, in careers with transnational NGOs seeking to effect change in the world.”

As the inaugural fellow, Bruno-van Vijfeijken brings 30 years of experience to the role. When visiting campus on Oct. 21-22, she will give a talk for the university and local community, meet with doctoral and graduate students as well as SPIA faculty, and speak in various classes. During her tenure, she will also offer virtual office hours throughout the year, available depending on demand, to provide research and career guidance. These interactions are designed to give students and faculty direct exposure to her expertise and mentorship.

Bruno-van Vijfeijken, who specializes in NGO and nonprofit organization development, is co-author of Between Power and Irrelevance: The Future of Transnational NGOs (Oxford University Press, 2020; second edition expected in 2026). One of her co-authors is Hans Peter Schmitz, Bob and Carol Mattocks Distinguished Professor in Nonprofit Leadership in SPIA. Bruno-van Vijfeijken had worked for years with Schmitz at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

That longstanding professional relationship is one reason Bruno-van Vijfeijken was attracted to the non-resident fellow program. She also said she felt comfortable with the nature of the role.

Her background includes 15 years of directing the Maxwell School’s Transnational NGO Initiative and teaching as an adjunct professor. While she began her career in the international development sector with the World Bank, United Nations, think tanks, INGOs, she later expanded her research, leadership development, team coaching and change management work to include national and local nonprofits and philanthropic organizations.

Bruno-van Vijfeijken is also passionate about mentoring young professionals. For her, the fellowship offers a chance to share her expertise in the NGO and nonprofit sector, while supporting the next generation of public service leaders.

“I aim to serve as a sounding board for SPIA colleagues and students on the evolving dynamics of our INGO and domestic nonprofit sectors—especially at a time of great change and challenge,” she added.

“I aim to serve as a sounding board for SPIA colleagues and students on the evolving dynamics of our INGO and domestic nonprofit sectors.”

Nance said the program fits into SPIA’s broader strategy to enhance its reputation and global engagement in several ways:

• Recognizing that the responsibility of a land-grant institution is to consider how our teaching and research improve life for the people of North Carolina and beyond.
• Highlighting the value of learning from practitioners to help students see how they can make a difference.
• Supporting faculty in shaping research and teaching to apply rigorous academic thinking to real-world problems.
• Providing fellows with time and space to reflect on issues they’re passionate about, engage with students, and receive feedback from faculty.

Asked what she hopes students and faculty will gain from the program, Bruno-van Vijfeijken said she wants to connect academic research with the work of nonprofit organizations and leaders. Practitioners, she explained, benefit from academic insights to improve their work, while students and faculty gain a more grounded understanding of how nonprofits operate in practice. 

 “I love the reverse mentoring that’s built into this program,” she added. “Mentoring goes both ways.”