Learning by Giving at Binghamton University 2019 edition

When we first began discussing giving circles in class, I was skeptical of their implications for philanthropy.   The work I had done to understand giving circles demonstrated to me that they take away from individuality.   In my initial definition of philanthropy, individuality was paramount.   I believed that in order to be a good philanthropist a person had to choose to support an organization they connected with, and that the best way to do this was alone.   After reading more literature on the topic, my feelings towards giving circles began to change.   I now believe that the structure of these giving circles offers a lot more to a community than funding.   Giving circles have the potential to benefit communities by bolstering enthusiasm for civic engagement, allowing people of various income levels to participate, and by encouraging the support of local nonprofit organizations. A key feature of giving circles that began to change how ...

This past Thursday our class had the opportunity to go on our first site visit to the American Civic Association. I found our visit to be extremely informative and eye-opening. Truth be told, I had very little expectations going into our first site visit. I assumed we would just receive a tour and have a discussion with the Executive Director. While we indeed had both of those elements, I was very impressed with the level of professionalism delivered by the staff. For starters, I certainly was not expecting breakfast, I found that to be a really thoughtful touch by their staff. I also really enjoyed the presentation they provided. It was well written and I appreciated the fact that they brought volunteers and board members from varying departments to speak with us. By giving these various individuals from their respective departments an opportunity to speak, I believe it provided a better understanding of what their organization does on a day to day basis.   ...

Back in February, news broke that the latest tax reform would increase the amount citizens would need to donate in order to reap tax benefits. I think we mentioned the topic in class once, but it only started to come to mind more once my parents started talking about it. Over spring break, I remember my dad thinking out loud about donating to a charity he likes before mentioning, “Now I won’t get a tax deduction…” He still ended up donating, but I lingered on what he said. After some research, I found out that the amount an individual had to give in order to receive benefits has doubled in the last month (CNBC). Although donors will most likely continue their philanthropy, removing one of the tangible benefits of giving will no doubt discourage the average American from making more donations. So what does this mean for the charities that rely on smaller donations? Grassroot organizations, which depend on smaller, more local donations will certainly take a hit. Whether the donation i...

I have always advocated that our education should prepare us for the real world. It should focus on us learning key skills of the business world and making important connections. To this end, I believe that our schools should have more programs to build bridges between our education system and the workers of the real world. Our current education system on its own is unsatisfactory and falls short of this goal. The development of our children into functioning adults has become secondary. Our education system consists of standardized tests, the regurgitating of arbitrary information, and forcing our children through an assembly line. The real world requires critical thinking skills and networking in the workforce to survive, and our education system does not provide this. This is why I believe in the Greater Binghamton Education Outreach Program (GBEOP) . This nonprofit organization helps build bridges between schools , businesses and leaders within the Greater Binghamton communit...

Art was my escape into the protection of my own fantasy. Society would not accept me for not knowing English—revealed by its need to place me in ESL classes for three years—but English did not come easy. My parents came to the States seeking asylum from the dangers of their home country and the process to learn the new language was slow and difficult. Although I was born in the States, I spent the majority of my childhood with my parents conversing in Indonesian. I remember the day my teacher called my parents in to express her concern with my slow pace. I remember that same day despising my school and the society that forced me to learn their language. The school I grew to hate only got better when art entered my life. In art class, English was not necessary, rather you were encouraged to express yourself with the colors you chose or the strokes you made rather than with your words. It was through my art class that I was first introduced to ArtsConnection. ArtsCo...