The Terrie Temkin Prize for Commitment to Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership was established in 2022 by Ohio University alumna Terrie Temkin, BSE ’71.
This award recognizes dedication to nonprofit leadership, governance and community engagement, and it honors graduate students in the college with a cash prize. Exceptional undergraduates may be considered.
Dr. Terrie Temkin recently retired from a career spanning more than 40 years as an internationally acknowledged thought leader in the areas of nonprofit governance, board development and planning. A co-founder of the respected consulting firm CoreStrategies for Nonprofits, Inc., she was recognized as an award-winning speaker and a group facilitator. Terrie credits her time at Ohio University, particularly her involvement with the forensics squad under the direction of Dr. Raymond Beaty, for honing those skills.
She wrote prolifically. Her articles can be found in journals and newsletters all over the world. She penned chapters in five books and conceived of and edited the ground-breaking, "You and Your Nonprofit Board: Advice and Practical Tips from the Field’s Top Practitioners, Researchers, and Provocateurs."
She further contributed to the field through her active leadership in numerous national organizations including the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, and the Society for Nonprofit Organizations.
For more than 20 years Terrie taught nonprofit governance and volunteerism at Barry University and Florida Atlantic University as an adjunct faculty member. For approximately 10 years before that she taught public speaking and consulting at Nova Southeastern University in Jamaica and the Bahamas, as well as on the main campus. After supporting the forensics program at Ohio University annually since her graduation, in 2021 she endowed the Terrie Temkin Prize for Commitment to Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership at the University to encourage others to follow a similar rewarding path in the nonprofit sector.
Today, Terrie continues her long-time commitment to supporting the arts in Southeast Florida, is enjoying exploring more of the world and delving into new interests, taking classes at local universities and attending lectures. She is a former member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Scripps College of Communication.
This award recognizes student research or work in the nonprofit sector for students in the Scripps College Communication.
Recipients must demonstrate a focus on the nonprofit sector through any of the following:
The prize goes to a graduate student; however, exceptional undergraduates may be considered. Students must demonstrate academic merit and demonstrate the desire and ability to make a difference in the nonprofit sector.
Applications are accepted early each spring. All current graduate students will receive an email when the application opens.
If you have questions, please contact Angela Hosek, interim associate dean for graduate studies.
Viktoria Marinova received the award in 2022 as a fourth-year COMS doctoral student for her continued research and focus on the nonprofit industry.
Viktoria has been an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the School of Media Arts and Studies at Ohio University since August 2023, where she oversees the Social Media Certificate Program and teach courses on social media management, strategy, and storytelling. She is working on a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, with a focus on the impact of social media on fundraising and social change.
Chuck Kaminski received the award in 2023 as a doctoral student in the School of Communication Studies. He worked closely with Passion Works since he joined Ohio in 2020. Chuck was also a research assistant for the Barbara Geralds Institute for Storytelling and Social Impact.
Erica Adzimah received the award in 2024 as a master’s candidate in Communication & Development Studies. Her research focused on understanding non-profit organizations and donor intervention strategies in basic education in rural northern Ghana.
Sonali Jha, won the award in 2025 as a Ph.D. candidate. Her research was at the intersection of communication, social justice, and technology, grounded in agnotology and examined how media narratives and digital platforms shape public understanding of human trafficking, Indigenous issues, mental health, AI, and public health.
Parwana Hamdam, a master’s candidate in Communication & Development, has worked in health communication, community engagement and social mobilization, and public health research. Her goal is to improve community health, particularly in developing regions.