Our Crowdfunding Groups
THANK YOU!!!
Thanks to your donation, we not only met but exceeded our Pay It Forward 2020 project goal, ending with a final total of $7,061.
I cannot express how grateful my students and I are that you have provided this support.
This means that the Pay It Forward courses in the spring semesters of 2021 and 2022 are funded. Two more groups of students will have this service-learning experience, and local organizations in the community of Marion will have the opportunity to engage with our students and possibly receive funds.
It also means that we will not hold a fundraising campaign next year. We will responsibly steward these generous donations so that we will not need to ask for funds again next year.
You are making a difference in college students’ educational experience at The Ohio State University at Marion and in the lives of local community members in need.
Please also remember that your donation is tax deductible.
Again, you have my sincerest thank you for paying it forward!
Amy Tibbals
Gary Sims graduated from The Ohio State University in 1979 with a major in finance for business administration. Sims also took classes at the Marion, Ohio campus followed by finishing his degree in Columbus. After graduating from The Ohio State University, Sims began working with his family members at Sims Brothers Recycling, which was established by his father and uncle, and is still located here in Marion, Ohio, since 1938.
I asked Gary how he began in philanthropy in the Marion, Ohio community;
Sims stated it all began with his upbringing. His father and family members instilled these values not only upon themselves, but also as core values for Sims Brothers Recycling in which they still apply today promoting time and value to give back to the Marion community. As current president of Sims Brothers Recycling, Sims has made sure these values are being held true and will continue to be.
How long has philanthropy been a part of your life?
The Sims’ family philanthropy reaches back as far as he can recall. With humble beginnings and hard work, Sims Brothers Recycling gave back to the Marion community whenever they could. Sims has been part of local establishments including United Way and Rotary Club of Marion as well as contributions to The Ohio State University at Marion.
What are your thoughts for The Ohio State University promoting philanthropy?
“Great idea! The earlier you can learn other people need help, you can then be a vehicle for helping them.”
The spokesperson of our English 3304 group T.H.S.S. interviewed staff member Holly Jacobson who is the coordinator for enrollment services at The Ohio State University at Marion. She has been working for The Ohio State University for 17 years, so she has gained some insight on the problems and stigmas that are prevalent in Marion. In this audio interview she addresses how the crowdfunding campaign has had a positive impact on the community and the university itself.
Hey Buckeyes!
While it looks like we have reached our goal, we are still a bit short. One of our main sponsors gave us a gracious donation of $5,000, but we are still striving to reach the $2,000 goal our class originally made (without the $5,000 donation) and are aiming to reach it in this last week of the campaign! We are getting so close to reaching that goal, too!
Our group focuses on the students and helping the students get involved in the Pay it Forward program. We decided on setting up a table in the busy student center on the OSUM campus where we passed out candy to students hanging out between classes. We put small memos on the candy asking for donations to give back to the Marion community and also offered the opportunity to give an in-person donation. Many people were interested in donating and said they would visit the website mentioned on the candy to donate! Doing activities like this not only bring in money for a good cause, but are also a fun way to meet new people and brighten up their day while making them feel good about giving back. At the end, we put the leftover candy in different baskets on campus in different areas. Hopefully the candy around campus will reach new students that didn’t see us in the student center and will encourage students to donate!
This idea of passing out candy with notes on the Project is only one idea we had out of many. In the future, when working on projects like this there are many options when working to get students around campus involved in the campaign!
There is still time to donate! We are getting so close to our goal and every single donation counts. We have only a few days left so make sure make your donations now!
Thanks and Go Bucks!
Currently 23 students in this semester's English 2367.01S course are overseeing the Pay It Forward grant cycle.
Here's an update on their progress:
What We Know So Far
-Seven local organizations applied
-Our grant this current semester is for $5,000
Range of Need in Marion Addressed by These Organizations
-Educational activities for youth and young adults
-Mentorship programs for children, especially those who have experienced trauma
-Job skills/life skills training for the unemployed and underemployed
-Housing for the homeless
-Food delivery service for those in need
Consideration
Students have narrowed down the finalists who can still be considered for the funds from seven to three different organizations.
Right now the students are getting to know these organizations and how the funding can make a difference in order to inform their final funding decision.
Recipients Who Do Not Receive Funding
Any organization that does not receive funding this time is eligible and encouraged to re-apply for next year’s grant.
We offer a huge "Thank you!" to you, the donors of the Pay It Forward grant! It's because of this Pay it Forward campaign that we are able to continue this project which benefits students' educational experience and helps improve the local community.
This is an interview with Math Department faculty member Mary Ellen Tobin here at The Ohio State University at Marion. She provides her knowledge on how she feels about the Pay It Forward project and why she has donated to this campaign for the past few years.
We chose to interview Mary Ellen, as a way to applaud faculty who have donated and recognize the benefits of this campaign. We also wanted to share why people are donating from a faculty member’s point of view.
As of February 17th, we have raised $1,426 which is 71% towards our goal!
Thank you for your continued support and donations to our campaign!
Please continue spreading the word and Go Bucks!
It is always really cool to see how running this campaign provides many real-world opportunities for students to practice their business and professional writing and communication skills.
One such opportunity presented itself as three students and I created a podcast for the I Heart Radio channel promoting our Pay It Forward Buckeye Funder campaign.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
Please feel free to share this podcast with others on your social media and via email to continue to help us push toward our goal.
We thank all of you who have donated already. Once again, you have helped provide students with hands-on learning while giving back to the local community.
Thank you!
Amy Tibbals
Happy Valentines Weekend!
Each year, OSU Marion campus students have a great opportunity to get involved in the Pay It Forward campaign and make an impact on the Marion community. Not only are they able to give back but they’re also able to give their fellow classmates opportunities to learn and work hands-on. Hayden Hamilton is a student who previously took English 2367.01S in which he experienced the Pay It Forward Project.
Have you ever been involved in a fundraising program or campaign before?
I have worked in many fundraising opportunities as far as working for Marion Crawford programs and fundraising events.
If so, how did it make you feel being a part of it?
It was honestly amazing! I have always wanted to give back to my community because this is the place that helped shape me! The connections are amazing and last a lifetime.
How do you feel about donating to organizations in general?
I feel as if it is very beneficial as long as they have a nice, solid plan that can help impact many people. I believe in donation for a good cause.
What organizations have you donated to in the past?
Goodwill, Marion Crawford prevention, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, food pantry, and I can’t think of any others as of right now, but I know there’s more.
Have you ever heard of the Pay It Forward campaign before or donated to it previously?
I was not aware before I took Amy Tibbals’s class in my first semester at OSU.
What’s a reason why someone may not be able to give?
Money is tight, but to be honest, if you really wanted to make a difference but can’t give a money donation, donation of time to help is also important. They can always ask to volunteer.
As you can see, Hayden, along with most people feel like donating to a good cause is a great idea! Studies show that even a small donation makes a person feel more motivated and brings more meaning to their life. It is a win-win for the donor and the recipient! Even better, the Pay it Forward project comes around only once a year, making your donation all the more special.
Stay Tuned for our next update on a possible bake sale or another activity at The Ohio State at Marion!
The Perspective of Instructor Amy Tibbals on 01/31/2020
What are the skills the students learn from this hands-on learning rather than a typical lecture room?
Students are still building their researching, writing, debating and presentation skills as they would in a regular English class, but they also learn how to become engaged citizens, use critical thinking skills and build decision-making skills. They learn how to make wise financial decisions, and they also see the direct impact of giving back to the community. They get to experience philanthropy at first hand.
Why is this engaged type of learning important for a community?
Students can see that nearly every community has issues and that there are organizations trying to make a positive impact. They also learn that it takes many community members’ time, money, votes and voices for real change to happen. After this class, many students say they will consider volunteering their time or donating their money to help their community in the future. Every community can benefit by having more engaged citizens.
As an instructor, what do you think is the most beneficial part of this class?
Overwhelmingly, students say that this course was like no other they have taken in college and that what they experienced will last long beyond one semester. Many say it was their favorite course because they knew that the work they did had a real-world purpose, that they were actually helping people, not just getting a grade for the course. I cannot think of a better reward for an educator than knowing that what students did in your class made a lasting impact like this.
What would be impacted if these campaigns were no longer happening?
If we were no longer able to sustain the Pay It Forward program due to lack of funds, it would mean that students would no longer be able to experience this unique service-learning opportunity and that the local non-profit organizations would have one less means of funding in an already financially limited area.
Additional Comments/Thoughts:
At OSU Marion, I and others have been offering students Pay It Forward since the 2010-2011 school year, which means hundreds of students have had this unique service-learning experience. Along with this, local non-profit organizations in Marion have received not only financial benefits but have also informed these students about what they do and how they help. Students have then taken this information and experience with them as they have gone on to their lives and careers after college. I hope to continue PIF for many years to come.
Shout out to OSU Faculty and Staff!
The English 3304 class wanted to take a moment to thank you for all the support you have given to your students. Whether it be helping us set up internships, reminding us of how to cite sources, teaching us how to write a proper email, or just being there as someone to talk to, you have helped guide us towards our higher educational goals. By using what you have taught us, as of February 5th, we have raised $791 so far for our class crowdfunding campaign. The campaign has been live for almost a week and we are around 39% towards our goal!
With your help we are well on our way to obtaining our class goal of $2000 dollars that we hope to exceed. You, the donors, are the people that make all of this possible for us and all of the recipients.
We have been working very hard to spread the news around campus and the community. It would be a great help if you also spread the word of our project to your colleagues, students, friends, and family in the area. Education is a great privilege that we have the opportunity to pursue in and out of the classroom, thanks to this project and your support!
From Left to Right: Trent Baum, Lindsay Euans, Katie Jackson, Brenden Bosh, Elijah Collier
Hello Everybody! We are excited to announce that the Pay it Forward project will be returning to help improve the Marion Community once again. We hope to raise more money than we have ever before!
For those unaware of our campaign, or those who need a refresher about all the awesome things that your donation leads to, let us remind you of what your helpfulness can do:
This list portrays only a few of the positive impacts of this project. For the last nine years, students involved in this project have called it “one of a kind”. To witness testimonials from empowered students involved in previous years, you can watch this short clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjvbELZvN5E&feature=youtu.be..
This is an amazing opportunity for Buckeyes to get involved with Ohio State organizations and contribute to their own education! This project is remarkable because everyone can benefit from donating and helping!
We are accepting donations today and continuing until March 2nd. Every donation matters, from 5 dollars to 500 dollars! To donate now and make a difference, visit the link here to help us reach our goal: https://buckeyefunder.osu.edu/project/18791
Thank you for your time and support. Go Buckeyes!
Instead of that cup of coffee, treat yourself to the good vibes of paying it forward.
Aim your funds toward the goal line of improving lives and making a difference.
Give to support students' education, build a caring citizen, and invest in a unique service-learning experience.
Show you care about this important connection between students' education and giving back to the community - making a difference that impacts people's lives beyond just one semester.
Giving at this level makes you eligible for Alumni Sustaining Member status at The Ohio State University.
Each dollar improves the lives of those who are struggling in Marion, Ohio and at the same time provides college students with life experience, not just a grade.
Teaching how to give money and time to others is an important part of this learning experience. Your giving shows philanthropy in action, and that is exactly what students see first-hand through their service-learning in the course.
