Supporters of Philanthropy Courses

By Jennifer C. Berkshire

Here is a sampling of donors and grant makers that support undergraduate courses with a philanthropy component:

Brennan Family Foundation. Created by the Ohio industrialist David Brennan, the Akron foundation recently gave $50,000 to support a student-led grant-making program at Colgate University.

Roger F. Grein. This Cincinnati accountant made a fortune in the stock market and now donates $5,000 per course to support philanthropy classes at Ohio's Xavier University, Chatfield College, and Wilmington College, as well as at Loyola University Chicago.

Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation. The Cincinnati grant maker endows five to seven courses at Northern Kentucky University each semester. Students in each course give away $4,000, with nearly $200,000 donated so far.

Stardust Foundation. The Scottsdale, Ariz., grant maker has provided more than $80,000 to the Stardust Student Philanthropy Fund at Arizona State University, enabling students to give away between $20,000 and $25,000 each semester.

Sunshine Lady Foundation. The private family foundation, created by Doris Buffett, sister of the billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett, has given $300,000 to support courses on philanthropy at four institutions: Cornell University, Davidson College, the University of Mary Washington, and the University of Virginia.

Do you think philanthropy-related courses can help prepare college students to be more informed donors —or even help raise their interest in a nonprofit career? Share your experience in the Training Session forum.