Birth of a New School of Philanthropy

As a doctor of education, and not medicine, I had only witnessed one live birth — that of my beautiful daughter — until now. On April 9, I was honored to be a witness to the inauguration of the new Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Hank Rosso, one of the fathers of modern philanthropy in this country, brought his fundraising school to Indiana University to create the Center on Philanthropy in 1987. As Dr. Emmett D. Carson noted in his keynote address at this event, "Hank Rosso, Charles Stevens, Bob Payton and Eugene Tempel all led the charge for a greater study of philanthropy in the world."

Dr. Tempel is the founding dean of the new school. Dr. Patrick Rooney is the founding associate dean.

Why care about philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector in this country? Do you realize that 14 million people are employed by this sector? There is a need to hire 640,000 new not-for-profit employees by 2016. Last year, approximately $300 billion was contributed in this sector in the United States alone, which represents 2 percent of the nation's gross national product. There are more than 1 million 501(c)(3) organizations in this country. The point is that this sector continues to make a profound impact.

The expectations of the new school of philanthropy are many. Event speakers Dr. Carson, Indiana University President Michael McRobbie and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Chancellor Charles Bantz noted that the school will train students for the future in practice, theory and research. Students will be taught to apply techniques to solve complex problems. Ideas in theory blended in practice will be tested, challenged and implemented. As Dr. Carson noted, historically the study of philanthropy was placing "round pegs in square holes." That time has now passed into history.