Nonprofit Professor Connects Current Students and Alumni Across the Globe through Fulbright Scholar Experience

Tara Kolar Bryan, Ph.D., associate professor within the UNO School of Public Administration, had never taught so many students from all over the world – literally. With a class full of students who hailed from the Czech Republic to the Ukraine, Turkey, Ghana, Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh, and more – Bryan was up for the experience of a lifetime.

Bryan is currently serving a one-year sabbatical in the Czech Republic teaching and researching at the Faculty of Economics and Administration at Masaryk University in Brno as a Fulbright Scholar. Bryan is accompanied by her husband and two daughters, and are loving their immersive experience within the Czech culture.

Bryan was drawn to the Czech Republic to gain a better understanding of the nonprofit (NGO) sector in post-communist countries where the sector is relatively young. In the fall, Bryan taught Nonprofit Culture and Practice in the U.S. Context, sharing “I wanted my students to get the opportunity to speak directly with nonprofit professionals in the U.S. so they could more deeply understand some of the course topics. I assigned students to interview a U.S. nonprofit professional. I provided them with interview questions, and I asked them to write a summary and reflection of their interview in the context of the course readings.”

And, to Bryan’s surprise, for many of her students, she was the first American they knew. Luckily, she knew just where to find accomplished and knowledgeable nonprofit professionals -- through her home base of former students within UNO’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) alumni.

Connections of Bryan’s from the UNO MPA Program were called upon to serve as interviewers for her latest course assignment. The results were impactful for all involved.

Here’s what one of Bryan’s students, Larrious-Lartey Henry, had to about their student experience conducting interviews of a nonprofit professional from the U.S.:

“It was an awesome time interacting with my respondent. My interviewee from the U.S. was Ms. Franecia Moore, the National Youth Programs Coordinator with the Common Cause organization. I was delighted to have such a personality that best fits the moment. My respondent did not only answer my questions promptly, but her answers were lively, insightful, and involving. The biggest takeaways from the interaction with my respondent showed me a clear picture which helped me appreciate some of the course topics.”

UNO’s MPA Alumni had similar reactions to their experience being interviewed by Bryan’s class:

Claire (Buddenberg) Hoff (MPA, 2016), Assistant Vice President of Research and Evaluation | Nebraska Children and Families Foundation shared:

I was surprised by how much I personally benefitted from this interview process. Questions were asked in such a way that made me reflect upon my own work and contributions to the sector from a different perspective, and revisit concepts I learned during my own graduate studies. The learning was truly mutual.

Cassandra (Brooks) Wright (MPA, 2019), Director of Programs | Wentcher Foundation shared:
I was incredibly impressed by the scholar I met, his professionalism, maturity, and thoughtfulness exhibited wisdom and a level of study well beyond his years.

It was wonderful to connect with a scholar abroad to learn more about their educational journey and their planned next steps for their education and career. I work as the Director of Programs for a Foundation focused on college scholarships and we were able to connect on the differences in higher education cost and funding sources, including how scholarships make higher education accessible in both the US and the Czech Republic.

Melissa (Hayward) Desai (MPA, 2018), Project Management Specialist, Monitoring and Evaluation | Peace and Democratic Governance Office, USAID Nigeria shared:
I was so humbled by his enthusiasm, and by his interest to learn from me and from my experience. It was such a gift to share parts of our journey, and to understand our motivations in entering the public sector space. I left our interview feeling affirmed and encouraged!

Having the opportunity to connect current students and alumni was just one of the many memories Bryan is creating as she continues her sabbatical in the Czech Republic. She is motivated to “incorporate more comparative and international perspectives into my courses.”

The sheer privilege to connect professionals and students to one another from across the globe motivates Bryan to continue pursuing her passion of teaching and inspiring professionals to explore the nonprofit sector both in Omaha and abroad.