Jenifer Vick

Jenifer Vick is an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication and co-director of the Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy Certificate program. She joined the University in 2016 to lead the program, which integrates nonprofit management and philanthropy communication. Her work emphasizes equipping students with multi-faceted skills for small-to-medium nonprofits, ensuring they can apply knowledge directly to real-world roles.

Before academia, Vick worked as a fundraiser at Four Oaks, a child and family services nonprofit, where she managed a $6 million fundraising campaign for the TotalChild program, supporting over 1,000 children in Linn County. She emphasizes student mentorship, stating, 'UI students are eager to impact the world, and I love sharing my experience to prepare them for nonprofit leadership.' Her students have gone on to roles such as Development Coordinator at CommUnity (Julia Erickson) and Communications Associate at ACLU of Iowa (Cindy Garcia).

Vick actively volunteers, serving as a board member for the Iowa Music and Arts Association (IMAA) and chair of its Tournament of Drums event. The Nonprofit Leadership program collaborates with the Tippie College of Business’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, co-directed by Deb Dunkhase.

Her research and teaching focus on nonprofit governance, community engagement, and strategic philanthropy communication, reflecting her dual expertise in journalism and nonprofit strategy.