The Gift of Fresh Perspectives: How Student-Nonprofit Partnerships Multiply Communication Impact

It’s no secret that nonprofit communicators are time and resource strapped. According to the 2025 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report, the top challenge for nonprofit communicators, cited by 45% of respondents, is lack of time to produce quality content. The same report found that 76% of nonprofit communication teams do not expect to add staff in 2025, compounding this capacity gap as demand on communication teams continues to grow.

Capacity Gap Meets Experiential Learning Opportunity

One promising solution is partnering with college students, primarily Gen Z, on experiential learning projects, where they get to apply classroom concepts to real-world cases. Gen Z is already highly engaged with the nonprofit sector. In some shape or form, 84% support organizations, charities, or causes.

Students are also hungry for real-world experience. According to a recent Wiley higher education report, 81% of students feel it's important or very important for schools to offer real company-led projects, yet only 30% of instructors noted that their schools had these capabilities.

These dual gaps present a significant opportunity for nonprofit communication leaders to partner with students on meaningful experiential projects, while extending their capacity and gaining fresh perspectives from an already engaged audience.

This vision has been the cornerstone of a strategic communications capstone course we launched over a year ago at University Canada West. The impact on students, clients, and the community has been substantial and reiterates the need for wider adoption of this win-win model.

For communicators looking to explore this model further, here's how to get started, including project ideas and what to look for in an ideal student partnership.

Get the Buy in of Your Leadership Team

It’s great that you are championing this initiative, but you’ll want to run it by your team lead or executive director to ensure your time investment aligns with the organization’s immediate priorities. In addition to gaining their support, they can serve as a guide along the way as you clarify the scope of the project. Be upfront that while you may not have all the answers (this is also new for you). You will keep them posted and ultimately ensure the benefits outweigh the investment.

Define a Project Scope Based on Internal Needs and Goals

Now that you have the green light, it’s time to figure out the scope of the project based on the needs and goals of your organization. This step often requires collaboration with other teams such as fundraising and community engagement. Including these teams will ensure better integration and strategic alignment but may also help you recruit more champions for your project.

While it depends on the course you will engage in, communication projects generally fall into two broad categories:

• Communication Strategy and/or Planning: This is what we focus on in my capstone, where students work in groups to develop a strategic communications plan and presentation using this template. For instance:
• • In the past, we have collaborated with:
    • BCG Cochrane and Area to increase #GivingTuesday campaign donations and engagement.
    • The Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society to grow student engagement and memberships.
  • We’re currently working with the Moose Hide Campaign on a communications and outreach strategy to support the expansion of the We Are Medicine training program in post-secondary institutions across Canada.
• Digital Campaigns and Assets: This is when you have a clear strategy and need creative assets to support your brand or campaign plan. For instance, Arizona State University's Cronkite Agency offers clients a full range of integrated communication services including content development, paid and organic social media campaigns, and digital marketing work, all delivered by students serving real clients under faculty guidance.

As you gather ideas from your team, you may want to compile a project brief, like this. A brief captures the project goals, scope, and key details to clarify expectations and ensure alignment between the client and the students, a standard practice in consulting and agency work.

Research and Reach Out to Potential Course Partners

Finding the right project partner can take some digging but the payoff is well worth it. You can start by identifying local applied public relations and communication programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels:

• Don’t be afraid to lean on AI tools like ChatGPT to help you speed up your research. Try a simple, natural prompt like this: “What universities or colleges in [your city or region] offer communications, marketing, or public relations capstone courses where students work with real clients or nonprofits?”
• Some of these courses may have a dedicated page with the instructor’s contact. Trust me, educators are also time-strapped and resource-strapped. They will want to hear from you!
• If the course doesn’t have a page, contact the institution’s career development center or industry liaison office. They can provide course recommendations.
• Don’t be afraid to lean on your local IABC chapter, which may have established academic partnerships, particularly across the volunteer and student/new communicator portfolios.
• Share your project idea on LinkedIn — you might be surprised by who reaches out. Here’s an example post: “I’m looking to collaborate with students on a project to [project goal]. This could be a great experiential learning opportunity for communication and public relations students. If you know of any programs/courses which may be a fit or educators who may be interested, please let me know! #SocialImpact #ExperientialLearning #StudentPartnerships”

Clarify Expectations and Ask the Right Questions

While some experiential courses may have flexible deliverables, others, like the capstone I designed, may be more strict. It’s essential to clarify expectations around the deliverables, but also the collaboration model and time commitment. According to a recent UK-based study, lack of time was the No. 1 barrier for organizations to engage meaningfully with colleges and universities.

Building on your research, here are some questions to consider:

• Time Commitment
  • What is the time commitment over the course of the project?
  • How many meetings or touch points are required? How long are they?
• Deliverables
  • Are the deliverables flexible?
  • If not, what are the course deliverables? Can you share some examples?
• Credibility
  • What are some similar organizations you may have partnered with in the past?
  • Do you have any testimonials or success stories to share?
• Project Communication
  • Is the communication handled by students or the instructor?
  • How do I share the project information with the students? Do you have a project brief template?
• Expectations
  • What do you look for in an ideal client?
  • What does the client onboarding process look like?

While nonprofit student partnerships tend to be pro-bono, student-run agencies, like Arizona State University's Cronkite Agency, may charge a small fee depending on the scope. It doesn’t hurt to double check. If you have any concerns about sensitive project information and confidentiality, bring them up before the project begins.

Build for Long-Term Impact

When IABC members invest in student partnerships, they’re not just completing a project, they’re shaping the future of the profession. These collaborations bring fresh ideas while mentoring the communicators, volunteers, and leaders of tomorrow. The best part? Once the relationships are built, each new project takes less effort and delivers even greater impact, a true win-win for everyone involved.