“Coming into UCI’s philanthropy course, I had little background in philanthropy. Despite some exposure through Girl Scouts and oc cares, I never knew what philanthropy truly was. Through this course, not only did I grasp a clear definition of philanthropy, but I learned what makes a successful philanthropist. Out of the 7 weeks, the guest speakers were my favorite part of the class. Hearing their personal experiences correlate with the class curriculum helped me understand how I can apply this classroom knowledge to real life. As I reflect on this course, I have come to the conclusion that this knowledge can apply to multiple aspects of my life that I can take with me.
-Jillian R.”

“My experience with the OC Cares/UCI Philanthropy course has been amazing. I learned so much about the history of philanthropy and the impact it has on communities. I also gathered so much new information about non-profits, which was a great benefit to me as I am in the process of developing my recently founded grassroots campaign into a non-profit. It was amazing to be able to have the experience to take a college course at UCI and discuss and share ideas with other students my age. I am very appreciative of the chance to have gotten
involved in this and learn so many new things.
-Caroline T.”

“OCCares has not only helped me gain real-word experiences through the Project Y program. bu tit has also helped me become a better member of my community. It made me realize something that is so genuinely important to me; helping the different communities that I am a part of and striving for equity. I hav carried these values beyond my time as a member of OCCares, I am now implementing them in my current community at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I have made sure to be a part of outreach programs and have been an active participant of issues surrounding equity for everyone in our communit. Again, this is all due to the experiences I was so fortunate to be a part of through OCCares and I will carry these values for the rest of the muy life.
-Natalie A.”

“Meeting all the people through the club was really important to me. I was able to learn through other people’s experiences. Also, being in charge of fundraising helped me learn a lot of new skills (video editing square space use,...). I am now more interested in learning about social enterprises and working with the non profits. Joining this club real opened but my path to working with non profits. I am currently working with Open Door Legal, a non profit that provides the underprivileged with legal services. I would definitely encourage others to join. I learned a lot more from working with OCCares than through any other internships or clubs I participated in
-Sharon L.”

“The UCI and OCCares collaborative philanthropy class is a fantastic opportunity for young and engaged members of our community to learn about a unique and vitally important subject that emphasizes the power of equal justice and generosity. This class has been an incredibly educational and fun experience that I will take with me as I head into both my senior year and beyond, and I would like to give a huge thank you to Ms.Harwell and Dr.Ahn for sharing their expertise in this important and exciting class.
-Pema D.”