PHILANTHROPY CULTURE IN THE U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION: ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AND THE ROLE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS IN FUNDRAISING

• Authors: Алла Красуля
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Philanthropy from individual donors, as an example of prosocial behaviour, has defined and influenced higher education in the USA since the founding of Harvard. American higher education as we know it today would not exist if it were not for voluntary contributions of time, wealth, service, and talents of many individuals as well as collective giving. More recently, as state support declined and endowments fell in the economic downturn, philanthropic support of the university enables it to better meet the challenges facing higher education today. As a result, it is important that universities engage all possible donors in fundraising activities. University advancement offices ponder what motivates alumnito make regular financial contributions to their alma mater, and how to encourage undergraduate students and young alumni to be philanthropic on a long-term basis. It is imperative for alumni office to have and act upon a vision that supports the institutional mission. Thus, it has to offer opportunities for the future donors to learn about and participate in community service, civic engagement, service-learning projects, and student alumni associations. In such a way, university cultivates a generation of engaged alumni dedicated to future service to the university. Involvement of alumni in their alma mater generates interest, and that interest often translates into the giving of time, advocacy, and money. This article presents the analysis of organizational identification features, as a part of social identity theory, and principles of alumni charity support for higher educational institutions in the USA. Sources for higher education funding, issues of philanthropy culture, as well as kinds and peculiarities of alumni development programsare discussed. The author outlines the suggestions for academic curriculum to help promote and develop youth engagement in university life, social, civic, and community building through philanthropy, volunteerism, and fundraising practices for universities. It is out of the question that additional research on philanthropy toward universities among different types of donors is important. Understanding the complexity of motives with which donations are made, implementation of advancement programs with well-thought strategies, bridging theory and practice will enable public universities to survive and carry on academic traditions in the current economic downturn.

Keywords

EN

philanthropy; culture; higher education; identification; alumni

• Publisher: Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko
• Journal: Педагогічні науки: теорія, історія, інноваційні технології
• Year: 2014
• Issue: 9(43)
• Pages: 299-308

Dates

published

2014-11-24

Contributors

author

Алла Красуля