Nation’s first school of philanthropy will graduate 33 students
INDIANAPOLIS—Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation, will be the keynote speaker for the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s school-wide graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 11.
Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie will present Case with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Indiana University during Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) commencement ceremonies that day. Both events will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
Students earning the Ph.D., master of arts or bachelor of arts degrees in Philanthropic Studies will be graduated from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the nation’s first school dedicated to research and teaching about philanthropy. They represent a wide range of experiences, from veteran philanthropic sector leaders completing graduate-level programs that expand their knowledge and enhance their careers and organizations to civically engaged undergraduates receiving their first degrees.
“We are pleased to congratulate our graduates and to welcome Jean Case, who is one of the most visionary, forward-thinking leaders in philanthropy today,” said Gene Tempel, founding dean of the school. “Now more than ever, the philanthropic sector needs well-educated, thoughtful professionals who are prepared to lead. These outstanding graduates are already making an enduring impact, and they will be inspired to even greater success by Jean Case’s words and example. They will be thoughtful and fearless leaders at the forefront of 21st century philanthropy.”
Jean Case is an actively engaged philanthropist who, together with her husband Steve Case, co-founder of America Online, Inc., now known as AOL, created the Case Foundation in 1997 with the mission of investing in people and big ideas who can change the world. She uses her extensive knowledge, business acumen and networks to help the nonprofit sector expand its reach and impact by applying the power of technology to change the world for the better. She also champions engaging youth in their communities, the use of measurement to evaluate success and effectiveness, and the formation of strategic partnerships to solve big problems.
The Cases joined the Giving Pledge, started by Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, and publicly reaffirmed their commitment to give away the majority of their wealth to fund worthy causes. They have been named to Barron’s “25 Best Givers” list and in 2011, Jean was named the Washington Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropist of the Year.
Following Sunday’s graduation, a diverse array of organizations across the philanthropic sector and around the world will benefit from the graduating students’ expertise. Among the graduates is a semi-finalist in the prestigious national Presidential Management Fellowship Program. Graduates have won positions with organizations such as the Goodwill Commercial Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana.
Other graduates are continuing their roles at organizations nationwide such as president of the James Graham Brown Foundation, chief development officer for Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly, development officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, membership specialist for Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, and senior manager for strategic operations for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center. Several students are expanding their education by pursuing advanced degrees.
The four Ph.D. recipients include a mixture of philanthropic organization leaders and scholars who are among the first generation to be educated specifically to teach and conduct research in the field of Philanthropic Studies:
- Tyrone Freeman is director of undergraduate programs and visiting lecturer in Philanthropic Studies at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
- Brittany Kienker is working with Graham-Pelton, a global fundraising and philanthropy management consulting firm.
- Angela Logan is associate director for planning and development of nonprofit professional development in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
- Peter Weber was chosen as the Chancellor’s Scholar for the Graduate School, which oversees most graduate programs. He plans to do post-doctoral work at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, participating in several projects with the school’s research team.
See more information about the Lilly Family School of philanthropy graduates and their plans and aspirations
About Indiana University Lilly Family 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. The School offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy—voluntary action for the public good—through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute.