Northern Kentucky University students awarded $34,000 to 22 agencies through the university’s nationally recognized Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project.
This spring, 364 students from 19 classes took part in integrating philanthropy into their classroom experience. Students learned about nonprofits that serve the community and evaluated where to invest grants provided by local funders.
Each class raised funds to support non-profit organizations, including Brewhouse Bakery Company, ArtsWave and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
“The agencies become our co-educators,” said Mark Neikirk, executive director of the Scripps Howard Center of Civic Engagement. “Theater students, for example, might visit a community theater. Social work students might visit a food pantry. The lessons of the classroom are strengthened by the community experience. And in the end, the students invest real money. It’s a benefit for both the students and the community. A win-win.”
The Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project was established in 2000 with the goal of teaching students about nonprofit organizations through hands-on experience. The belief is that through this program students would remain involved in the community after graduation. To date, the Mayerson Project has donated $870,116 to 398 nonprofit agencies.
“It’s a high impact investment both for the nonprofits and for the people those agencies help, but also for our students, whose eyes are opened to community needs and how to address those needs,” Kajsa Larson, faculty coordinator of the Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project, said.
Also this semester, a graduate class worked with the Duke Energy Foundation through NKU’s “indirect model” of student philanthropy. The students reviewed applications for funding received by Duke and offered their feedback; Duke’s team made the final awards.
The programs funders for the Spring 2019 semester included the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation; ArtsWave; the Scripps Howard Foundation; the Straws Charitable Foundation; the Greater Cincinnati Foundation; the R.C. Durr Foundation, Inc.; the Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky; and the Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation.
Individual donors also contributed. If you would like to support the program, you can do so with an online gift at civicengagement.nku.edu or by contacting the Scripps Center at engage@nku.edu.
Here is a list of the classes and their awards for Spring semester:
ENG 101: College Writing, Taught by Jonathan S. Culluck
Supported by the R.C. Durr Foundation
Fairhaven Rescue Mission $2,000
ANT 307: Museum Methods, Taught by Judy Voelker
Supported by the Straws Charitable Foundation
Drake Planetarium and Science Center $2,000
BIO 461: Ecology and Geology of Coral Reefs, Taught by Denice Robertson & Sarah Johnson
Supported by the Straws Charitable Foundation
Belize Audubon Society $1,000
ENV 493: Environmental Science, Taught by Kristy Hopfensperger
Supported by the Straws Charitable Foundation
Urban Earth Farms $2,000
CMST 340: Strategies of Persuasion, Taught by Jeff Fox
Supported by the Straws Charitable Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and Student Fundraising
Children’s Law Center, Inc. $1,250
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati; Buenger Club, Newport $1,250
LAW 909: Children’s Law Clinic, Taught by Amy Halbrook and Susie Bookser
Supported by the Scripps Howard Foundation
Pass It On, Inc. $1,000
Children’s Law Center, Inc. $1,000
GER 202: Intermediate German II, Taught by Andrea Fieler
Supported by the Scripps Howard Foundation and Rich Boehne
German Heritage Museum $1,000
Cincideutsch, Inc. $1,000
LDR 160: Leadership around the World, Pendleton County High School, Taught by Megan Downing Supported by the Neikirk Family Fund
Matthew 25 Ministries $1,000
PAD 621: Resource Acquisition & Management, Taught by Jules Olberding
Supported by the Horizon Community Fund of Northern Kentucky and in partnership with the Duke Energy Foundation
Adventure Crew $1,000
EDU 316: Racism & Sexism, Taught by Kimberly Clayton-Code
Supported by ArtsWave
Newport Independent Schools’ Gifted and Talented Program $2,000
NEU 101: Neuroscience for Life, Taught by Chris Curran
Supported by ArtsWave
Sidekicks Made $2,000
HIS 522: Intro to Historic Preservation, Taught by Brian Hackett
Supported by ArtsWave and the Scripps Howard Foundation
Newport History Museum $1,500
HIS 607: Exhibits in Museums and Historic Sites, Taught by Brian Hackett
Supported by ArtsWave
Behringer-Crawford Museum $1,000
PAD 560: Planning & Community Development, Taught by Darrin Wilson
Supported by ArtsWave
Westside Citizen’s Coalition $4,000
MBI 620: Strategic Leadership for Informatics, Taught by Charlie Slaven
Supported by the Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation
Be Concerned $1,000
Reset Ministries $1,000
ENG 546: Grant Writing, Taught by Janel Bloch
Supported by the Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation
Rose Garden Center for Hope & Healing $1,000
Covington Partners $1,000
ENTP 320: Social Entrepreneurship, Taught by Carole Cangioni
Supported by the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation
Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky $2,000
HNR 302: Humanity & Society, Taught by Ali Godel
Supported by the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation
Brewhaus Bakery Company/Brewhaus Dog Bones $2,000
Northern Kentucky University
