Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) celebrates the achievements of its faculty, students, and alumni recognized at the 2025 Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Annual Conference, held November 20 – 23 in Indianapolis, IN. This year’s conference explored the theme: “The Evolving Role of Philanthropy in Global, National, and Local Contexts.”
SP2 Professor Dr. Ram Cnaan was honored with ARNOVA’s Distinguished Achievement and Leadership in Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research Award during the Awards Luncheon on November 21. This recognition celebrates Dr. Cnaan’s decades of contributions to advancing scholarship and leadership in the nonprofit sector.
A prolific scholar in nonprofit studies, Dr. Cnaan has advanced understanding of volunteerism and the role of faith-based institutions in civic life, while providing extensive and influential leadership within ARNOVA. He played a pivotal role in founding the Community and Grassroots Associations section, serving as chair from 2002 to 2004. His service to ARNOVA has included roles as a conference organizer, committee and board member, and President (2009 to 2010). Beyond ARNOVA, he has served on 19 journal editorial boards and earned multiple awards for excellence in peer review. Reflecting on this honor, Dr. Cnaan shared:
“The Association for Research on Nonprofit and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) and I have a long-standing relationship. When I arrived at Penn in 1986, I was invited to attend the 1987 annual conference in Kansas City, and since then, I have rarely missed a meeting. For the past four decades, both SP2 and ARNOVA have been intellectual homes for me — communities that encouraged inquiry, fostered collaboration, and supported the creation of new knowledge.
My academic interests have always centered on understanding who assists society’s most vulnerable members, why they choose to do so, and how that assistance is organized. I am particularly drawn to the study of volunteers, religious congregations that cultivate charitable behavior, and human service organizations in both the nonprofit and public sectors. Alongside social work, my original discipline, ARNOVA and the broader field of nonprofit studies provided the academic foundation that allowed my work to develop and flourish.
ARNOVA also introduced me to my wife, Femida Handy. We believe we were the first couple to meet at an ARNOVA conference and later marry, and likely the first married couple to serve at SP2.
Although this award is deeply meaningful, it does not signal the end of my work. I am beginning two new research projects, and at SP2 I am launching the first practice Doctorate in Nonprofit Administration (DNPA), designed to strengthen our field and prepare the next generation of leaders for nonprofit organizations.”
In addition to Dr. Cnaan’s achievement, the following SP2 students and alumni were recognized for their outstanding contributions:
Jung Ho Choi
PhD candidate
The Lester M. Salamon Memorial Award for Promising PhD Proposal in Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research
Seongho An
PhD ’19 alum
UMD Do Good Institute & ARNOVA Global Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Award
Chulhee Kang
PhD ’94 alum
Editor’s Prize for Best Scholarly Paper in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Lindsey McDougle
NPL postdoctoral alum
Named ARNOVA President-Elect
SP2 is proud to honor these scholars whose research, leadership, and impact continue to shape the future of the nonprofit sector.
Read more about the 2025 ARNOVA Conference Awards at https:/ /www.arnova.org/2025-arnova-conference-award-winners/.
