Never. Never have I had a course that has had such an influence on my academic life, as well as my personal life, as this one. Never have I been challenged in my student career to make a decision that has so much moral weight, and will impact real lives that are otherwise beyond my control. With this hefty grant decision looming over us since day one, I knew that I had to be an active, engaged student in this course to learn how to make that decision.
With that said, I’ve learned so much more from this course than I ever could have imagined. At the beginning of the course, I expected to learn about the different methods and impacts that philanthropy has on the world, and where I would fit in to it. I did not expect to meet so many people that were just as passionate about changing the world as I was, and had such incredible stories of what drew them to this course. After I met all of you, I was able to comprehend the magnitude of this class, and how it calls for a unification of go-getters and dreamers.
This year, however, was unique. Not only did we have the grant choice to make, which was a tremendously beautiful burden, we had to adapt and conduct our course online. This, I believe, is a testament to our dedication and desire to help our community. Not a single one of us slipped off from our end goal. Even if we couldn’t go on site visits in person, we poured our time into reading every word of grant applications, until it seeped into our dreams... well, maybe that was just me.
Anyway, in all honesty, I knew making this choice was going to be one of the most challenging things I have ever done in any class I’ve taken at Binghamton. Therefore, I knew I had to reflect on what I had learned throughout the course.
One concept that demanded my attention was that of effective altruism, Peter Singer’s brainchild. Although I appreciate the notion that we should contribute to organizations that do the most good per dollar, I can’t help but reject that we should disregard emotion when we donate. I have tried and tried to separate my own personal beliefs from my decision and see an organization as its statistics, but only to my own failure. Should we have to do that? I had never heard of this approach to philanthropy, before this course, but it made me question my own personal philosophy, which doesn’t happen frequently.
Questions like this made me love this course. In my opinion, the only way we change is by having our beliefs challenged and keeping an open-mind. I frequently found myself thinking about issues unrelated to the course from a philanthropic view, because of the lessons we had. This course opened my eyes to new ways that I could help people. I can’t put a price on that.
Before I conclude, I believe that we all owe a thank you to Dr. Campbell, who has guided all of us in the right direction to make the right choice. It would have been impossible to decide otherwise, so thank you.
I expected my question after this course to be about if I could ever become a philanthropist, but I realized that I am a philanthropist. Philanthropy is not some out of reach phenomenon. If you want to change the world, change someone’s life, all you have to do, is do it. Your move.
Brendan Hurley
Brendan Hurley
Hey Brendan! I really enjoyed reading your post, and it definitely hit home with me. When I first signed up for this class I had similar expectations to yours, that it would be more of an informational lecture style course where we learn about the different methodologies of philanthropy and the titans of philanthropy, and that in the end we would use that information to make a selection on who to donate to. Never did I expect to be interacting directly with so many representatives from these organizations that make such a big difference to their communities, but I'm glad I did. It really opened my eyes to what philanthropy really can be, and how you, I, and all of us are already philanthropists just through our work in this course. I like how you mentioned that the course made you question your own personal philosophy, as I'm sure many of us had to do the same, which like you said is probably something most of us do not do very often. I definitely agree that we owe Dr. Campbell a huge thanks not only for his guidance and support throughout the course, but also for his patience and efficiency in moving the entire curriculum online. This course opened my eyes as well, and in my last year here I've found the first class I'm actually going to miss being a part of.
ReplyDeleteHi Brendan! I really appreciated the discussion that took place in class this semester. Even though as you mentioned we hadn't been able to go on site visits. I still felt very connected to the organizations and to Binghamton. It was something that I looked forward to throughout the craziness of going online. Being apart of the grant decision process is something that I am proud to be a part of. The money will make a positive impact on the community. (Which makes me really happy- even though Peter Singer would be frustrated).
ReplyDeleteThis class has made me think about giving and ways of giving. How to do more with my money and that money isn't always the answer. The new gospel wealth is something that has stuck with me. Being able to give such a large donation, understanding what that feels like and its limitations has compelled me to work more systematic reform.
-Bridget
I really liked your post Brendan! I agree with a lot of your sentiments and I thought this class was really influential. Coming into the class, I was skeptical about what we could do as a class and if it would have a real impact on the community. My favorite part of the class were charity pitches. It was inspiring to learn about other students' motives, experiences, and interests. We all come from such a diverse background and the fact that we could come together to choose VINES and Family Planning is impressive. I'm excited that VINES will be able to build their hoop house and help many people in the years to come. This class was really unique and I'm thankful to have experienced it. It taught me the importance of community engagement and that we don't have to be billionaires to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI’m wondering if anyone has had any disappointments with this class. I’ll just say that I’m the type of student that’s used to studying ideas and patterns, not many hands-on projects, though I am very happy to apply those skills outside of the classroom. I personally like my ponderings to be more abstract because it’s easier to play with. I initially came into this class thinking that we would dive really deep into the ethical and societal impacts of philanthropy and then get into the grant decision-making process later on. Much to my surprise, and sometimes frustration, we got straight into the doing without much “book reading” to frontload the process. I guess reflecting on it, we don't have to study it much because we took this class with the conclusion that philanthropy is a good thing. Now at the end of the class, I can appreciate the lack of esotericism because we got the job done. An experiential class doesn’t need much inspiration for thinking than what will finally get to the end decision. While this class didn’t greatly revolutionize my idea of philanthropy and the processes it represents, it did give me lasting realizations of the practice of public administration. I previously thought of bureaucracy and administration as a soul-sucking desk job only serving to toil for larger society, but now I see that it is just the applied version of the ideas proposed by social science. I’ve never observed a more blatant example of the concept that ideas are only as important as what you can do with them. Economics has business, math has engineering. I can now applaud the work because they are emblematic of the larger societal processes. Thank you all for helping me realize that distinction better.
ReplyDeleteBrendan,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more and I love how you described the grant making process as a "tremendously beautiful burden." Coming into this course, I really did not expect to get as much out of it as I did. To be honest, it wasn't even my first choice. I was going to take a scholars class about Istanbul and the middle East, but that got canceled. Then they replaced it with a class about the refugee crisis in the middle East, which also sounded very interesting to me because I love learning about history, current events, and social issues. But, it conflicted with another class, so I couldn't take it. I think I wasn't really attracted to this class initially because I thought it involved learning about philanthropists and what they do. This is how they described it in my scholars class in the fall. But really, this class is more about learning how we could be philanthropists and what we can do, which is an important distinction. I wanted to take a class that allowed me to think about and discuss issues in society and learn more about the problems facing the world. This is exactly what I got. I feel so lucky that I couldn't take that other class because this course was one of the best courses I have ever taken, with one of the best professors I've ever had, along with so many smart and caring peers. It has given me so much to think about and discuss in terms of my own beliefs and role in giving back to the community. This course was definitely the highlight of my freshman year and probably will be one of the main highlights of my college experience. Coming into college, I had expected to take mainly STEM courses. I'm a biochem major on a pre-med track, and I have been considering minoring or double majoring in math or economics. I am still going to be a biochem major, but I'm definitely reconsidering the courses I take in addition to the ones required for my major. Good job on your blog post.
-Andrew Werner
Hey Brendan,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that this course has been really impactful and has made me think very deeply about the world and how I can make a difference. It has made me reflect on my core values, how philanthropy can improve, and how I can take action to fight for what I believe in. I wasn't expecting a course that was outside of my major to probably be one of my favorite classes I'll take, as well as one of the courses I've learned the most in. While it made me think critically about life, I also was able to improve my communication skills with other people and learn how to express my ideas. We did this through a couple different methods including small group discussion, large group discussion, blog posts, and presentations. All these skills are very important as we all go on to different career paths. Another thing I also really enjoyed was being able to connect with my classmates that all came from different backgrounds and different interests. It allowed me to hear other people's perspectives, which definitely has influenced the way I look at things. This course also brought us all together, and in meeting so many people and working closely with one another I feel that I have made many friends that I wouldn't necessarily have met otherwise. We also learned so much about the community of Binghamton, which was really nice considering it was my first year here. This class definitely had a large impact on my life as it did yours, and I am hoping to have the opportunity to take more courses such as this one that make me think critically.
I feel the same way—this class has left a lasting impact upon me that I was not expecting. Honestly, I expected this to be an easy class for me since I am a biological chemistry and psychology double major—I never thought a humanity-esque course could be so thought provoking. I had to use a part of my brain I had left turned off since high school, and I forgot how much I enjoyed topics like these. I am so grateful I had a chance to take this class, which was easily one of my favorites this semester as it is so unlike anything I have ever done before and likely will not have a chance to ever do again.
ReplyDeletePrior to the first class, Dr. Campbell had us read a piece he co-authored about the process we were about to undergo (https://www.good.is/education/teaching-college-students-to-give-back). At the time, I felt like the article was over-embellishing the benefits of taking such a course, but it was truly as transformative as the authors said it would be. I am capable of being a philanthropist, and after this course I understand both that identity and how to use it to do good for my community and society. I cannot wait until I have greater means to help people around me, but for now I will continue to donate my time to organizations I believe in to help make a difference—both in Broome County and back home in New Jersey, although that option has been limited by COVID-19.
Sabrina Reba
Brendan, thank you for sharing this was truly amazing to read. As I'm sure you already know, you're not alone in sharing the sentiments about this class, and it truly has been an honor to work alongside you and the rest of this class sharing this "tremendously beautiful burden." I, like you, didn't really know what I was getting into registering for this class, but I am beyond grateful Professor Campbell picked this group of scholars to work together to help the community out in this dire time of need. What I found most interesting about the class is the drastic change of events that occurred over just the span of a week or two, where business as usual all of the sudden was all but usual. In the end looking back I realize that I think the online format actually made us participate and engage in meaningful discussion more than what we had in class, although I wish we could have celebrated our decision together in the class room, I am so glad that our class did not veer of our goal through our very unusual change to a fully online course. I think we all knew this course was a little different form our traditional coursework, but I dont think anybody could have imagined the rollercoaster we all took to reach our final agreement. Lastly, I'd like to personally thank you for going the extra mile and earning our class an extra $1000 to donate, it is peers like you that keep the rest of the class motivated and striving to do our best. Thanks again for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Brendan,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing such an impactful post. I agree with you completely that I have never had a class which challenged me to make a "decision with such moral weight" in which our choices made over the semester directly impacted lives positively outside of this class. I, too, wasn't expecting the tremendous passion each and every student had with regards to their philanthropy when I entered this course, and was pleasantly surprised to see so many different viewpoints and opinions during each class discussion. Like you had mentioned that concepts that made you question your beliefs made your love for this course even stronger, I can strongly relate to this feeling. One concept that stuck with me this semester was that of focusing on small organizations or larger organizations for investing our money and time in. This introduced me to an idea I never had even considered before. I had always thought that as long as we are giving our money for a greater good, it would have made a positive impact regardless and the scale of the impact would have been equal if the time and money invested was the same amount. However, through watching the assigned TED talks and reading the articles, I was able to grasp the difference between supporting a local organization and a national organization with regards to the effects and impact the philanthropy has. I think your description of the change in the middle of the semester being a "tremendously beautiful burden" is a perfect way to demonstrate the challenge we as a class had to overcome, and it also motivated me as well to see everyone so diligently working to find alternative solutions to make our decision making process the most effective it could have been. Lastly, the fact that you mentioned that having our beliefs challenged is the only way to change really resonated with me. I truly believe my mindset has changed for the better through this course, and that is because every class challenged me to think differently and about new concepts. I am so grateful to Professor Campbell for helping us grow as individuals while guiding us in the right direction, and so grateful to everyone in this class who helped widen my perspectives by introducing new viewpoints to me. The dedication each person had to conduct the online site visits, spend extra time to stay and talk with the representatives, and asking engaging questions throughout these trying times inspires me and motivates me to work hard to further improve upon myself in the future.
Hi Brendan! I really liked your post. The way you wrote about your experience really embodies something that hopefully all of the class felt. I loved learning about the philosophies of philanthropy as well as the practical applications and tangible results of people donating their money. And I got so much out of both our small-group and whole-class discussions. Especially because we often switched up our table groups, I felt like I really got to hear what everyone had to say. Our class was so diverse, and everyone had valuable perspectives that frequently caused me to rethink my opinions. The fact that everyone was so nice to each other and receptive to each other's ideas is what made the class go so smoothly for me.
ReplyDeleteI also like what you said about our transition to online learning. Although it has been difficult, I agree that our class as a whole stayed on the ball. Honestly, I did not feel like I was missing out on anything by having our regular classes and site visits over zoom. Everyone was very engaged and the organizations we talked to were very accommodating of our situation.
At the beginning of the semester, I felt scared that myself/the class would "mess up" or not make the best decision regarding which organizations to support because we all started out inexperienced, and 10,000 dollars is a lot of money for someone our age. It is clear now that my fears were far from realized. Because of all the aforementioned aspects of the class, we were able to wisely narrow down our huge list of organizations. Even if some people did not get their very top choice, no one had to worry that the money was going to end up wasted or going to a bad organization.
The class was a great learning opportunity, and a great way for us to make real change in the local Broome community. I think we will all carry the ideas and lessons we've learned with us throughout the rest of college and into our lives.
Hey Brendan this post was great! You managed to perfectly encapsulate how I feel about this class and this semester. While it was a challenge after we moved online, the experiences that this class brought were truly unforgettable. And I totally agree with what you said about the people in this class, it's really rare to meet a group of people that are so committed to the class and its goal rather than mentally checking out. I also appreciated how you talked about Singer and struggling with effective altruism. Whenever I thought about a charity to pitch, or someplace I would want to donate my money in real life my first thought was always what is a cause or organization important to me specifically. That was definitely a part of the struggle in narrowing down our finalists for me. I agree that I will definitely carry what I learned with me throughout my college career, and congrats on an awesome post and hope we have another class together someday!
ReplyDeleteHi Brendan! This post was one that I was able to resonate with, especially as I reflect over the semester. This course has truly been a beneficial and genuinely interesting to my college experience. Unlike many of my other classes at Binghamton University, I was able to interact with all my peers and learn from you all! Even through this blog post I see that others share a common experience to my own. Starting this course I always thought that I would never be able to reach becoming a Philanthropist, but as the course came to an end I see how we all were in fact one. We dedicated our time to evaluating dozens of organizations and using all our acquired knowledge from throughout the semester to come to a final decision. COVID-19 definitely made this process a bit more challenging, but I am proud and amazed by how our dedication remained. At one point or another during the semester I believe we all set boundaries to separating personal beliefs from our final decision. However, I agree that we cannot entirely separate the two. In some instances I even saw my own beliefs influencing some parts of my decision. Emotions are able to tie into our core values, which was personally a large factor for my funding recommendation. All in all, this course truly exceeded my expectations from the beginning of the semester and opened my eyes to the importance of philanthropy within my future. Kudos to Professor Campbell and to my fellow peers for shaping my experience throughout this course! This will be a course that I miss!
ReplyDeleteKassandra Moran
Hey Brendan,
ReplyDeleteEven as I type this and the course is over I did take the time to reflect and I realized just how this course has shaped my thinking going forward. In the very first paper Professor Campbell asked us to write, I stated that a core value I had was to help others who cannot help themselves. This was a core value that overall shaped all the decisions I made in this class especially when it came to charity pitches. It also amazed me that philanthropy has as much to do with money as much as it does with time. Being a "good" philanthropist does not only mean you give a lump sum of money and then walking away, it can also be donating your time and fighting for a cause you truly believe in. So with this being said, I think it is safe to say many Binghamton Students are philanthropists. Although I am only a rising sophomore I have met many BU students who has shaped their college careers around helping others and joining the ground soldiers for a cause worth fighting for. Many organizations on campus has shaped their agendas to join the social fights that affect us in some way such as BSU, LASU, J.U.M.P and the list goes on. Day in and day out us as students are dedicated to a higher purpose and I just want to say thank you, for giving this course your time and allowing your voices to matter.
Nia Johnson
Thank you so much for sharing your reflection, Brian.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you that this course was different from any other discussion classes, especially since the weight of $11,000 is no joke for college students like us. I think it also influenced our discussion to be more "heated" near the end. Early this semester, I chose empathy for my core value in philanthropy in my first reflection paper assignment. Although I’ve stated that my core value will always remain flexible to change, I believe that empathy still remains as my core value, even after all the experience I’ve obtained from this class. I assumed that my core value would influence my philanthropic decision by inclining me toward charity organizations working for human rights or social issues I sympathize most with (e.g. domestic abuse, people of color). However, as the discussion progressed, I could not be overly persistent on my first choices and learned to give up some values to make objectively better decisions. For me, it was choosing VINES over RISE. I am glad that, although I was doubtful that just one course would ever influence my perspective, it indeed made me change in some way, and I hope it was same for you too.