University Park, Pa. — Get your "phil" of cotton candy and other freebies at "Philanthropy Phriday," hosted by Penn State's Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) on the first floor of the HUB-Robeson Center on the University Park campus.
The first event of this monthly series will take place 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3. Philanthropy Phriday promotes philanthropy awareness and its impact on Penn State students.
To celebrate the beginning of the academic year and welcome new students to the University, this month's theme is "What is philanthropy?" Members of the SPC will be looking for feedback from students on how philanthropy affects their lives on a daily basis at Penn State. The answers will be put on display on a large bulletin board next to the cotton candy machine in hopes of spreading awareness of philanthropy’s importance. Based on this feedback, the council will be discussing and encouraging ways to get involved in philanthropy around campus in order to provide positive changes in the lives of students and their peers.
Council member Bryan Balaban, a junior psychology major from East Windsor, N.J., said that the SPC picked the "What is philanthropy?" theme based on the idea that "informing new students of the importance and impact that philanthropy has on them every day is imperative to the Penn State experience." He said he hopes that the students benefit from this year's Philanthropy Phridays by acquiring a familiarity with the specific philanthropic initiatives that happen at the University and how important they are to all students.
Council member Megan Geise, a sophomore public relations major, said she looks forward to the change that the Student Philanthropy Council is working toward -- increased awareness and appreciation from the students for programs and services that are made possible by annual giving. “We hope that our first Philanthropy Phriday will kick off the start to a great increase in awareness throughout the 2008-2009 academic year."
Visit http://www.giveto.psu.edu/WhoContributes/CurrentStudents/psspc/ for more information about the Student Philanthropy Council.