Awards & Testimonials — Fulcrum Impact

Letters of Support

Nonprofit leaders across the country wrote in support of the Academies for Social Entrepreneurship after completing the program with their teams and UCLA students.

8 of 8 letters

Organization

Author

Ashland Community Development Corporation
March 11, 2025
“As a small, emerging nonprofit, I struggle to express what this opportunity did for our organization. It provided valuable information in the arena of social enterprise, focus for our planning, and the tools to implement our plan. Our esteem for this program and experience is boundless.”
Jonathan A. Mangana
Chief Executive Officer, Ashland Community Development Corporation
Baltimore, Maryland · March 11, 2025
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Boys & Girls Club of Fullerton
2025
“ASE played a pivotal role in my staff's journey by equipping them with the knowledge, mentorship, and resources needed to turn innovative ideas into sustainable, socially impactful ventures.”
Brett Ackerman
Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Fullerton
Fullerton, California · 2025
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Sabine High School Revitalization Project
March 11, 2025
“I am proud to announce that our nonprofit won First Place for our social enterprise proposal in June 2023. We were delighted to win, but the knowledge that SHS gained by participating with other nonprofits was priceless.”
Sandra Garner-Coleman
President, Sabine High School Revitalization Project
Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana · March 11, 2025
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Jazz Hands For Autism
March 5, 2025
“UCLA students were instrumental in helping us identify and build out a social enterprise within Jazz Hands For Autism. The collaboration proved to be both enriching and transformative, providing fresh insights and strategies that were critical in launching the Jazz Hands Junior Academy.”
Dr. Ifunanya Nweke, Ed.D.
Founder & Executive Director, Jazz Hands For Autism
Culver City, California · March 5, 2025
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Black Math Collective
March 1, 2025
“The Academies of Social Entrepreneurship provided BMC with indispensable resources — strategic planning tools, brilliant UCLA students, and a vital network of mentors. That support has been crucial in helping us empower underserved communities through math equity.”
Kimlin C. Johnson
Founder and CEO, Black Math Collective
Los Angeles, California · March 1, 2025
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Zakat Foundation of America
March 4, 2025
“Not only did we gain a solid business plan to engage our donors directly with our beneficiaries, we gained lifelong friends and associates with likeminded views. It is entities such as ASE that pave the way for following generations to make the world a better place.”
Amina Demir
Chief Operating Officer, Zakat Foundation of America
Chicago, Illinois · March 4, 2025
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CASA of Orange County
March 3, 2025
“We were matched with a dedicated team of five UCLA students who developed a social enterprise proposal for CASA. The collaboration was both meaningful and impactful, providing fresh, innovative ideas while engaging our board members and key supporters in a creative new way.”
Matthew Wadlinger
Chief Brand Officer, CASA of Orange County
Santa Ana, California · March 3, 2025
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Grow Cycling Foundation
2025
“Winning the Academy of Social Enterprise Award didn't just help Grow Cycling Foundation — it transformed us. The UCLA students built a fully implementable business plan and handed us a roadmap to sustainable revenue generation. We're not just surviving — we're economically thriving!”
Joi Jackson
President, Grow Cycling Foundation
Los Angeles, California · 2025
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In Students’ Words

Notes students sent after finishing an Academy term.

“As the year wraps up, I wanted to reach out and say thank you. This course has been the most rewarding class I have been part of at UCLA, and I mean that without reservation.
I almost did not make it into the program. I got waitlisted initially, and the easy move would have been to move on. Instead, I emailed Archie, figured the worst answer was no, and ended up finding my way onto the Philharmonic Society team. I walked into the wrong meeting room on day one, stood there for five minutes before getting asked to leave, and found the right room just in time to catch the tail end of the first client session. That felt like a fitting start to what turned out to be one of the best experiences I have had at this school.
I did not expect to look forward to a Tuesday evening class the way I looked forward to this one. I have spent most of my time at UCLA in courses that follow a familiar pattern - attend, absorb, produce the right output on the right day. This was different in a way I felt clearly every week at 6:15 in Kaplan Hall.
Thank you both for building something worth showing up for. I am going to miss it.”

Shaurya

UCLA Social Enterprise Academy student