On Thursday, Nov. 19, the Devils’ Advocates Student Philanthropy (DASPC) Council hosted their first Pielanthropy event in Rector Atrium. Students had the chance to meet the council members, eat various types of pie and complete a short survey about the atmosphere of philanthropy on campus.

Audrey Eisenberg, Associate Director for the Office of Engagement and the Dickinson Fund, said, “Devils’ Advocates is our student philanthropy council. Their charge is to encourage students in giving back to the Dickinson Fund.”

The Dickinson Fund raises $4.3 million in unrestricted and designated funds. Donors include alumni, parents, current students, faculty and staff.

Designated areas include scholarships, academic programs, faculty support, facilities, student life, athletics, sustainability, The Clarke Forum, Waidner-Spahr Library and The Trout Gallery. Any gifts that are unrestricted will go toward “Dickinson’s Area of Greatest Need.” Most of this money is allocated to fund scholarships and ensure that Dickinson can hire high quality faculty and staff.

The survey at Pielanthropy was “seek[ing] to capture student knowledge and perceptions of the Dickinson Fund,” according to the survey’s description.

It included questions such as, “Before taking this survey, had you heard of the Dickinson Fund?”; “What percentage of students do you think support the Dickinson Fund?” and “Would you be willing as a student to give to the Dickinson Fund?”

According to the DASPC Quick Facts sheet, 30% of students (616 students) donated to the Dickinson Fund last year, with an average donation amount of $31, totaling $19,296 donated by students.

The DASPC student giving-rate goal for this academic year is 39%, or 897 students. So far 11.3% of students (270 students) have donated $5,882.

Eisenberg said that the goal of Pielanthropy was to “get the conversation started about philanthropy on campus” and to “let us plan for future education and outreach.”

DASPC member Jessica Herrmann ’16 said, “I hope that [Pielanthropy] will educate our student body so that in future they will be more willing to give to the Dickinson Fund.”

According to Eisenberg, the next event on the calendar for the DASPC is the Student Senate Forum happening on Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 pm in the Social Hall on “Where do Your Tuition Dollars Go?” Eisenberg and Vice President for Finance and Administration Bronte Burleigh-Jones will explain how Dickinson spends its money and how endowment works. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions and voice concerns. The DASPC will also promote a “Holiday Spirit Gift Drive” to encourage students to make gifts to the Dickinson Fund in honor of a loved one.

Herrmann explained that next semester “our big focus is the Day of Giving in April.” Last year on the first annual Day of Giving, the college raised $449,945 from 2,017 gifts in one day.