Acclaimed researcher Dr. Noah D. Drezner to speak March 27 as part of Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy’s Diverse Speaker Series
Philanthropy is an integral part of every community. But giving and volunteering within, by and for traditionally under-represented communities is often overlooked, marginalized or misunderstood.
Noted scholar Dr. Noah D. Drezner will shed new light on philanthropy in the LGBTQ communities during a public conversation in Indianapolis March 27. He will discuss how and why people in the LGBTQ communities engage in philanthropic behaviors, specifically within the context of giving to higher education, and how straight Americans might choose to support queer communities with their giving.
Drezner’s talk, “Queering Philanthropy: Emerging Research on Alumni Giving From and Supporting the LGBTQ Communities,” is the latest in the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy’s Diverse Speaker Series. The institute and the series, which are part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, work to broaden and deepen understanding of the philanthropy of under-represented people.
The event will be held at the Indianapolis Central Library’s Clowes Auditorium, 40 E. St. Clair Street, with a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by the public conversation at 6:00 p.m. Both are free and open to the public; registration is requested. Strada Education Network is the presenting sponsor of this Mays Diverse Speaker Series event.
"For far too long fundraisers and researchers alike used a White, wealthy, heterosexual male lens for their work. However, this cookie cutter approach does not work. People’s motivations and decision making are far too complex. More and more research is showing that a person’s social identities impact their philanthropic giving. As a number of LGBTQ individuals are coming out and expressing queer identities it is important to study and engage the whole-self in a person’s philanthropic giving," Drezner said.
"Findings from my studies show LGBTQ donors are motivated to not only support their own communities. They are also more likely to support other marginalized groups with their philanthropy. In other words, there is a form of kinship across communities where members experience discrimination within the larger society," Drezner added.
Drezner is associate professor of higher education and program director of the Higher and Postsecondary Education Program at Columbia University’s Teachers College. One aspect of his research focuses on philanthropy in non-traditional donor communities. His remarks will build on research from two national studies, the National LGBT Alumni Giving Study and the National Alumni Giving Experiment, which evaluates how a person’s social identities affect their propensity to donate and at what level when exposed to different types of fundraising solicitations. He leads both studies.
“Deepening our awareness and understanding of the philanthropy inherent in diverse communities both enriches understanding of philanthropy as a whole and opens the door to greater understanding within and among the communities that comprise our society,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., associate dean for research and international programs and Dean’s Fellow for the Mays Institute. “Dr. Drezner’s insightful and thought provoking research on social identities and philanthropy in nontraditional donor communities helps us better understand philanthropy by and for people in the LGBTQ communities and the important roles they play in strengthening society.”
Internationally known as a leading researcher on educational philanthropy, Drezner’s research interests include philanthropy and fundraising as it pertains to colleges and universities, including higher education's role in the cultivation of prosocial behaviors. His current work is based in identity-based philanthropy, researching how a person’s social identities affect their giving to higher education and how colleges and universities can engage their alumni in more inclusive ways.
Drezner is founding editor of Philanthropy & Education (Indiana University Press), and Visiting Professor of Education and Philanthropic Studies at Beijing Normal University. He has published numerous articles and six books. His dissertation received the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) H.S. Warwick Award for Outstanding Research in Alumni Relations for Educational Advancement in 2009.
Additionally, Drezner has been recognized with the 2014 Skystone Partners Prize for Research on Fundraising and Philanthropy presented by The Association of Fundraising Professionals for his book, Expanding the donor base in higher education: Engaging non-traditional donors, and the CASE John Grenzebach Award for Outstanding Research in Philanthropy for Educational Advancement in 2015 for his recent work on philanthropic mirroring and social identity’s impact on giving.
IU Indianapolis 50th Anniversary
The Mays Family Institute Diverse Speakers Series is presented in part by the IU Indianapolis 50th Anniversary Event Fund. To learn more about other 50th Anniversary events, visit 50.indianapolis.iu.edu.
About the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy
The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy fosters a greater understanding of the ways in which underrepresented people are both inspired and informed donors by providing knowledge, education and training. The institute seeks to understand the perceptions, practices, experiences and needs of the individuals and institutions that operationalize philanthropy in underrepresented communities and develop programming and services to engage philanthropic practitioners, scholars and the public at large in conversations and activities to advance this field.
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis 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 through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter @IUPhilanthropy or “Like” us on Facebook.