Honestly, when I signed up, each of these things crossed my mind, but there was a reason I chose Philanthropy & Civil Society above other “Scholars” courses. In the words of other students I’ve talked about this with, it just seemed really cool. It’s so rare to be given the opportunity this course has handed to us: to be allotted $10,000 to donate to a local organization our of choice. Sure, we’re all given the chance to “do good.” Almost everyday, someone calls out to me as they table in the Union, a fraternity brother offers me a donut for a dollar and a good cause, or a friend messages me the link to their Relay for Life page. But, with this class, we’ve been able to make an impact much larger and much more personal than the ones we may make day to day. I joined this course for that opportunity.
I got even more than I expected. While I read that we would give an in-depth look to philanthropy and the implications behind it, that fact didn’t fully register in my mind at first. Before, I only connected philanthropy with the heart, always giving because a cause tugged at my heartstrings or I felt pressured into handing over my money. In early discussions, I thought nothing of an organization’s accountability or transparency; talks of program services versus overhead costs went right over my head. All that has changed now. While I can’t fully back effective altruism, I do think it should be considered. I see now that it’s not just important to do good, but to do good well. Not all organizations are trustworthy, and criteria must be determined in order to discern which ones are. Money and time are precious resources, which non-profits don’t simply aim to bestow, but to ensure will be allocated effectively.
Many people fail to see this, caught in my original mindset, which didn’t give philanthropy enough attention to see the pragmatic aspect of it. I think it’s important for more people to be educated on the matter. How much more good could be done in the world if more of us gave our charitable donations greater consideration? I’m sure countless dollars and countless hours are wasted as the general public throws them to nonprofits that aren’t actually reliable or in real need of such resources. Therefore, I’d like to start a Philanthropy Club on campus, with aims very similar to this course. Meetings could be dedicated to educating members on topics we’ve discussed and debated in class. Of course, one would expect the Philanthropy Club to directly donate to causes, as well. You might be wondering then where we would get the money, as not everyone can simply procure $10,000 like the class offered. I figure regular fundraisers - maybe weekly, biweekly, or monthly - could be held for organizations picked from charity pitches just like those we took part in. This would all have to be done with the blessing - and possibly guidance? - of our professor, but that’s something I plan to discuss with him. (Hi, Professor Campbell!)
With all that being said, I’d like to know your opinions. Do you agree that the opportunities we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy should be opened up to the rest of the university? Do you think this would work out, logistically? And if you’re unsure about the answer to the previous question, what would you suggest to improve the work of the club?
Calista,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, great reflection and I really do support the creation of a Philanthropy club on campus. I started a club while I was here and it is a cumbersome process, but with the right guidance and work ethic it could really be a great opportunity to make positive change.
To answer your question, I originally found this class searching for a "J" credit in my final semester here at Bing. I know, I am old. I read the course description and thought it was incredibly cool, even though at the time I thought it was fake money.
When I had the privilege to go meet with Professor Campbell at his office in UDC we spoke in more detail about the course. He informed me of the class details and that it was in fact real money that we were donating. Pretty cool. He offered me a spot in the class and I jumped at the opportunity to take a really interesting course in my final semester.
Let me tell you, it was exactly that. I speak more about it in my blog that I just posted "Definitely Not a Sentimental Blog Post" if you want to read more. It inspired me to reflect on my opportunities here at BU.
There is always room to give back to the community. My suggestion to you and the class: Do it. Start that club, raise money and donate time. You guys have great resources and great work ethics and you will do great things.
Let me know if you need an alumni advisor.
-Dylan
Hi Calista,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I also feel that my perspective on philanthropy has changed. Before taking this class I only donated money to family members fundraisers and to the Salvation Army's red kettles around Christmas time. I did not think much of my donations. I think that if I had not taken this class, that is how I would have continued doing my philanthropy. Now, because of the class, I will be donating throughout the rest of my life with more intent.
The class has made me want to become a purposeful and educated donor in my adult life. I think that only positive things can come from that. Therefore, I really like your idea of a philanthropy club. Spreading the knowledge and experiences that we have all gained from this class to other students could make even more future philanthropists.
Thanks for sharing!
Calista,
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job summarizing what we all learned from this class. I too enrolled in this course because it seemed like a one-of-a-kind opportunity to do something amazing and completely different from any other class BU offers. From the semester's readings, discussions, and debates, I also learned that philanthropy is much, much more than giving out of sympathy. In a way, philanthropy is an evolving science that requires research, problem-solving skills, experimentation, and risk taking. I don't want to say that some nonprofits are 'bad,' but in this course I learned that some philanthropic organizations should receive funds over others because they utilize their resources more efficiently, which is something that never occurred to me prior to this semester. I have a much better understanding of how to do good well, and how to balance head vs. heart.
I admire that you want to take the lessons we've learned one step further and begin a Philanthropy Club. This embodies the true essence of this course: to learn about giving and then continue its philanthropic spirit throughout our lives. The teachings of PPL 280 should not be limited by the amount of students allowed to take the course, so starting a Philanthropy Club is a great way to spread awareness of how to do good well to the BU community! I would love to participate in this club if it starts next semester, so please keep in touch with the class!
Hi Calista!
ReplyDeleteAs I read this post I started to think, "YES I'm in! Let me know when you decide to start that club because I am on board."
It has truly been a mind blowing semester in Philanthropy and Civil Society. I knew we would have 10,000 to give away and probably discuss some philanthropy in the capacity that I thought I already knew. However, the thought provoking discussions and the intense decision making period really showed me the seriousness of philanthropy and what it takes to do good well. The topic of philanthropy has felt more real to me today, prior I simply associated philanthropy with giving away what I had but never thought of how to give or given thought to assessing the organizations I give to. Being apart of this class has revealed that philanthropy is more that just giving, it's more than doing good but really doing good well.
Ultimately I believe creating a Philanthropy club is a great way to educate our campus about the importance of philanthropy. I think the more we engage in the discussions about philanthropy as well as practice philanthropy, then the greater good our generation will do, well! Fundraising would be a great idea to. We could possibly have a yearly or per semester gala to raise the money and then give to the organizations we have assessed and decided on during the semester/year. I think a philanthropy club would be such a great addition to our campus!
Keep me posted on when you decide to start!