Helping Students Learn by Giving

To address our greatest challenges now and in the future, we need informed, skilled, and thoughtful philanthropic leaders. Join faculty from Columbia University and staff from Magnified Giving to explore classroom-based grantmaking programs. These programs are creating next-gen change agents by igniting students’ interest in philanthropy. You'll hear from next-gen leaders on how Learning by Giving  and Magnified Giving curriculum helped them, as students, become effective givers by making real dollar grants to nonprofits in their community.

Target Audience: This series is tailored for foundations, youth-serving organizations, and nonprofits interested in engaging young people in philanthropy. It is appropriate for anyone interested in connecting programming to next-gen giving and philanthropy for the community.

Speakers

Greg Witkowski
Senior Lecturer, Nonprofit Management Program, Columbia University

Dr. Greg Witkowski is a senior lecturer in the Nonprofit Management Program. Previously he was an Associate Professor at Indiana University, where he researched, taught courses, developed the curriculum, and helped create the world’s first school focused on the best practice and meaning of philanthropy in society.  Dr. Witkowski has taught grantmaking courses with the support of the Learning by Giving Foundation and was a long-time academic advisory board member for that organization. He has received research grants from the Fulbright Commission, Social Science research Council, American Historical Association, German Academic Exchange and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation among many others. He presents nationally and internationally on nonprofit education, disaster philanthropy, and historical lesson for the nonprofit sector. 

Kelly Collison
Executive Director, Magnified Giving

Kelly’s nonprofit leadership skills were most recently seen in her role as associate director of programs for Dress for Success Cincinnati, a position she held for eight years. While there she successfully implemented a mobile program for 12 counties, and was responsible for the organization’s management and growth of client services. She has 20 years experience as a customer care director and chief communications officer with AVEDA Frederic’s Corporation. Additionally, she has more than 15 years experience as an event producer and consultant on a wide range of events. One of her clients is Family, Career, Community, Leaders of America Student Leadership Organization. Now she shifts her attention to educating the next generation of philanthropists with Magnified Giving. Kelly lives with her husband Blane, and son Quinn in Sycamore Township.

Alison Kaufman
Program Manager, Magnified Giving

As the Program Manager for a local non-profit, Alison used her past experience to develop strong relationships within multiple school districts to expand the volunteer and donor base for the organization. During this time, she was exposed to Magnified Giving as a recipient of multiple grants. The connection of working with the students in our program was inspirational and the motivation needed to make a change. Having a Senior in High School and triplets in Jr. High School, Alison sees the importance of educating this generation to be the voice of change for our communities.

Emily Jones
Graduate Assistant for Student Services, IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy & Development Graduate Assistant, IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

Emily is a student at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, both finishing her Bachelor’s and beginning her Master’s in Philanthropic Studies in August 2018. On campus, she is involved in the Philanthropic Ambassador’s Club and Social Justice Education initiatives. In the Indianapolis community, Emily has done donor development data analysis for Edna Martin Christian Center and is currently on a fundraising committee for RecycleForce. Her main interests lie in issues of social justice, including but not limited to racial relations in “post-racial” America, massincarceration, mental health, and the marginalization of minority groups at a systematic level. Emily is the recipient of the Harriet Ivey Anniversary Fellowship and will be participating in a conference presentation panel at the National Assessment Institute Meeting in October 2018.