By Charles Peckman
The T. Anne Cleary Walkway turned into a learning experience for students and faculty members on Wednesday for “Faces of Phil,” an event aimed at raising awareness for the impact of philanthropy on campus.
The event, which is part of Phil’s Week, is in line with the goal of educating students and faculty who may not be aware of the effect philanthropy has on their education. The week as a whole is part of the UI Foundation’s Student Philanthropy Initiative, which was established in 2007.
Although Iowa was one of 11 states that received a decrease in funding from 2015 to 2016, according to the annual Grapevine report about college funding from Illinois State University, Iowa’s philanthropic endeavors continue.
As of February, the UI Foundation’s “For Iowa. Forever more” campaign was just shy of raising $2 billion.
This comes during a year when the UI faces a $9.2 million midyear cut in state funding.
The initiative was launched to “[build] a culture of philanthropy” on Iowa’s campus, said UI Foundation President and CEO Lynette Marshall.
“Faces of Phil” perpetuates this culture of philanthropy through education, and their website echoes this.
“You may not know it, but you are Phil, too — whether you’ve donated to the university, received a scholarship, studied or worked in a facility that donations built, participated in campus philanthropy, or cheered on our Hawkeyes,” the website reads.
Participants in Wednesday’s event had the opportunity to sign postcards to send as thanks to UI donors. Passersby also had the opportunity to take a Polaroid photo and post it to the Faces of Phil board, and, as the event’s website puts it, “Phil up” at the food trucks parked at the event.
Megan Johnson, assistant director of stewardship communications for the UI Foundation, said “Faces of Phil” is an excellent opportunity for students and staff alike.
“It gives them the opportunity to see the ways donors help all of us to have many experiences at Iowa,” Johnson said.
Courtney Blind, associate director of campus philanthropy, agrees with the vision of education Phil’s week puts forward.
“We wanted people to understand how philanthropy affects the education [students] are receiving at the University,” Blind said. “Philanthropy plays an important role in many aspects of life at Iowa, and we want people to realize that.”
Ryan Brennan, incoming president of the Student Philanthropy Group, said he realizes the importance of giving back to the UI community.
As Brennan looked around the Cleary Walkway, he urged students to look around campus in a similar manner.
“People don’t always realize the role philanthropy plays,” Brennan said. “If you look around campus at all of the buildings and beauty, philanthropy is to thank for a lot of that. So much of what we have on campus is because of the generosity of others. Today we’re signing postcards for donors, because philanthropy is the backbone of the UI.”
