Student Philanthropy

At Ball State University, we prepare our students for fulfilling careers and meaningful lives. We teach students that they can do well for themselves while also doing good for others. We also embrace the enduring values represented by Beneficence – that you can move forward while also giving back. 

Student philanthropy is a teaching strategy that uses the power of giving to teach course material and engage students in high-impact learning experiences.  

Students begin with a sum of donated money and work together to explore community needs, research organizations working to address those needs, and then decide how to invest their funds. The process is integrated into existing courses in all colleges. The experience nurtures a lifelong sense of stewardship among students, and it teaches them that everyone can make a difference—that you don’t need to be rich or famous to donate time, money, or energy to people in need.

Desired outcomes include:

  • Enhancing student awareness of social problems and nonprofit organizations.  
  • Encouraging social responsibility and civic engagement.  
  • Increasing student knowledge of philanthropic processes, including grant seeking and grant making.  
  • Enhancing student understanding of course content through experiential learning.  
  • Improving critical thinking, communication, leadership, and other skills.

“I learned that there are so many communities that need help that we don’t even know about. Change is gradual, it can’t be done overnight, but one thing can help make a difference.”
- Ball State student

Ball State student Chelsea Murdock hands out copies of “Curly Hair Adventures” to Grissom Elementary students in Muncie.

In the news:

Embracing Enduring Values - Ball State Magazine

Student Philanthropy Definition and Criteria

Banner Attribute: PHIL (Philanthropy) 

Student philanthropy is a high-impact, community-engaged course with benefits for both the community and students. In student philanthropy courses, students work as grant makers researching community issues and non-profits related to the course topic and goals to collectively decide how to distribute donor funds. 

Student Philanthropy courses at Ball State meet the following criteria: 

  1. Students will conduct research, interviews, and/or site visits to learn about issues and non-profits, share their research with their classmates, and make an informed decision about who to fund.

  2. Students will integrate their learning by reflecting on the experience in a course activity or assignment.

Additionally, students will be asked to participate in a program-wide survey at the beginning and the end of the term to document how the course impacts student beliefs and perceptions.

 

For more information, contact Dr. Jackie Grutsch McKinney.