A memorable first Student Philanthropy Week for the Poole Student Philanthropy Council

The brand-new Poole Student Philanthropy Council at the NC State University Poole College of Management had a memorable first Student Philanthropy Week.

By 6 p.m. Thursday, March 17, 150 students had pledged, more than enough to meet the donation challenge set by Ira Weiss, Poole College dean and Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Chair.

Weiss had told the SPC members that he would make a personal contribution of $2,500 to the Poole College Scholarship Fund if at least 100 students made a donation on March 17.

The council members collectively thanked those who stopped by to learn about the importance of student philanthropy, and especially those who made a donation and secured the $2,500 gift from Dean Weiss to the college’s scholarship fund. They also extend thanks to faculty members who encouraged students to participate, who let them speak in their classrooms, and who showed their PSPC video at the start of class. Among those were professors Cecil Bozarth, Frank Buckless, Beth Ritter, Thomas Byrnes, Tracy Freeman and Srini Krishnamurthy.

The minimum donation was $5; seniors were asked to donate $20.16. The largest student donation received was $100. Those who were not able to get to the SPW events can contribute online. Simply select the fund you want to support and follow the prompts. 

The Poole Student Philanthropy Council has been working for months getting ready for this ‘donation day,’ including production of their video in which they explain why they feel student philanthropy is important and scheduling events in alignment with campuswide SPW activities.

From Tuesday through Thursday evening, March 15-17, the PSPC staffed a table near the Nelson Commons area, talking one-on-one with fellow students about the importance of student philanthropy, encouraging them to attend campus-wide SPW events at Talley Student Center, and yes, asking them to make a donation to the Poole College Student Scholarship Fund. They also managed a Poole Student Philanthropy Council Facebook page, and Poole College communications followed their activities on the college’s Instagram account, @ncstatepoolemgt.

Krispy Kreme Donuts, Chick Fil A chicken minis, Poole College sunglasses, pens and t-shirt kept a steady stream of visitors stopping by at the PSPC’s table, but those t-shirts only went to students who made a donation. Many of the student donors also left notes on paper shamrocks – it was St. Patrick’s Day, after all – explaining why they donated. Among their remarks:

• “I gave back because I love NC State and I'm proud to be in Poole and part of the Wolfpack.”
• “Poole has given me so many opportunities and I want to help give those opportunities to back to future students.”

“It was amazing to see the number of students who were willing to donate back to Poole,” said Trevor Warren, an accounting major, Poole College Student Ambassador and PSPC member. “As a senior, this was a great opportunity to not only give back but to also leave a lasting impact on the college – and who knew that it was this easy to make a difference,” he said.

Kelley Hillsgrove, a junior in business administration and PSPC member, said, “It was inspiring to see students so willing to give back to Poole College. We had so much participation for such a new organization, I am so excited to see what we the Student Philanthropy Council can accomplish in years to come!”

Weiss commended the students for their efforts and successful first year.

“I am so proud of our SPC and the work they have done in communicating to our student body the importance of 'giving back',” Weiss said. “Through their efforts Poole students have come to understand that tuition dollars alone cannot provide the quality education and experiences they receive everyday. This has been a great beginning of student philanthropy in Poole and I hope this tradition will grow stronger each year. I am thrilled to be a part of this great success!”