The Easter Semester of the Philanthropy Internship Program is off to a great start!
A cohort of four students--Grace Truett C’24, Daphne Nwobike C’25, Rob Sullivan C’25, and Erin Wilcox C’25--have enrolled in the two-semester, four-credit program to learn about the theory, history, and practice of philanthropy in America, understand the impact of philanthropic work in their local community, and develop their own personal philanthropic vision and practice.
Through scholarly readings, the students are examining the philosophical foundations of philanthropy and interrogating assumptions about giving. Guest speakers including local nonprofit and foundation board members share their experience and insights, broadening students’ knowledge of the nonprofit sector and its role in philanthropy. During the Easter semester, students also shadow the South Cumberland Community Fund grants committee to understand the organization’s grants making process. This learning experience is vital as the student interns will eventually lead their own grants making process in the Advent semester, providing up to $30,000 in funding to Plateau organizations for proposals that address the Fund’s priority areas of health, education and economic development. This semester’s cohort looks forward to this opportunity to award grants in the advent semester and will be prepared by their current coursework.
The philanthropy interns feel that the program helps them better understand their community beyond the gates of Sewanee, and gives them insight into the systems that foster inequity. Through this lens, they are able to develop their own framework for addressing philanthropic issues and employ the skills they have learned in their future endeavors. This experience equips students for the workforce with sought-after professional experience.
"The Philanthropy Internship Program has been so incredible,” said Nwobike. “As a student already heavily involved in civic engagement by serving at various non-profits on and around the plateau, it has been pivotal to see how much time and effort goes into creating these organizations and funding them to ensure they can meet their goals. This program has given me new insight into the nonprofit world, the grant process, and what it means to be a philanthropist today. Being a philanthropist does not solely imply donating large sums of money to important causes. Contrarily, it can mean taking the time out of your Wednesday evening to plate meals for distribution at the Community Action Committee. Being a philanthropist means looking after your neighbor and doing your best to support them however you can. Thanks to the Philanthropy Internship Program, I have learned that I am a philanthropist, and so is everyone who engages with their community in whatever capacity for the greater good of our society."
The Philanthropy Internship Program is made possible through generous support from the Civic Engagement Endowment for Community Philanthropy and the McCardell Endowment for Community Philanthropy. The program is partnered with the South Cumberland Community Fund. Now in its eighth year, the Philanthropy Internship Program has awarded over $204,000 to local non-profit and government-funded organizations.
