Appalachian State University senior political science major Jacob Brooks and his recently-created Student Philanthropy Board are holding a Student Philanthropy Week to help raise money for the Campaign for Appalachian.

The Campaign for Appalachian was started in October 2011 by Chancellor Kenneth Peacock. Its goal is to raise $200 million for the university by the end of 2014.

Money raised by the campaign goes into the Appalachian Fund, the university’s unrestricted general fund, according to the Alumni Association website.

Student Philanthropy Week  events are being held on Sanford Mall through April 16.

Brooks, also president of Appalachian Student Ambassadors, said he started the Student Philanthropy Board and the week’s events because he saw a need for it.

Brooks said that although the Student Philanthropy Board is encouraging students to donate, they will not be in charge of deciding where the money goes.

“I can’t tell you where the money goes,” Brooks said. “It goes wherever it’s needed within [designated] areas.”

Brooks said he hopes to change the stigma around donating, especially while still enrolled as a student.

“This road that I went on in my journey at Appalachian was not paved by me and it wasn’t paved by the fees I paid in tuition,” Brooks said. “It was paved by someone who came before me and someone that saw something special about this university and they decided to give back financially. What I would like to do as a student and as a future alumnus of Appalachian State is pave that road for someone else and you can do that by giving just a few extra dollars.”

The organization, mostly made up of ambassadors, is not yet officially recognized on campus, Brooks said.

“Our purpose is to try to educate current Mountaineers and advocate for personal giving and to sort of deliver the message of what it means to give back to your university,” he said.

Brooks said the idea first came to him in his Vice Chancellor’s Leadership Cabinet class, which he took last semester.

“That’s how it got initially launched, but it’s mostly been coming out of the Alumni Affairs office,” he said.

Brooks said the initiative stemmed from the ambassadors because they often work closely with the Alumni Affairs office. By working with their office, the Board also hopes to spark post-graduation donations from current students.

Story: Laney Ruckstuhl, Assistant News Editor