Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2014

As Philanthropy Director, I hold one of the newest positions on the Student Government Association (SGA). SGA is one of the most influential organizations on campus, with a group of 13 students working together as student advocates. Beyond representing the student body to the administration, SGA members plan campus events and reach out to students, seeking their ideas and feedback. My role is to oversee each student organization’s fundraising efforts as well as launch a campuswide fundraising project that engages the student body throughout the school year. These projects have traditionally supported stateside and international ministries that are connected to Cedarville through faculty, staff, or alumni. The project changes each year and focuses on meeting different needs in different parts of the world. Last fall’s chapel offering came at the end of “Tied to Thailand,” a week of awareness for GROW’s work in Thailand. This organization, founded in 2009, provides a safe home for 11 children who are at risk for being sold into human trafficking, and it hopes to do more with by Hilary Murphy ’14 additional resources. GROW recently purchased land in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and our student body is working to raise $60,000 this year so they can build a second home. Previous SGA philanthropy projects have aimed to raise $25,000–$30,000. We made the bold decision to aim higher so we could fund the entire project, rather than just contribute toward it, and make a tangible difference in children’s lives. Beyond themoney, we hope this project will engage Cedarville students in disrupting human trafficking, both in Thailand and here at home. Still, $60,000 is an intimidating goal. While it canbemetwith just $20per student, we have planned a variety of fundraising events and worked to communicate the importance of this project to the student body. Through our “Tied to Thailand” events, GROWT-shirt sales, and the simple generosity of our student body, we have already made it halfway to our goal. Many other campus organizations have caught the vision and offered to work with us to help make this goal a reality. While we still have another $30,000 to raise, I am After months of planning, a week full of events, and endless prayer, it was incredible to see God move in the student body. As the band played, the chapel became a wave as students brought their gifts to the stage for this year’s philanthropy project, Grace Refuge Outreach Worldwide (GROW). GROW’s founder, an inspirational Thai woman named Faa Sumitra, sat next to me, and tears fell as we witnessed Cedarville students’ generosity as they donated more than $15,000 in one offering. 10 | Cedarville Magazine