Serve the World
The Philanthropy & Public Service (PPS) Program is an academic program offering a variety of courses designed to enrich the intellectual, social, and moral lives of undergraduate students by inviting them to pair academic learning with service to the community and pursuit of the public good. While developing an understanding of significant community concerns, students and faculty partner with social sector organizations or government agencies through volunteerism, community-based research, and grantmaking.
- Students in philanthropy courses steward and grant more than $100,000 each year to enrich and empower local organizations.
- Students in civic engagement courses partner with organizations and devote their time, talent, and influence to improve life in our community.
- Students and faculty work together with community partners to discover new knowledge and new ways of addressing community concerns.
History
The PPS program began when, wishing to fulfill Baylor's civic mission in a more comprehensive manner, a university-wide committee met in spring 1990 to produce a proposal that integrates service into the core curriculum of all its undergraduate students. With the help of generous funding from The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation and The Waco Foundation, Baylor launched the Civic Education and Community Service Program in January 1991. In 2015, reflecting a shift toward a broader set of civic goals, the program rebranded to become the Philanthropy & Public Service Program. Today, the PPS program partners with Waco and Civic Organization to offer courses taught by community leaders.