FLiP partners with the University of Michigan

I feel like lately I’ve been doing nothing but announcing new partnerships. Well, I can’t really help it if everyone loves us. I can apologize, but I wouldn’t mean it. We’re awesome.

Here’s the latest: The University of Michigan! Michigan has developed an innovative program to expose undergraduates to the profession of fundraising, and the impact of philanthropy. I love the concept behind this program, and I’m sure the model will be exported to and implemented at other major universities soon. The Development Office and the University have united to provide a group of students with a substantive summer internship, and educational courses. This program also hopes to create a culture of philanthropy on campus.

Dubbed D-SIP (Development Summer Internship Program), the Development Office has opened 21 slots for interns this summer, the largest this program has ever been. The interns will participate in an orientation, complete a significant project for the development office, and take 3 credits of course work through the School of Education.

This program, which is donor supported, is broad enough to provide skills that translate to most nonprofits, but it is designed to focus specifically on building a talent pool for higher ed development. There will be much more about D-SIP in the coming months, but if you have any questions about the program, contact Kat Walsh at katwalsh@umich.edu.

So what role will FLiP play? Well, we’re kicking the whole thing off. This May Anastasia Hagan and I will leave New York City and head to Ann Arbor (Go Blue!) to throw a party for the entering interns. Anastasia and I will talk about what being “a future leader in philanthropy” is all about, and answer some questions about our jobs and career paths.

Then, at some point soon, Michigan will come to New York! Stay tuned for many more details about an event in New York City co-sponsored by FLiP and Michigan.

What else can you expect from this partnership? Frequent posts! Michigan will be providing posts from their development staff, from interns, and from executives. Are you excited? Can I get a Go BLUE?

Comments

[Jordan Viator]

What an amazing and positive idea to truly cultivate the culture of philanthropy on a college campus. Congrats on such a wonderful new partnership! I look forward to reading about your experiences and hope the idea gets picked up by others.

[Mike]

This is great! I am here in Michigan, and what a great asset this will be.