PURPOSE

The purpose of the Students in Philanthropy (SIP) program is to inspire and educate students to become philanthropists, now and in the future. SIP provides students the opportunity to improve the quality of life in their communities by learning about community need, the role of nonprofit organizations in meeting those needs, and the importance of philanthropy in bettering the lives of all people.

The SIP program lasts a full school year. Campus coordinators facilitate and guide students through a specialized curriculum and philanthropic activities. The curriculum consists of six modules: Community Need, Role of Nonprofits, Grant Selection, Fundraising, Volunteering, and Board Governance.

During the fall semester, students drive the process and decision-making to select nonprofit organizations’ projects and services for whom they wish to fundraise. In the spring semester, they complete fundraising activities to fund those selected organizations. The year ends with each student developing a personalized philanthropic action plan to continue impacting their community.

The first SIP program was established in 1997 at Midland College through the leadership and funding of the Abell-Hanger Foundation. Today, there are nine programs in the Permian Basin – three college programs and six high school programs. The high school programs meet daily, and the class counts as an elective credit toward graduation. The college programs meet as a weekly club, and students receive a scholarship each semester. Each campus has a coordinator, and the Foundation provides a staff person to oversee SIP and its curriculum.

To learn from the students themselves about how the program has impacted their lives.