SPAA Students Practice Philanthropy Through Filmmaking
Students enrolled in Associate Professor Lindsey McDougle’s "Philanthropy: Volunteerism, Fundraising, and Community Service" course in Spring 2024 were provided with funds as part of an experiential philanthropy initiative supported by a generous grant from the Learning by Giving Foundation. The students were then responsible for distributing funds to area nonprofit organizations that they believe make an important difference in the community.
Throughout the course, students worked on developing basic knowledge and skills in how nonprofits recruit, secure, and retain volunteers and financial contributions through a study of the art and science of philanthropy. They were ultimately tasked with assuming the role of a philanthropic funding agent on behalf of their local community, and focused on groups in Greater Newark that are tackling issues such as equity in education, environmental justice, and food insecurity. Students then worked with a professional videographer, Rauzar Alexander, to create short films to highlight their funding choices.
At the conclusion of the semester, the students held a film showcase to screen the short pieces they created and choose one organization to be the recipient of a $5,000 grant. At the event, generously sponsored by a Rutgers-Newark Cultural Programming Grant, filmmaker Kiara C. Jones, producer and writer of A Woman on the Outside (which recently premiered on PBS), held a discussion on the power of storytelling in fostering social change.
The students chose to award the $5,000 grant to Purpose Driven Girlz Learning Center, Inc., which looks to function as a community classroom setting where girls experience learning opportunities that they may not be receiving in their public school system.
About Experiential Philanthropy
In recent years, colleges and universities across the country have begun investing significant resources into this innovative new pedagogy. It is considered to be a form of service-learning, and has been defined as a teaching and learning approach that integrates charitable giving with academic study in order to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Experiential philanthropy is intended to teach students not only about philanthropy, but also about how to evaluate philanthropic responses to local social issues. Unlike traditional service-learning, where students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs, experiential philanthropy may or may not involve an organized service component. In fact, the primary goal of experiential philanthropy is not to create greater service opportunities, but to provide students with the opportunity to assume the role of a philanthropic funding agent on behalf of their local community.