Academic Experiences
Below I have included some of my most important pieces of work from my time at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. These artifacts have shaped my understanding of philanthropy and encouraged the development of my own passions in the sector.
PHST-P 430: Philanthropy in a Global Context
Generosity, Charity, and Philanthropy in a Global Context
For this research paper, I had to interview two people of different cultures and learn about their individual definitions of charity, generosity, and philanthropy. I also explore the academic definitions of these terms, my own definitions, key motivations of philanthropic action in these cultures, the intended outcome of these acts, and more.
From the interviewees' perspectives, I found that Mexico is more collectivistic and practices philanthropy primarily on an individual and communal scale, the Czech Republic is an individualistic democracy still impacted by leftover communist tradition in how they view philanthropic behavior, and Malaysia’s philanthropy is more organizationally focused.
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This project allowed me to further develop my interviewing and research skills, and it ignited my new interest in the realm of global philanthropy. I find it so fascinating how different a person's definition of philanthropy can be just based on their cultural background, and it's made me more interested in encouraging a more inclusive definition of philanthropy among professionals in the sector.
PHST-P 301: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Approaches to Philanthropy
Ioana Bauer: A Romanian Changemaker
Throughout this research paper, I examined a social entrepreneur that aimed to change the world through philanthropy. Through my research, I found Ioana Bauer and her mission to stop human trafficking in Romania. This led to my learning about how institutional structures and social norms in Romania do not adequately support philanthropy or civil society. This is deeply rooted in a weak government, corruption at the highest levels, and an ineffective policing and judicial system, which has made human trafficking a viable option for exploitation and easy money in the country. Thankfully Ioana and eLiberare are making a difference through education, outreach, taking a stand against injustice, and working with victims of human trafficking,
This is another project that expanded my interest in global philanthropy. I was able to conduct research on several levels of philanthropic life in Romania, and learn more about how a social entrepreneur utilized innovative solutions on a citizen-to-citizen level to address human trafficking. This paper allowed me to think creatively, and learn more about global philanthropy and civil society.
PHST-P 401: Ethics and Values of Philanthropy
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
In this case study, I researched the ethics of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), which is the largest philanthropic foundation in the United States with an endowment of $49.9 billion. I explored how the foundation spends more on global health every year than the World Health Organization, and as a result, has gained immense influence on deciding the focus of global health policies in foreign nations and foreign NGOs. However, very little is known about the foundation’s true impact and effectiveness.
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I argue that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ultimately cannot be trusted due to their inefficient funding priorities, immense unregulated influence on global health policies and organizations, and disappointing accountability and transparency practices for an organization of this size. I also offer recommendations for the foundation at the end.
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This is one of the most comprehensive research papers of my undergraduate career. I back up my claims with hard facts and data, and I evaluate my scholarly sources through a literature review. This allowed me to practice many skills related to scholarly writing and research, and it got me to think about how to address ethical dilemmas in the sector.
PHST-P 401: Ethics and Values of Philanthropy
Is Healthcare a Right?
This professional development opportunity involved giving a presentation to the class describing an ethical dilemma in philanthropy. This also involved leading an in-depth discussion/activity about the subject. I chose to research the topic of healthcare and whether or not it should be considered a human right. I looked at data from a study that evaluated several other countries' healthcare systems in relation to the United States, and the US consistently ranked lowest on almost all points. I then presented and backed up my stance on this topic with evidence, and I connected it to the philanthropic sector by exploring global health organizations.
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This project allowed me to practice my research, design, and public speaking skills. I also practiced leadership and consensus-building through the discussion I led after presenting my topic.