Videos

Synergy of Scholarship

Title: The Power of Philanthropy, The Power of Partnerships, Synergy of Scholarship

Courtney Davenport, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Voorhees College; Denmark, South Carolina:

I think that my attainment of the executive master’s degree will allow me to better articulate to our donors, to our alumni, to our friends, the importance of giving back to institutions like Voorhees College.

Text: Last year, the Center’s Millennium Initiative opened doors for new nonprofit leaders. The Center’s academic programs enable them to make a difference.

The Center’s reputation is what inspired me to enroll in this program. As a practitioner, it was critical that I had the flexibility to both continue my usual work as well as expand my career goals. I think the center brings added value to Voorhees College and personally to my career development.

(Video: photos of students at Center, students with professor)

I’ve had some great mentors in my life, and my father highly encouraged me to build a network of persons around me that could most definitely steer me in the right direction as a young man.

(Video: photos of volunteers in community, photo of student)

My parents were strong advocates for volunteerism in our community. Early on I learned that it was important to give back in some type of fashion, even if it wasn’t monetarily. I think it’s important for us to carry the torch forward. We have to train up our future leaders so that they can be able to continue this good work that we’re doing in the philanthropic sector.

(Video: photo of graduates)

Text: For more information: philanthropy.iupui.edu

Seeing the Light

Title: The Power of Philanthropy, The Power of Partnerships, Seeing the Light

Dr. Tom Benjamin, Bishop and Senior Pastor, Light of the World Christian Church; Indianapolis, Indiana:

This is a time where we can maximize our stewardship by developing our people first.

(Video: Dr. Benjamin speaking in church pew)

Text: The Fund Raising School and the Lake Institute partnered to develop a new course on faith and fundraising in 2008.

Dr. Tom Benjamin:

I had been focusing on finishing this campus and getting this other building done.

(Video: Dr. Benjamin speaking in church pew, new building)

Cynthia Newman, President, Board of Directors, Light of the World Christian Church; Indianapolis, Indiana:

On a Tuesday evening the place is full of teenagers learning how to be girls to women and boys to men. So when I’m giving, I think of who my dollars impact. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s scholarships, or we’re close to our senior living facility with 50 seniors living there on a limited income. When I give I can now relate that directly to the good ground that we’re sowing here and how important it is that my giving is going to make an impact.

(Video: Light of the World Christian Church, Family Life Center, senior living facility)

Text: Duke Divinity School, Leadership Education Program

William Lamar, Managing Director, Leadership Education, Duke Divinity School; Durham, North Carolina:

Duke’s responsibility, leadership education’s responsibility, is to resource sustaining pastoral excellence grantees and the Lake Institute was the only partner we could find to do that in a way that was theologically sophisticated and also deep practically. They were wonderful partners. So we decided to partner to help to build the capacity of those grantees, to raise funds, to continue to do their good work, to build cases for support. Whenever we consider fundraising, whenever we consider sustainability, whenever we consider crafting the stories that will make those things possible, the partnership with the Lake Institute will always be foremost in our imagination.

(Video: Duke Divinity School)

Cynthia Newman:

I’ve seen it grow me. I’m more focused on giving and on being concerned as to how I give and not just financially, but who am I helping.

(Video: “The Light of the World” stained glass image)

Dr. Tom Benjamin:

I think that giving money is one thing, but an environment of generosity is a better thing. I think giving money is short term, generosity is long term. The investment that I’m trying to make is to teach our people that regardless of the circumstances, people still have needs and that even when we have less, you can raise your hand and worship but you have to lend a hand out there in the community.

(Video: Dr. Benjamin speaks from church pew, pews, “You are the Light of the World” text around window)

Text: For more information: philanthropy.iupui.edu

Windows of Insight

Title: The Power of Philanthropy, The Power of Partnerships, Windows of Insight

Elizabeth Somerset, Senior Major Gift Officer, American Red Cross:

WPI research helped confirm what we were trying to do which was hone in on women for gifts to the American Red Cross.

Text: The Center’s research program and its Women’s Philanthropy Institute equip nonprofit leaders with the tools they need.

(Video: “America Red Cross” stained glass image)

The Tiffany Circle Program is a perfect example, and WPI really helped us by giving us the statistics and the foundation to make it successful, and it’s one of our most successful programs throughout the country today.

Una Osili, Director of Research, Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University:

Our mantra is really that research informs practice and practice informs research. We see the research process as a two-way dialogue…

(Video: The Center on Philanthropy offices in Indianapolis, Indiana)

between academics on one hand, scholars on one hand, but also on the nonprofit community side.

(Video: “America Red Cross” stained glass image)

Elizabeth Somerset:

We started off with eight chapters and now we have over 50 chapters, and it’s hugely successful. Each community as you know is very different. WPI also helped us understand that demographics play a huge role.

Dr. Debra Mesch, Director of Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University:

We have to focus on tapping the resources and really helping women donors understand that all women have the potential to be philanthropists.

(Video: The Center on Philanthropy offices in Indianapolis, Indiana)

Una Osili:

At the research department at the Center we have taken a very bold approach to answering these questions by using some of the latest methodologies and very new data sets to answer these questions.

(Video: Images of the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis)

Jeff Patchen, Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis:

What makes the research that the Center does great is that it puts it in context and makes it real for those institutions like the Children’s Museum that need to have access to this data to make wise decisions about how we as professionals and how our volunteers can work together to continue the great culture of philanthropy that this country was built on and continues to this day.

Text: For more information: philanthropy.iupui.edu