A student-run organization has a huge impact university wide as students help their peers in crisis stay afloat
K-State Proud is a student-led program run by Student Foundation that encourages students to help students out of financial hardships. Members engage in conversations with other students, asking them to give money for the worthy cause of relieving others’ monetary burdens. K-State Proud also sells T-shirts to raise money for Student Opportunity Awards (the money given to students who need assistance to continue with college).
One K-State student nearly had to drop out of college when both his parents passed away from cancer. With the help of K-State Proud and his supportive fraternity brothers, he was able to stay in college.
To mark the 20th anniversary of K-State Proud, previous and current members — Mario Garcia, Gabrielle (Riggs) Carmichael, Maddy McClellan, Joy Clemence and Christopher Kellenbarger — were interviewed about their experience and the difference K-State Proud made in their lives and the lives of others.
What inspired you to become part of K-State Proud?
Garcia: My story is a little bit backward. When I was a freshman, one of my old friends in StuFo (Student Foundation) asked me to be part of the Student Opportunity Awards Committee for a set of fresh eyes. Later, I discovered that philanthropy was where my passion was, and I joined StuFo and K-State Proud.
McClellan: I joined K-State Proud to help people through college by volunteering. I got to meet some of the most kind-hearted people during my time there. Not only did I get to help the recipients of donated money, but I also was a recipient of great friendships and experiences.
Clemence: I loved how it’s dedicated to students helping students. We’re all broke college kids, but we all have something to give. K-State Proud is a great way to help fellow students and encourage others to give.
Kellenbarger: K-State Proud is about community and a powerful message of the impact of giving. It was an incredible thing to volunteer for and a great opportunity to be a student leader.
What were your biggest takeaways as a contributor to K-State Proud?
Garcia: In K-State Proud, you get direct feedback from all the people you’ve helped stay in college. It was so impactful to me to read the letters from award recipients and hear their gratitude and inspiring stories.
Carmichael: It’s important to capitalize on community and trying to help others. It was so amazing when Student Opportunity Award winners would come to the K-State Proud booth and share how they turned their lives around and were finishing their degree because of the award.
McClellan: K-State Proud is an important organization because it’s a giant project that really makes you feel involved. It actually matters to people and is sometimes the difference between a student finishing college or not finishing.
Kellenbarger: K-State Proud is so important because it’s the most tangible way the student body can make an impact on their fellow students in a way that’s visible, understood and aligns with the values and mission of the university. I learned how to be an effective donor and invest well in my community.
How does your experience with K-State Proud affect you today?
Garcia: My time with K-State Proud really woke up something in me when it comes to philanthropy. I realized that I was good at fundraising and asking people for support, and that experience inspired me to work in philanthropy for my career.
Carmichael: Working with K-State Proud gave me an incredible amount of communication skills, workplace knowledge and advocation skills for both myself and others. There were a lot of tactical applications of raising awareness, getting visibility, and making sure people understand the messages of K-State Proud that I’ve carried into my current occupation.
McClellan: I learned a lot of soft people skills through StuFo and K-State Proud that carried over into my current job. My job has very similar tasks to the ones I was completing as part of the K-State Proud campaign planning team. K-State Proud was the most informative education I had in college.
Clemence: Sometimes asking people for money gets uncomfortable, but it teaches you to respond to rejection in the right way. That makes it all the more rewarding when somebody does stop and talk to you about K-State Proud. Philanthropy can make a huge difference, even if someone just gives a dollar.
Kellenbarger: The skills I learned from a student leadership perspective, I use directly in my workplace. I value the business and leadership classes I took, but it’s the tactical people skills that really set an individual apart.
By Kate Ellwood