"Why The F@*# Not Me?"- A Young Professional's Conception of Modern Corporate Responsibility

"Why the f@*# not me?" If I told you that I was struck by this quote as I was perusing The New York Times, the CNN homepage on my computer, or the countless classic novels filling my personal English major bookcase, I would be totally lying. In fact, I would even be lying if I told you I came across this quote in any remotely exciting context. It wouldn't be true if I told you it was plastered on a billboard along the freeway. It wouldn't be true if I told you it was the title of a play illuminating the skies of the theater district. It wouldn't even be true if I told you that it was audible amongst the muddled conversations of the hundreds of commuters on the 6:15 morning train from Milwaukee to Chicago.

I would be telling the truth if I told you that I happened upon this quote, and subsequent spark of inspiration, in a most stereotypical of 22 year old ways, as I was checking Twitter and walking to my first day of work in the professional world. This phrase was authored into a carefully-crafted, >140 character tweet by the equally witty and brainy Mindy Kaling, and it read "'Why the f@*# not me?' should be your motto'." As my thumb scrolled past the tweet, my feet scurried along the crowded city sidewalks, and my eyes anxiously and repeatedly examined the time on my phone, I could not help but think about Ms. Kaling's off-handed tweet in a personal light. So naturally, as I hurriedly executed the last fifteen minutes of my walk from the train station to my office building, my mind slipped into an analytical reverie or sorts, and subconsciously began to write this very blog post.

Throughout our childhood, at least in my own experience, we are spoon-fed the gifts of optimism and creative license. We come to be inscribed with inspirational metaphorical colloquialisms like "The sky's the limit!" or "Shoot for the moon!" We are told that if we want to be The President of The United States or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, there is nothing standing in our way. In other words, we are taught by our mentors from a very young age to think "Why the f@*# not me?"

However, we forget as we grow up, begin to understand the ways of the world, and realize that there is a lot more that goes into becoming a US President than blind ambition, the dual and perhaps more important significance of "Why the f@*# not me?," the humanitarian implication. Just as important as it is in terms of personal excellence to think that if one person could achieve something, another person certainly could as well, it is of similar importance to conflate personal pains and struggles. In other words, it is important to think "Why the f@*#" have my relatives not been displaced by war or genocide? "Why the f@*#" don't I need to use food stamps? "Why the f@*#" am I alive?

Truthfully (minus the whole crassness of the phrase), this should stand as the very core of corporate responsibility. Corporations are built and expanded upon by ambitious people with exciting vision and unparalleled optimism. Businesses are the productive lifeblood of our country, and are run by the "Why the f@*# not me?"-ers of our society. And see, this is the beauty of corporate responsibility as well. It is time to channel all of the constructive energy of businesses into helping those most in need: the people who face more pain than we could ever imagine, the situations that make us ask ourselves "Why the f@*# not me?" This is not simply a compassionate prescription to those with the most agency in our society. This is both a necessary change in mindset and a fundamental responsibility of those with the most to offer in our world.

Although I am certain that Ms. Mindy Kaling most certainly had no intention of inspiring an aspiring corporate philanthropist, and compacting into >140 characters exactly what many could agree businesses need to consider in terms of community involvement, brilliantly enough, she did. I am not saying that this is the epiphany of all epiphanies, but I do think it sheds some interesting and much needed light on an important issue facing corporate America today. Yet, if there is anyone who could set out to bring new energy and a fresh perspective to corporate philanthropy, "Why the f@*# not me?," right @mindykaling??

Top Ten "Phacts" You Never Knew About Philanthropy

1. Giving by corporations is estimated to have increased by 12.2% in 2012, which was largely driven by a 16.6% gain in corporate pre-tax profits and 4% growth in the GDP.

2. In the U.S, there are 1,409,430 tax-exempt organizations, including 948,769 public charities, 96,655 private foundations, and 364,006 other types of nonprofit organizations, including chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues.

3. Australia is the most generous country on earth. In a typical month, more than two thirds of Australians donates money and helps a stranger, while more than a third volunteers. The Australian government promotes philanthropy and encourages all Australians to share the joy of giving, be it time or money. 

4. Individuals in the U.S gave $228.93 billion to charities in the year 2012 alone. This figure accounts for a 3.9 percent increase from 2011.

5. More than 92 percent of Americans participate at some level of charitable giving.

6. Approximately 25.4% of Americans over the age of 16 volunteered through or for an organization between September 2009 and September 2013.

7. Women are more financially generous than men. But men are more likely to volunteer or help a stranger.

8. Bill Gates has donated more to charity than number 8 on Forbes Rich List is worth. Gates has donated 28 billion dollars to charity- that’s 2 billion dollars more than what Stefan Persson, the 8th richest person in the world, is worth.

9. Approximately 50% of all charitable giving goes to religion, education, and arts organizations.

10. The average person makes 24% of his or her annual donations between Thanksgiving and New Year's, according to research from the Center of Philanthropy

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=519#.U0YhaihCfao

http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm

http://www.compassion.com/poverty/charitable-giving.htm

https://www.cafonline.org/my-personal-giving/plan-your-giving/individual-giving-account/e-newsletter-for-individuals/spring-2013/ultimate-charity-facts.aspx

http://www.omg-facts.com/Business/Bill-Gates-has-donated-more-to-charity-t/53399#QKiqf38vOExfZX5W.99

Spectator Special Spotlight on Outstanding Philanthropic Work: UNICEF

There are few things in this world about which I am as passionate as charitable endeavor. I truly believe that serving our fellow man is the most important thing we can do on this earth; and, in my opinion human outreach should be at the core of everything we are as ordinary people, students, professionals, etc. Perhaps I so strongly believe this because I have been lucky enough to be a part of several different communities in which this very ideal is upheld and promoted. My friends have always participated in mission trips and ongoing service through various charitable agencies. The schools I have attended have always sponsored service initiatives both within my local community and around the globe. My parents have always donated time and money to the Catholic Church as well as institutions of Catholic Education. Oddly enough, out of the countless retreats that I have planned, dozens of service sites I have visited and the major philanthropic events that I have organized, there is one small act of charity work that stands out as most formative in my cultivation of a lifelong passion for service. This experience takes me back to the age of five, the first Halloween during which I vividly remember trick or treating. I was dressed as the beautifully exotic Esmerelda from the 1996 Disney movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and that year, I trick or treated for UNICEF. If any of you are unfamiliar with "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF," it is one of UNICEF's largest special fundraising initiatives. To kick start this fundraiser each year, UNICEF hands out cardboard boxes nearing Halloween time at various grocery stores, schools, etc. Families (or any individual) can pick up these boxes and ask for change while trick or treating in any neighborhood. Now don't get me wrong, my parents definitely let me trick or treat for candy back in 1996 as well, but I remember the experience of asking for change that year way more warmly than scoring any king sized candy bars. In fact, this experience was really the first time that I felt like I could do something quite meaningful for my fellow man without much effort at all. It is possible and profitable to integrate service work, entertainment and even the most commonplace experiences of daily life in order to create a world where no one is in need. Even at the age of five, UNICEF helped me to understand this reality; and, this is a tenet by which I still abide today. Last week, I submitted a job application for what has been my post-grad dream job for years, the 2014 Global Citizenship Fellowship Program at the Chicago offices of UNICEF. As I was writing about how passionately interested I am in the program and what an honor it would be to work for such an amazing organization, I couldn't help but thank both my parents and my five year old costumed self for embracing such an awesome opportunity at such a formative stage. It would truly fulfill a lifelong ardor to work as fellow for UNICEF. But, this time around, I would probably trade in the Esmerelda get up and cardboard box for a professional blazer and leather briefcase. 

https://secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=DF894FEE2AC5885B7B442EA3450DCF3B.app244a?idb=1140229611&df_id=2041&2041.donation=form1

Horizontal Organizational Structure- It's What's on the Horizon for Modern Businesses

As I continue in my job search, it feels as though each day I am familiarizing myself with the company culture of a different business. These institutions range from major corporations, to non-profit organizations, to creative advertising agencies; yet, each of these businesses has something in common, an employee-centered workplace. In fact, if I had to identify a modern trans-organizational trend from the perspective of a prospective employee, I would identify the promotion of employee satisfaction and retention as that major trend. Truly, it seems as though the primary focus of contemporary businesses, apart from profitable ventures, is the establishment of unique work environments in which satisfied employees strive to make their life-long careers. This model of business is known as the horizontal organizational structure. Horizontally structured businesses are beneficial as they "tend to have the best employee morale because there is less red tape when dealing with problems. Also, [they cost] less to run... because managers cost more than rank-and-file employees." Horizontal companies tend to have fewer, more agented employees than their vertically-structured business counterparts, and also place more emphasis on employee satisfaction. They usually boast a more laid back work environment, and "[emphasize] an employee-centered approach with emphasis on teamwork and collaboration." Advocates of horizontal business argue that it "allows for workers to focus and invest time and energy on company goals," and that this "teamwork is an essential practice in ensuring the [company] has cohesion to move [itself] forward." For a real world example, in the office building of one of the Chicago companies at which I applied for a summer internship, there is a company bar with an on-call company folk band. Employees are encouraged to gather here after work hours, relax, unwind, and get to know their co-workers on a more intimate level. It is aspects of the modern horizontal workplace culture like this that make businesses more fun and personal. This human touch to the historically cold company structure bodes well for the social involvement of modern businesses, and certainly eases my qualms about the doldrums of the 9-5 work day!

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-horizontal-organizational-structure-30904.html

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/vertical-structure-vs-horizontal-structure-organization-4904.html

From Social Work to Social Doubt- It Seems Like the "ME ME ME" Generation is a Lot More Conscious Than They Thought

In this day and age, my generation (the post and post post Baby Boomers) has a reputation of entitlement, apathy and disinterest. We are painted as technology-obsessed, professionally incapable youngsters who's preference to binge watch five hours of Netflix rather than go ride a bike will lead to the end of the world as we know it. Truth is, we are different from our parents, just like our parents were different from their parents and so on and so forth. I may talk to my friends in the form of a text message more than I see them face to face, but who is to say that is bad, backwards or insufficient? The struggle to prove the worth and determine the essential identity of a generation is timeless feat. As I approach my college graduation and begin to have to think about marketing myself as a professional job candidate, I am forced to consider what I represent to "the real world." Do employers really think we are all lazy and self obsessed? Am I groomed to think I deserve more than someone else because I am simply me? Am I actually entitled, apathetic and disinterested? As I read the blogs of several of my classmates / generational peers, I must admit that I detect no such laziness and no such lack of social regard. In fact, across the different focuses, tones and overall themes of our class's blogs, I see one connecting factor, social concern. From Steph's "Social Work in the City," to Kevin's blog with a financial bent, "apparently college kids don't have any intelligent thoughts," one things connects all of our varied professional and academic interests. This common link is a desire to help our fellow man and to enhance the very fabric of our society, as only energetic and idealistic college students can do. Steph wants to become a social worker and help young children who have been robbed of a happy childhood. Kevin wants to improve the financial status of our economically challenged nation and to promote fiscal responsibility for all. These wide-ranging interests all stem from a humanitarian foundation, a focus upon which I am proud to say my generation has been exposed to since day one. We may send more Snapchats and post more Instagram photos than anyone could have ever predicted, but if my generation knows how to do one thing, it is how to appreciate and help the underdog (thank you Disney). Realizing that I am not alone in my career aspirations of helping people in any way that I can is so reassuring. Effecting social change through passionate work is truly a universal calling, even if for my generation the call comes via Skype or the iPhone 5.

From "Favorite Things" to Foundations- My Woman Crush, Oprah Winfrey

In the words of the fabulous Ms. Oprah Winfrey, "you get from the world what you give to the world." From years of award-winning television, to countless philanthropic sponsorships, Oprah Winfrey has most certainly given more than her fair share of love to our world. Her most recent contribution, Oprah's Angel Network, is a public charity established to encourage people around the world to make a difference in the lives of others. The network initiates and supports charitable projects and provides grants to not-for-profit organizations around the globe that share in this same vision. Since its formation in 1998, the Angel Network has built over 55 schools in 12 countries, provided more than $1 million worth of school supplies to impoverished South African children, and inspired young people to become active, compassionate and knowledgeable global citizens. As such, the Network's charitable efforts are not only monetarily generous, but also seek to improve fundamentally the lives of those it serves through education and increased awareness. I admire Oprah on both a personal and professional level in so many different ways. Her dedication to improving the lives of others is perhaps my most "favorite thing" about Ms. Winfrey, and is truly the root of my so-called woman crush on her. It is one of my highest hopes that some day as I am walking the streets of my soon-to-be hometown Chicago, I run into Oprah maybe near the "all suite Omni Hotel located in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile." We'll embrace and talk about how I live one block away from the Wisconsin high school she attended. Then, she will offer me a position on her Angel Network team, and I'll live happily ever after..... A girl can dream, right, Oprah?

http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/About-Oprahs-Angel-Network

Bright Lights on Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

This week, I wanted to spotlight for you all a powerful, effective and renown model of corporate philanthropy. Some might call this the "piece de resistance"of the charitable arms of major companies, the pinnacle of that which modern corporations search for in cementing their commitment to community outreach. In my opinion, it is the cream of the crop in terms of corporate charity work, and has certainly made a name for itself since its inception in 2000. This model of philanthropy is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a global institution that has dedicated over 40 billion dollars in just under 15 years to "help all people lead healthy, productive lives." In the developing countries of the world, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty." Locally in the United States, the foundation "seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life." The Foundation has three specific grant making areas, The Global Development Program, The Global Health Program and the United States Program, along with a small Charitable Sector Support Initiative. In their early years of philanthropy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was best known for its work to prevent the spread of Malaria in third world countries. Today, the foundation supports countless other charitable endeavors including vaccine initiatives, micro-financing efforts, and scholarship funds. As I said before, with offices all over the world, incredibly numerous grant partnerships and billions and billions of dollars donated so far, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is helping to transform the world in immeasurably powerful ways. In even the foundation's influence in the realm of corporate philanthropy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is helping to instigate a wave of charitable inspiration for some of the world's most established businesses. This influence in and of itself is important, and in my opinion, has already ushered in a new era of excitement about corporate philanthropy! 

Check out more information about the incredible Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at their website: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ !