| University | Semester | Year | Course | Department | Instructor(s) | Students Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas, UGS | Fall | 2012 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2012 | The Art of Giving | Philosophy | Paul Woodruff | 32 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2014 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 43 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2015 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 49 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2016 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2017 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2018 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2023 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 47 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2025 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 48 students |
| University of Texas, UGS | Spring | 2026 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 50 students |
| University | Semester | Year | Course | Department | Instructor(s) | Students Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2018 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2019 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2020 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2022 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 68 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2024 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Elon Lang | 18 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2025 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 17 students |
| University of Texas, LAH | Spring | 2026 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 15 students |
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Undergrad Class Taught by Pam Paxton
Department of Liberal Arts Honors and Undergraduate Studies
Pam Paxton is the Chair of Sociology and the Linda K. George and John Wilson Professor of Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in economics and sociology and her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has consulted for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Academies. She has intersecting research interests in pro-social behavior, politics, gender, and methodology. She is the author of articles and books on social capital, nonprofits, women in politics, and quantitative methodology. Her research has appeared in a variety of journals, including the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, Comparative Politics, International Studies Quarterly, and Legislative Studies Quarterly. With Melanie Hughes and Tiffany Barnes, she is the coauthor of the 2020 book, Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective. She is also an author of Nonrecursive Models: Endogeneity, Reciprocal Relationships, and Feedback Loops (2011). Her chapter, “What Influences Charitable Giving?,” appears in the 2020 publication, The Nonprofit Sector: A Research Handbook, third edition. One current project uses mission statements to understand how nonprofits have helped redefine collective representations to be inclusive of diverse sexual and gender identities.
Process Overview
Each student has to find three organizations that meet the goal of the groups – each group then starts with ~9 organizations
Three classes dedicated to understanding Form 990
Class has an “Argument Against Nonprofits” discussion
Only students who attend class “regularly” get to vote on final funding allocations
Guest Speakers
- Sarah Rintamaki, Founder of Connecting for Kids
- Muhannad Abulhasan, Chief Executive Officer – Arzan Wealth
Media





