“For They are the We of Us”

Tuesday we got to celebrate the best part of the semester, which involved meeting all of the executive directors and officially giving away the big checks to our local non-profit partners! The electric jolt of excitement that filled the atmosphere of the North Village Community Center was tangible and created a real level joy in every party present. This was the cherry on top of what has already been a truly phenomenal semester.

I remember when I first found out that I’d been accepted as one of 21 students to participate in the Philanthropy Lab at Baylor for this fall semester I was so excited that I googled anything I could think of relating to Baylor Philanthropy and read every news article or press release I could find just in eager anticipation for what I was going to be able to take part in. There was one specific photograph of the men and women from the first semester this program was offered in which everyone was dressed up, grinning from ear to ear, and held huge white checks over their heads. That image was seared into my mind from that moment forward and was not only something I looked forward to at the end of this journey, but acted as a guiding framework for my decisions along the way. The look of joy on their faces was encouraging when I hit challenging or discouraging spots along the way, like when one of the organizations I was extremely passionate about was not approved by the rest of the board in one of our final vetting stages. Seeing the teamwork evident in those founding members of this incredible program helped me better understand why what we did along the way was so worth it, especially the difficult sacrifices.

I felt like Tuesday was the first time I’ve really been able to see the sheer magnitude of the efforts that the 21 of us have made throughout this semester. Each of us have worked hard and given our best to this program, but the efforts made by a few undergraduate students at Baylor pales in comparison to what each of our partners are already doing on a daily basis. I think that yesterday each of us was really able to experience the shared aspect of this philanthropic endeavor in a profound way.

Fall 2015 Philanthropy Checks

Inscribed on Baylor’s campus at the memorial to the Immortal Ten, a group of ten Baylor basketball players that died in a bus crash in 1927, is the phrase, “For They are We of Us.”  Since hearing this phrase during my freshman year, I’ve ruminated several times on the idea behind this particular sentence. Although simple on the surface, this phrase has deeply shifted my view of teamwork and the role that simple acts of service can play in making a lasting, sustainable, and wide-reaching impact.

In looking back at this semester, I cannot claim that “I” gave away $50,000 to Waco-area non-profits. Neither can the 21 members of the Philanthropy Lab claim that “we” accomplish the tremendous amount of work that our 501(c)(3) partners are able to do. Annually, the 7 groups we were able to fund change thousands of lives and do more work than we ever could alone. They have taught us so much and have patiently walked with a group of college students tasked with the weighty challenge to steward and invest $50,000 into our local community. I think what we were able to experience yesterday was an intimate understanding that not “I” nor “we” but the combination of “us” as student leaders at Baylor and the wonderful leadership teams at non-profits in Waco were able to share in something really, really special.

Together, “us” did something pretty neat, and lives have been changed as a result of it.

 

About the author: Justin Downey is a Junior from Richardson, Texas. He is a third-year Business Fellow studying Non-Profit Marketing and Religion. Justin is at Baylor preparing for ministry and feels called to a life-long career in development & fundraising for ministries and is passionate about catalyzing church-planting movements and leadership development around the world.

 

P.S. Here are some links to local news reports about the ceremony yesterday. Thanks for joining us on this journey!

http://beta.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view?18303230/token/4e7c6d7b-9145-4c86-8c77-8a2e410c2294

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/higher_education/baylor-class-distributes-to-local-nonprofits/article_2d6a8b6b-c7bd-538c-a408-a037c2015139.html

http:http://www.mycentx.com/news/waco-news/baylor-students-give-grant-to-new-nonprofit- organization/

www.kwtx.com/ourtown/home/headlines/Waco–New-Program-Created-To-Help-Homeless-WISD-Students-361099701.html

Act Locally-Prosper Fall 2015 Care Net Fall 2015 CCA Fall 2015 Creative Waco Fall 2015 Family Abuse Center Fall 2015 Talitha Koum Fall 2015 The Cove 2015

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

By: Tim Campbell, BA 2017

It’s difficult to believe that we’ve already come to the end of the semester. It seems like only yesterday that I found myself sitting in a room full of people, most of whom I had never met before. We had been told that the title of this course was “Philanthropy and the Public Good,” but we didn’t know very much else about it. We weren’t aware of just how many incredible people we would meet this semester and how much we would learn about the organizations they operate. We didn’t understand the depth of their passion for the work they do. We certainly could not yet appreciate how difficult some of our decisions would be.

But as our course progressed, we learned a great deal about philanthropy: the theory that grounds it, how it should be practiced, and the people and organizations that it exists to benefit. We learned that a relatively small investment can make an enormous difference to an organization that needs to make a promotional video, or purchase toys that aid in motor development, or replace its two old water heaters. The grants we provide may be relatively small, but they can help our selected organizations save a great deal in years to come.

This course provided all of us with a unique opportunity to look out into the Waco community, identify particular needs, and respond to them. Several times throughout the semester I’ve been struck by the significance of our work and the number of lives we will touch with these strategic investments. The grants we’ve made will support those who strive to improve the mental health of many of the most disadvantaged in our community. They will aid organizations that seek to engage Waco residents in local events and service opportunities. And they will help unaccompanied homeless youth in Waco find the support they need to succeed in school and in life. This is a humbling thing.

As we eagerly await the next stage of our lives, we must take a moment – or a good while longer – to stop and reflect on the lessons we’ve learned in this class. We’ve learned that giving is about much more than simply how much you give; it’s about how you give. Smart investments can make all the difference in the life of an organization and those it serves. We’ve also learned that wealthy people are not the only ones who can make a difference, for relatively small gifts can have a tremendous impact. Most importantly, we’ve learned that simply giving money is not enough. We must also build relationships with people, both those who are tasked with running these organizations and those who benefit from their work. We must make a point of remembering what we’ve learned as we go forward.

I know I speak for all of us in expressing our deepest gratitude to the Once Upon a Time Foundation for its generosity in providing the funds for our course this semester. I also want to thank Dr. Hogue for his invaluable guidance throughout this entire process (we would’ve been lost without him). More than anything, though, I want to thank all of my fellow classmates for leaving an indelible mark on me. All of you have taught me what it means to care about these organizations and what they do in our community. And for that I am forever grateful.

May we all take what we’ve learned this semester and use it to become responsible stewards of our resources, no matter where our lives may take us.

The Joy of Generosity

By: Sarah Byers, BA 2016

As classes come to a close, I’m deeply curious about the long-lasting effects of this class on its participants. Ostensibly, our experiences learning about both the need existing around us, and our community leaders spearheading an attack on that need, will precipitate giving. As I read Richard Gunderman’s book, “We Make a Life by What We Give,” it causes me to reflect on my personal attitude towards giving.

 

Gunderman says “At first, it is a shock to realize that we can part with something, even the things that we think we hold most dear, without feeling that a part of us has been amputated. We are not like machines losing parts. We are like trees sending out roots, or better yet, casting their seeds to the wind.”

 

Dissimilar to a machine losing parts, we can give, in more than exiguous capacities, without creating a void. The paradox of humanity is that we are happiest when we do things for other people to make them happy. One could argue that we even give more to ourselves when we give to other people. Experiencing the Journey of Generosity weekend that was part of our course, volunteering, and working closely with the non-profits this semester has kindled in me a desire to give. We have become cognizant, as a class, of the truth of how happy giving actually makes the gift-giver. We should continue being in the habit of giving, and giving well. Giving is altruism that ends up being self-serving. I’ll be happier when my life is one built on tenants of generosity and obedience to God.

 

Luke 18:18-22 says “A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’  ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

 

The charge to give what one has to the poor and to dispose of excess wealth sang to me loudly as I read this passage. As I’ve learned this semester how happy giving makes the gift-giver, it seems ironic that the wealthy man became saddened at the prospects of giving away his wealth. We are all embarking from this class with a deepened understanding that giving brings us gladness. And my hope is that this deepened understanding is long-lasting. I hope to be committed, motivated, and encouraged often of the importance of  helping those who are in need, and the happiness that accompanies the magnanimity. Commitment to the lifestyle of generosity is like showering- we recommend it daily.

 

About the Author: Sarah Byers is a senior Pre-law student from Indiana, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Gerontology. She is passionate about quality of life for older adults and leads a service organization oriented towards improving conditions for senior citizens in her Waco community. She is interning this spring in the Senate Special Committee on Aging in Washington D.C., and hopes to be awarded the Fulbright Garcia-Robles Public Policy initiative award to study for a Master’s in Public Policy in Guadalajara, Mexico to fill her gap year before law school.

 

Down to the Numbers

By: Jennifer Janicki, BBA 2017

Yesterday’s class was memorable for many reasons. It’s the first time a class has come to such an easy consensus on the amount of funds to provide for each organization. We were able to tell our grant recipients the wonderful news that they would be receiving the exact amount we proposed to the class. And, we decided to leave a legacy for future Baylor philanthropy students.

Within the first five minutes of class, it was clear that our decision would be short and simple. Each organization would likely receive the exact amount proposed or $335 less than that amount. It may have been chance that all of our grants added to an amount so close to our budget, but I believe we arrived at this number because of careful consideration by each group. We found the organizations we most believe in and suggested a reasonable amount of grant funding for them. As a class, we respected one another enough to trust that we had each put forth our best work and had made the best choices for our class.

We reached a final decision after a brief discussion: to fund the extra $335, we would consider using funds granted to us by our participation in the Philanthropy Lab’s giving goal challenge, a program that would bring in an extra $25,000 to Baylor’s philanthropy initiative.

This led to a discussion on how to use the remaining $24,665 granted to us by this program.

  • We could give more money to our chosen organizations or perhaps give to other deserving groups that weren’t originally going to receive a grant.
  • We could save it for next semester’s class.
  • We could split it 50/50 between the semesters.
  • We could divide it between each of the project groups and allow the groups to decide which organizations would receive the funds internally.

During our back and forth debate about which option would have the most impact, a classmate, Jon, suggested we put the funds towards an endowment – a project we later learned was a long-term goal for Baylor’s philanthropy program.

The advantages of an endowment were evident. We don’t have guaranteed funding indefinitely, and this new fund would provide a sustainable source of money for many semesters of giving. We know it will be difficult to generate enough money to have a sufficient investment income, but we feel confident that we will be able to find Baylor alumni interested in donating to the fund or matching our goals. Our class decided to go all in with the full $25,000 on this idea to aid future classes and continue the spirit of philanthropy on campus. Our hope is that by showing our full support, others will see value in this program and feel compelled to get involved.

This left us with the original $335 deficit. We then decided that, if we felt inclined, we would give out of our own pockets to cover the cost.  Despite our limited incomes, the students easily covered that $335! People’s willingness to serve in this way just speaks to how passionate we have become about this transformative program.

 

About the author: Jennifer is a junior studying Business Fellows, Marketing and Public Relations. She is a member of Delta Delta Delta and serves as the Assistant Membership chair. Jennifer loves to travel and would like to enter the non-profit field upon graduation.