New philanthropy program launched

As a growing number of students become interested in working for a nonprofit organization after graduation, the university has added a new fellowship program that helps students gain real-world experience.

Launched in August, the public policy school's Philanthropy Fellows Program gives a select group of undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to work with local nonprofit organizations, helping fuel their future careers. The Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers brought this idea to the university last year because the organization's leaders thought students who have taken courses about philanthropy could benefit from working with professionals, according to program director Robert Grimm.

"It's a win-win for the students as well as for the organizations because rarely can they find students who would have this kind of knowledge and experience around nonprofit leadership and management before they stepped in the door," said Grimm, who also teaches philanthropy courses in the public policy school.

The 11 university students participating in the first cohort of fellows are placed at a nonprofit organization that suits their capabilities and caters to their interests, according to Grimm. The nine graduate students participating in the program receive payment and a travel stipend, and the two undergraduate students receive travel stipends, he said.

From writing grant proposals to utilizing social media, students in the program are working with nonprofit organizations to make a social impact.

"I thought it was an opportunity for me to learn more about philanthropy and to really engage in the Washington region," said second-year public policy graduate student James Paul, who works with the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region on fundraising and marketing outreach through social media outlets.

Last year, the public policy school began to add philanthropy classes to its list of offered courses. The fellowship program serves as a supplement to what students are learning inside the classroom, Grimm said.

For many nonprofit organizers, learning leadership and management skills came from on-the-job experience, Grimm said. However, his philanthropy courses aim to teach those same skills in the classroom, including how to successfully fundraise, develop governmental partnerships and manage a volunteer board of directors, he said.

"The university is engaging in innovative educational offerings that are basically not offered anywhere else," he said. "The program is part of a growing effort for us to build effective and innovative citizens and leaders who are committed to improving our world."

And participating in this fellowship program gives students the chance to see their ideas put into action.

"For me the best part has just been doing something real," junior finance major Ryan Steinbach wrote in an email. "Unlike school, I can see the immediate benefit my work has on those around me and the entire organization." Steinbach works for the Calvert Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in poverty.

A vital component of the program comes from bimonthly meetings during which Grimm and the fellows gather together for additional professional development.

During a recent session, Grimm brought in leaders from three different types of organizations — corporate, family-run and community foundations — to teach students about the various ways in which organizations are continuously making investments in the local community.

"It broadens the entire experience," Paul said. "We get to hear about other people's experience, other leaders in the field — it's really fascinating and it reinforces the program in a lot of ways for me."

The program has been successful thus far, according to Grimm, to expand student opportunities in the field of nonprofit work.

"We have a long-term vision to make philanthropy a pillar of the university experience," Grimm said.

marcot@umdbk.com