At the award ceremony, students presented the checks alongside Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. (Photo by Michael Caterina/University of Notre Dame)
This article was originally written by Colleen Wilcox on December 16, 2025.
The Philanthropy and the Common Good course at the University of Notre Dame reached a milestone this year by awarding another $50,000 to local nonprofits on December 8. With this new round of grants, students in the course have now directed a total of $450,680 to organizations across Michiana since the program began in 2019.
The award ceremony was led by Jonathan Hannah, term assistant teaching professor of Political Science and assistant director for strategic partnerships of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. Philanthropy and the Common Good is an experiential learning course offered through the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and cross-listed with political science and the Constitutional Studies Minor. The primary sponsor, The Philanthropy Lab, helps fund similar courses around the country.
This year, students awarded $10,000 grants to the following nonprofits that are making significant strides in addressing critical community needs:
- Camp Kesem Notre Dame
- Green Bridge Growers
- A Rosie Place for Children
- Hannah’s House
- Corvilla
At the award ceremony, students presented the checks alongside Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., who offered remarks after the awards were presented.
“This course shows the difference students can make when they engage directly with the community,” Father Dowd reflected. “They learn how to serve with humility, how to understand the challenges our neighbors face, and how thoughtful giving can strengthen the region in very real ways.”
A Rosie Place for Children, one of the recipients this year, expressed deep gratitude for the support and talked about how the funds will be utilized.
“This is a tremendous blessing for us,” said Sherina Gonzalez, director of advancement. “These funds allow us to reach more families across all 92 counties and ensure that no family ever pays for the care their child receives.”
Gonzalez shared that the organization is preparing to launch its new Heartworks Art Studio in the spring. The studio will offer medically fragile children the chance to create artwork using both traditional supplies and AI-supported tools. The goal is to give every child, including those who cannot speak or use conventional art materials, a meaningful way to express themselves.
One of this year’s student presenters was Kyle Lauckner, a sophomore majoring in economics and political science. Lauckner introduced the first grant recipient, Camp Kesem Notre Dame, and spoke about the organization’s long history of bringing comfort and connection to children who have a parent affected by cancer. He shared that during the review process, Camp Kesem consistently resonated with students.
“We were really moved by how this grant will help them welcome nearly one hundred campers, which will be the largest group in their history,” said Lauckner. “Knowing that our support can help them grow and invest in the long term made this decision especially meaningful for our class.”
The class has continued to grow over the past several years. Students are introduced early on to the process of evaluating community needs, reviewing proposals, and making real funding decisions. With this year’s awards now complete, the program is on track to cross the $500,000 mark before the end of the academic year.
For the first time, the University will offer the philanthropy course again in the upcoming spring semester, giving a second group of students the opportunity to distribute an additional $50,000. The University has also approved a new section for Fall 2026, which reflects continued support for the course and its mission.
The course received support from several University offices, including the Office of Public Affairs, de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, Department of Political Science, Sheedy Family Program in Economy, Enterprise and Society and Brian Hegarty ‘76.
See original article here.
