NKU students learn by giving

Northern Kentucky University students have helped award nearly $825,000 to more than 300 agencies in the past 14 years through the NKU Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project. Students awarded $22,000 to local nonprofits in just this year alone and will be awarding more funds this fall.

The project started at NKU in 2000 as way to teach students about philanthropy and nonprofits with the hope that graduates would be lifelong stewards of their communities. Since then, approximately 3,000 NKU students have taken courses as part of the philanthropy project. During Spring 2014 semester, there were 14 classes in eight different academic disciplines. 

The classes are designed to teach students a “learn by giving” approach. Professors combine philanthropy with learning outcomes — students identify a need in the community, such as drug treatment, tutoring, hunger, AIDS awareness and homeless shelters and determine which nonprofits in the area are working to fulfill that need. Students award between $1,000 and $2,000 to the nonprofits after analyzing which agencies are likely to have the maximum impact. 

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