Gratitude, education and engagement are the three pillars of the newly developed Student Philanthropy Council. The Council strives to create a culture of awareness among students by educating them on how to give back to both donors and the community. Students learn how to engage with and show appreciation to supporters for their consistent commitment to CALS.

The council is comprised of five executive council officers and 25 general council members who are all undergraduate students in CALS. Council members will work closely with other CALS organizations to promote community service projects and activities. Many of the council members recently participated in the CALS and Rise Against Hunger food packaging event in November, where participants packaged more than 25,000 meals for families around the world.

The formation of the council began in late spring of 2017 and has continued to develop and grow. To serve on the council, students were nominated by professors and advisers prior to an interview selection process. The council held its first meeting in September to plan and organize projects, activities and fundraising events for its inaugural year.

IFAS Advancement assistant director of development, Taylor Johnson, serves as a staff adviser for the CALS Student Philanthropy Council. Johnson is excited about the potential of the council to positively impact students and their futures.

“I hope this council is an opportunity for students to leave their unique legacy by investing in their classmates and fostering a deeper culture of generosity that will continue long after their time here in CALS,” Johnson said.

One major goal of the council is to develop a scholarship fund for incoming CALS freshmen. The council will work on fundraising opportunities to raise the needed money to sponsor this scholarship. Ultimately, the members of the council would like this to be an endowed scholarship available to students through the organizations continued efforts. For Cara Maniscalco, a natural resource conservation senior who is the current president of the council, this scholarship fund goal is a great motivation.

Source: IFAS Matters - To read the full story visit here.