YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

WE NEED YOU!

You are invited to participate in a doctoral research study conducted by Shecara Vardiman, a PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership at Columbia International University (CIU).

Shecara is also the Founder of Esteem We Inc. and Detroit Possible, with over a decade of nonprofit leadership and community engagement experience in Detroit and Wayne County.

Participants:

If you are a nonprofit executive director, CEO, or leader of a nonprofit organization headquartered or primarily serving communities in Wayne County, Michigan, this study is for you!

Join the Study: Nonprofit Leaders & Digital Transformation in Detroit

This study explores how nonprofit leaders perceive and experience technology adoption within their organizations. The goal is to understand how leadership, organizational culture, and digital capacity influence mission success.

Study Details

What Participation Includes:

A 45–60 minute confidential interview (via Zoom or in person)
A short follow-up reflection survey (10–15 minutes)
Optional review of your responses for accuracy (“member checking”)
You may also receive a complimentary Nonprofit Tech Readiness Checklist as a thank-you resource gift

Scheduling & Location

Interviews are being scheduled from October 2025 through February 2026.

You can choose a date and time that fits your schedule.

Interviews can be held:

Virtually via Zoom, or
In person at Detroit Possible Offices (Midtown Detroit)

Upon registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your meeting link or directions.

Why Your Participation Matters

Your voice matters.

This study seeks to amplify the lived experiences of Detroit-area nonprofit leaders, inform local policy and practice, and contribute to scholarship that advances digital equity and organizational leadership.

By sharing your story, you’ll help build a roadmap for other nonprofits navigating the digital divide.

Voluntary & Confidential

Participation in this research is completely voluntary.

You may choose to withdraw at any time without penalty.

No identifying information will be published about you or your organization.

All data will be kept confidential and securely stored in compliance with CIU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) standards.

This research study has been reviewed and approved by the Columbia International University Institutional Review Board (IRB). Participation is voluntary. You may refuse to answer any question or discontinue participation at any time. There are no known risks beyond those encountered in everyday conversation. Results will be used solely for academic purposes and may appear in the researcher’s dissertation or related publications.

Why My Research Matters

Friends, family, and community, many of you know my journey from a 1.9 GPA undergrad to now becoming a PhD Candidate. But beyond my personal milestone, I want to share why this research matters and the gap I’m working to fill.

Detroit and Wayne County are home to incredible nonprofits doing life-changing work. Yet, many of these leaders face barriers when it comes to the adoption of technology, the very tools that could expand their reach, strengthen their missions, and ensure sustainability. During COVID-19, we saw this gap painfully exposed: nonprofits scrambling to move online, fundraising virtually, or even communicating with the communities they serve. Some made the transition. Others were left behind.

That gap between mission and digital access is where my research lives. I am conducting one of the most contextually rich leadership studies on digital transformation and technology adoption in Detroit’s nonprofit space. This is about more than technology; it’s about giving leaders a voice, documenting their struggles and successes, and creating a blueprint for equity and resilience in our community.

For me, this is personal. As a founder who started Esteem We Inc. with prayer, passion, and presence, and through Detroit Possible Inc., I know firsthand the uphill climb nonprofits face. And as the daughter of a first-generation graduate, I know what it means to navigate systems without a roadmap. This study bridges my lived experience with scholarship to make sure Detroit’s leaders are not just studied from the outside but heard from the inside.

What it means: Our community will have real data, rooted in local voices, to shape leadership, policy, and digital equity efforts. And for me, it’s about continuing the work I started, equipping people, building a legacy, and making sure no one has to go alone.

#DetroitStrong #DigitalEquity #TheDreamIsTheTruth #NonprofitLeadership