INDIANAPOLIS—The Ernest W. Wood Fellowship Research Prize has been awarded to Yue (Jen) Shang, a Ph.D. student at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The new fellowship supports research related to fundraising, including major gifts and capital campaigns, and was created by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Association of Fundraising Professionals Foundation for Philanthropy.

Using field experiments in conjunction with on-air fund drives at local public radio stations, Shang’s research contributes to the understanding of donors' charitable giving experiences. She utilizes psychological, consumer behavior and economics theories to study how social networks and social identity influence giving patterns. Shang hopes the knowledge created from the study will guide and improve the effectiveness of the major gift fundraising programs of local public broadcasting organizations.

A holder of degrees in Psychology from Beijing Normal University, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania, Shang's work has been published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, Research in Experimental Economics and the Journal of Marketing Research. She has previously been awarded research grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Aspen Institute and the National Science Foundation.

Shang's winning proposal was chosen because of substantive contribution to knowledge and understanding of fundraising and/or philanthropic behavior, emphasis on ethical approaches to fundraising and the utility of the research for donors, grantmakers and/or fundraisers. She will also be recognized at the AFP International Conference on Fundraising in San Diego, Calif., March 30 - April 2, 2008.

The new doctoral fellowship is made possible by an endowment from Ernest W. Wood's family and friends to encourage research that extends the knowledge of fundraising and philanthropy.

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University is a leading academic center dedicated to increasing the understanding of philanthropy, improving its practice and enhancing participation in philanthropy through research, teaching, public service and public affairs programs in philanthropy, fundraising, and management of nonprofit organizations. A part of the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), the Center operates programs on the IUPUI and IU Bloomington campuses.

The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy strives to enhance philanthropy and volunteerism through programs of education, research, and service that will benefit all those who lead, serve and support nonprofit institutions. The purpose of the Foundation is to generate the resources to fund AFP strategic initiatives that advance ethical and effective fundraising.

###