Learning to Answer the Call

Philanthropy Education Council establishes appreciation of giving among students

Callahan Lacy remembers being introduced to philanthropy at a young age. Along with his two older sisters, Mr. Lacy was part of a program that started when he was in first grade and carried through his high school graduation.

“I would meet with the same group twice a year, and we’d learn about various topics related to the world of philanthropy and money,” he said. “It was nice to learn these skills at a young age, and I continue to apply them in my life today.”

Mr. Lacy joined Ball State University’s Philanthropy Education Council (PEC) in 2023 to continue his philanthropic journey. The PEC is the Ball State University Foundation’s official student group charged with student and campus engagement for the award-winning One Ball State Day (OBSD), the University’s annual 24-hour fundraising event.

“I applied last year and got in,” the junior Media Production major said of PEC. “I’ve loved every second of it.”

Ball State supporters have answered Our Call to Beneficence by gifting more than $1 million in each of the last two OBSD installments—including a record-setting $1.2 million-plus in 2023—to provide support and opportunities for students who attend Ball State.

Much of that success can be attributed to the PEC’s efforts, which have been focused primarily on engaging with one specific group: current Ball State students.

“PEC started as a way to engage students who are active on campus in philanthropy—specifically when it comes to One Ball State Day, which is obviously our biggest day of giving at the University,” said PEC President Payten Romig. “Our focus has been to engage the student body a bit more, and we’ve seen a lot of success when it comes to student giving in the past couple years.”

Through months of planning, PEC has produced several new on-campus engagement initiatives, such as Cardinal Cab, where the group takes over a campus shuttle bus for the day and plays trivia with Ball State Athletics coaches and high-ranking University administrators.

In addition, the group came up with “I Spy Charlie,” in which plush cardinals are planted in various locations across campus, encouraging the exploration of different areas of the University. When the cardinals are found, students can bring them back to the OBSD headquarters to receive a prize pack or decide which area they’d like to support with pre-existing funds.

PEC’s efforts have worked, with nearly 250 gifts being made by students during last year’s OBSD.

And those gifts, no matter the amount, are felt throughout the different areas on campus.

“I’m a student in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and being in the arts, we rely heavily on philanthropy,” said Ms. Romig, a senior progressing toward a degree in Theatre Production. “A lot of us come into a specific department already realizing the value of generosity and how far it goes.”

Through the PEC, the Ball State Foundation has helped create a culture of philanthropy on campus for students.

“I think it really shows that the Foundation has that commitment to engaging students and making them aware of giving, even something like $5,” said Conor Dailey, ’23, a graduate student studying Geology and Natural Resources. “But it’s more so that you can get engaged with Ball State and see how your impact’s being made.

“There’s more to do beyond just giving financially. You can give back your time or talents and help make that impact there as well. So, I think Ball State having the PEC really shows that commitment to engaging the student body and then, more broadly, the on-campus community.”

That kind of engagement also adds to the value of a college education.

“Every amount, every bit of time, talent, and treasure that anyone can give helps make an impact,” Mr. Dailey said. “It’s helping make attendance for others possible. It’s helping make special programming possible. It’s helping make everything that Ball State can do for us, the students, possible.”