Una Osili, Ph.D., director of research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, is being hailed as one of "Forty Under 40" young professionals to watch.
The honor is being conferred by the Indianapolis Business Journal. Honorees are selected based on the level of success the person has achieved in his or her chosen field and accomplishments in the community.
The publication calls Osili a "renowned researcher on philanthropic trends," citing her leadership of the School's research program and premier research projects that offer information and insights that help nonprofit leaders and donors be more effective. These include the Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Giving, the Million Dollar List and the Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS), as well as Giving USA, which the School researches and writes on behalf of Giving USA Foundation. Osili also is a professor of Philanthropic Studies and Economics at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis), where the School of Philanthropy is located.
"Una is one of the world's leading philanthropy scholars," said Gene Tempel, Ed.D., dean of the School of Philanthropy. "She and her team produce groundbreaking research that is the cornerstone of our School's contributions to society. It enables us to provide donors, nonprofits, policy makers and the public with new knowledge so they can make meaningful change in lives and communities."
A global perspective and an interest in international research are an inherent part of Osili's achievements. She was born in New York and grew up in Nigeria. Her research focus includes the charitable giving habits of immigrants as well as international comparisons of giving in various countries, and she is a founder of the Immigrant Welcome Center in Indianapolis, which helps people settle into the community.
"I am honored to be in the company of so many outstanding community leaders," Osili said. "It is a privilege to collaborate with exceptional colleagues at IU Indianapolis, at IU and around the world to help make a difference."
Osili is a consultant with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and previously worked for the World Bank in Washington, DC. In 2007, she was appointed as a fellow of the Networks Financial Institute and served as a visiting associate professor of economics at Yale University.
"Una has already helped to significantly advance both knowledge and practice of philanthropy at home and around the world," said Patrick M. Rooney, Ph.D., associate dean for academic affairs and research at the School of Philanthropy. "Her remarkable abilities and her dedication to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector are impressive, and we congratulate her on this very appropriate recognition of her work."
Osili serves or has served on several national and international advisory groups and boards, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the UN Development Program, the Association for the Advancement of African Women Economists, the African Finance and Economics Association, and the research committee of the Association for Research in Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). Her community involvement includes serving on the board of trustees of St. Richards's School, and she previously was a member of the boards of the Immigrant Welcome Center and the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis.
Osili earned her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and her master's and doctorate degrees in Economics at Northwestern University.
An article about Osili's accomplishments and a video interview can be viewed at http://www.ibj.com/forty-under-40-una-osili/PARAMS/article/39280.
About the School of Philanthropy
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change in the world. The School offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Women's Philanthropy Institute.