The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, one of ten research institutes at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, is launching a national contest celebrating student giving on U.S. campuses. “Young people are giving in large numbers,” explained Andrew Hahn, PhD., Director of the Sillerman Center. “We want to acknowledge their generosity and help them promote giving among their peers.”

The contest, called Generous U, is open to college student groups, clubs and organizations that engage their peers in charitable giving. The winner will be awarded the $5,000 Sillerman Prize for Philanthropy on College Campuses and earn the “Generous U” title for its college or university. The judges, a panel of volunteers from academia, philanthropy and business, will be looking for creative initiatives that inspire student giving, have a positive impact in the community, and can serve as a model for other campuses.

The winning group will be able to use the Prize to further its work on campus and in the community. The Generous U title will be awarded to the college or university in recognition of its support for students’ philanthropic efforts.

Generous U is a new iteration of a competition the Sillerman Center has already sponsored for three years. According to Claudia Jacobs, Associate Director of the Center, “We have been celebrating student philanthropy with a competition for the Sillerman Prize since 2010. The reconceptualization of the contest as Generous U reflects our realization that student philanthropy most often thrives on campuses that have a culture of giving back.”