TY - JOUR
T1 - Paying It Forward
T2 - The Role of Student Philanthropy Course Activities on Civic Outcomes
AU - Benenson, Jodi
AU - Moldow, Erika
N1 - Funding Information:
Operating grants from the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Ohio Campus Compact made this article possible. The authors wish to thank Elenore Garton and Kirsten Fox for their efforts in initiating this research partnership, Richard Kinsley and Brenna Limbrick for continuing to support the Pay It Forward initiative at Ohio Campus Compact, and colleagues at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University for their edits and support.
Funding Information:
This article uses data from Pay It Forward, an initiative of the Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio Campus Compacts that aims to develop a new generation of philanthropists by infusing the practice of philanthropy as a core component of college coursework. Campus Compact is a coalition of college and university presidents that seeks to advance the public purpose of higher education by deepening its ability to improve community life and educate students for civic responsibility. More than 30 universities in Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio offer Pay It Forward courses in diverse disciplines. In each course, students research social needs and nonprofit organizations, invite nonprofits to apply for grants through a request for proposal (RFP) process, evaluate applications and pro posals, and make collective decisions about which organizations to fund (Olberding, 2012). Pay It Forward uses a direct giving approach, and each course gives awards of $4,500 and has $500 for administrative costs (which primarily pay for student travel to organizations and endofsemester award ceremonies). Pay It Forward is sponsored by Ohio Campus Compact, and the initiative’s 2010–2011 funding was made possible through a Learn and Serve grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.1
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - This article explores how student philanthropy course activities influence student understanding of philanthropy and the likelihood of engaging in civic activities. Data came from 1,628 students participating in the Pay It Forward student philanthropy initiative. Multivariate regression analyses reveal that having direct contact with nonprofits, doing research into an issue area, assisting in writing grant proposals on behalf of organizations, serving as group leader or co-leader, and investing a large percentage of class time in the philanthropy project are activities that most strongly predict student confidence in philanthropic skills, abilities, and knowledge. We also find that a high level of engagement (i.e., making important decisions, developing ideas, having responsibilities) is more significant than any single course activity in predicting student confidence and shifting philanthropic, volunteer, and work plans. Finally, we find that student philanthropy course activities have less of an effect on students who have previously participated in philanthropic activities.
AB - This article explores how student philanthropy course activities influence student understanding of philanthropy and the likelihood of engaging in civic activities. Data came from 1,628 students participating in the Pay It Forward student philanthropy initiative. Multivariate regression analyses reveal that having direct contact with nonprofits, doing research into an issue area, assisting in writing grant proposals on behalf of organizations, serving as group leader or co-leader, and investing a large percentage of class time in the philanthropy project are activities that most strongly predict student confidence in philanthropic skills, abilities, and knowledge. We also find that a high level of engagement (i.e., making important decisions, developing ideas, having responsibilities) is more significant than any single course activity in predicting student confidence and shifting philanthropic, volunteer, and work plans. Finally, we find that student philanthropy course activities have less of an effect on students who have previously participated in philanthropic activities.
KW - Student philanthropy
KW - experiential learning
KW - service learning
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U2 - 10.1080/15236803.2017.12002294
DO - 10.1080/15236803.2017.12002294
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85066336473
SN - 1523-6803
VL - 23
SP - 885
EP - 902
JO - Journal of Public Affairs Education
JF - Journal of Public Affairs Education
IS - 3
ER -