This semester, Truman State’s Student Philanthropy Council is hosting events to raise awareness about the importance of giving back to the University.
SPC is a student-based subset of the Office of Advancement that gives students the opportunity to participate in philanthropic efforts for Truman. SPC’s objective is to promote students donating to the University. This semester, the council has events planned to raise awareness for causes important to the Truman community.
SPC member junior Haleigh Oetting says she was drawn to the organization because of its charitable focus.
“A lot of people on campus don’t realize how much Truman actually does for us, and it’s all because of private donations. It’s something that should be more known around campus.”
– Haleigh Oetting, junior SPC member
Senior Kate Ginnard, SPC president and annual fund intern for the Office of Advancement, says SPC was thought up during fall 2013 and officially started during spring 2014. Since then, she says the group has grown exponentially and has almost 20 members this semester.
Ginnard says a typical obstacle SPC faces is that students don’t see the value of donating to the University when they are already paying tuition. Ginnard says people aren’t aware of how little tuition and state funding are able to cover, and that donations make an enormous difference for future Bulldogs.
“Someone donated to have me [at Truman],” Ginnard says. “I wouldn’t be able to be here or have the opportunities and internships that I have if people hadn’t donated.”
Ginnard says the SPC is focused on continuing the tradition of dedication and charity that donors have shown, improving the experience of new generations of Truman students.
Chad Kennerk, annual fund officer for the Office of Advancement, says the SPC has been very active since Homecoming week. He says Tag Day is an event SPC created that occurs every fall on Truman’s campus. All across campus, items funded by private donors will be tagged to acknowledge the difference previous donations have made, he says.
Kennerk says SPC will be putting together a specific day to recognize the importance of paying it forward.
“We’ll be doing little things around campus, like leaving a dollar on a vending machine with a note about the importance of giving back,” Kennerk says.
SPC’s main objective right now is to create publicity regarding the need for private donations to the University, which will bring future donors, Kennerk says. As the SPC grows and begins to have more prominence on campus, members hope to begin fundraising for specific University resources, he says. Kennerk says at that time, the SPC’s events will focuse on gathering donations for University funds, such as the General Scholarship Fund, or for specific departments or organizations. He says SPC hopes this will help students feel more connected to the cause of giving back and be motivated to donate.
To join the Student Philanthropy Council, contact Kate Ginnard.