Program Resource

Discovering and Engaging Diverse Philanthropic Youth

Publication date: 
July, 2017
Source(s): 
Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

Are the youth philanthropists engaged in your program representative of the community you serve? Diverse groups bring a variety of opinions to the table to better impact the community.  Hear from program leaders and youth on how they have recruited diverse youth and created opportunities to engage and stay involved with them!

Speakers:

Sheryl Seller, Assistant Director, The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy at Brandeis University

Sheryl Seller is Sillerman’s Assistant Director, with responsibilities including coordination of the Generous U prize, management of Sillerman Center Fellowships, and coordination of Sillerman events and communications. She also sits on the Steering Committee of the Social Justice Funders Network, where she collaborates with other social justice funders to execute informative events and learnings particularly around racial justice funding. She has a strong background in marketing and communications, and is passionate about leveraging those skills to increase social justice philanthropy.

Sarah Shugrue, Program Officer, Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Sarah Shugrue is a Program Officer at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation (GWCF) in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Her responsibilities include staffing committees for field of interest funds and coordinating several programs including Leadership Worcester, Nonprofit Support Center and Youth for Community Improvement (YCI). YCI has an 18 year history of being the only non-school county wide youth grant making committee in the region dedicated to empowering young people as change agents and philanthropists in their community.  Sarah holds a M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy and a strong background in youth work holding previous position with Mass Mentoring Partnership and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA/Metrowest.

Adam Kingston, Program Officer, Battle Creek Community Foundation

Adam Kingston is a Program Officer at the Battle Creek Community Foundation (BCCF) in Battle Creek, Michigan.  He has worked to engage the youth population of Battle Creek in philanthropy and grantmaking over the past 5 years.  Adam is the Advisor to the Youth Alliance Committee (YAC), a youth grantmaking committee at BCCF, which is composed of 35 high school students from 7 different high schools in Battle Creek. Adam is also a Michigan Community Foundation’s Youth Project (MCFYP) Advisor.

Kyle Tharp

Kyle Tharp is a recent graduate of Pennfield High School in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he graduated Salutatorian of his class. Kyle’s background in Philanthropy stems mostly from his involvement in the Battle Creek Community Foundation where he was a four-year Youth Alliance Committee Member, a youth Trustee of the Community Foundation Board for two years, and a member of the Livable Communities Grantmaking Committee. Kyle will be attending Michigan Technological University in the fall of 2017 to study Electrical Engineering with a focus in Solar Energy Production. 

Lauren Walsh

Lauren is a rising Senior at Tahanto Regional High School and will be starting her second year of YCI this fall.  She is interested in pursuing her studies in Math at the college level and also has strong interested in theatre and art. She brings an incredible perspective and amount of energy to her work with YCI and is always helping her peers see things through a new lens.  She is an incredibly diligent proposal reader and always asking insightful questions about projects in our community.