| University | Semester | Year | Course | Department | Instructor(s) | Students Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2026 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 15 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2026 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 50 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2025 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 17 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2025 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 49 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2024 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Elon Lang | 18 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2023 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2022 | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 20 students | |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2022 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 48 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2020 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2019 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2018 | Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations | Liberal Arts Honors | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2018 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2017 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2016 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 18 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2015 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 49 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2014 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 43 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Fall | 2012 | Philanthropy: The Power of Giving | Undergraduate Studies | Pamela Paxton | 51 students |
| University of Texas – Undergraduate | Spring | 2012 | The Art of Giving | Philosophy | Paul Woodruff | 32 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
- Professor Paxton teaches two classes- a large freshman seminar and a smaller class to Liberal Arts Honors students.
- Students are assigned to small groups according to interest areas.
- Each student identifies 3 organizations that meet the goal of the group – each group then starts with 9-12 organizations, no geographic restrictions.
- Each member of each group presents information on their charity. Then groups debate within themselves on the merits of their individually assigned charities. The rest of the class provides input.
- Within assigned groups, students present information, argue, and attempt to persuade other members of the group as well as the rest of the class.
- The end result is that each group selects one charity to propose for funding.
- In the end, there are 6 finalist charities, one per group.
- Focus on evaluation of effectiveness, including logic models, scientific method and basic experimental design, common problem with selection effects, and need to demonstrate causality.
- “Argument Against Nonprofits” discussion
- Students submit “Self and Group Evaluations” – 500 words, 2 pages
- Developed a “Giving Coach” chatbot to use in the class this year
- Classes have a written final exam
Guest Speakers
- Sarah Rintamaki, Founder of Connecting for Kids
- Muhannad Abulhasan, Chief Executive Officer – Arzan Wealth
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