dear future board members…
Course alumni share their perspectives.
“You will not change the world in three months, but you will improve someone’s life—and probably transform your own. What more could you ask of a one-quarter class, or of an education?”
“The very first thing you need to do is forget that this is a class. It is not a class. You will learn an enormous amount but not in the way you normally do in your other classes. It is a board meeting, a panel, a conference, a speaking event, an incubator, whatever, just not a class. Throw out the idea of grades, percentages and the mindset of A’s and A+’s. The sooner you understand the tangible importance of every hour of work you devote to this class, the better. The difference between choosing to work hard in this class and choosing to just skate by is the difference between homeless men and women not receiving food and job training, disadvantaged youth not being the first in their family to attend college, or grieving families not receiving the help they need to move on in life. The work that you do should not be seen as a task, but rather as a privilege. It is your privilege to be part of something so real and meaningful.”
“Keep an open mind throughout the process. Be aware of how your personal biases may affect your decision-making process. You must not strive to have your agenda at the forefront and to have the sole intention of advancing the nonprofit that you work with. Take yourself out of the equation and think of the greater impact. The funding can change many lives, challenge many broken systems, and make a statement of what changes our generation wants to make in Los Angeles.”
“It’s important to maintain the passion and emotions you have for a subject, but be willing to engage with other ideas that may not align with your views. You must be willing to put your emotions in a box at times, just long enough so you can seriously consider other ideas. Don’t let your pride restrain your rationality. As personal as philanthropy is, this opportunity is unique because you must decide as a group. At times, this means putting the group’s interests above your own.”
“The greatest attribute of our workgroup was our strong sense of teamwork and kindness towards each other. In order to be effective board members, it is imperative that you both lead and follow with kindness and respect. By showing kindness towards your fellow board members, you will not only have pleasant and effective decision-making experiences, but also gain new friends. This class will open your eyes to many new social, educational, moral, and financial ideas and perspectives from students with various backgrounds. To reap the full benefits, approach them with an open heart and mind.”
“Develop close relationships within your workgroups and gain perspective from them. Some may be more experienced in the world of philanthropy and some may be having their first experience ever. However, it is a guarantee that you each of you will learn something new from the other. You will find yourself acquiring new skills that you never thought of before. Along with that, I urge you to grow and develop relationships with everyone who is part of the class. The diverse backgrounds of students, faculty, and guest speakers is what makes this course different from any other I’ve taken before.”
“Civic engagement revolves around building your community through unification and participation in various initiatives to help improve the lives of those around you. By coming together as a community, you and others are able to make the world a better place. I strongly urge you to view yourself and other board members as a microcosm of this ideal: a community striving to make lasting change in our larger Los Angeles community.”
“Your experience with your fellow board members and instructors will be unlike any other. You will no doubt form lifelong associations both intellectually and relationally, so do not hesitate to maximize all that your peers and instructors have to offer. Enjoy the course, and enjoy surprising yourself by learning what you have to give both within and outside the classroom.”
“At the conclusion of this class, none of us wanted to leave. We learned to lead amongst our peers but we also learned to work with our peers as a team, because the goal we were striving for was greater than any one of us. This class was a better symbol of humanity’s positive potential than the U.N. council. For me, the greatest effect of the course was the compassion it helped grow.”
“Thank you for picking up where those before you left off and trusting yourself to make the best decisions you possibly can. Thank you for remembering to keep the organizations and those served first in all you do. Embrace the journey and remember to enjoy it. The decisions you make here will not mark the end of your engagement as a philanthropist. I promise you, this is only the beginning.”
course feedback
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