The Humanics@FresnoState Association of Fundraising Professionals (APF) Collegiate Chapter was the largest collegiate delegation at the APF International Conference on Fundraising in Boston, Massachusetts, March 20-22. Faculty members Dr. Matthew Ari Jendian, director of Humanics@FresnoState, and Dr. Don R. Simmons, led a group of eight Fresno State students, including Adrianne Davis, Navmit Dhesi, Sonia Sanchez-Ramos and Jessica Vierra who were the first undergraduate students to present a workshop at the conference. Those student presented “Learning the Ropes of the Profession: Voices of Collegians Learning and Doing Fund Development Today.”

Following the three-day conference, all eight scholars engaged in volunteer consulting for “Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, Inc.,” a project to collect, document, preserve and present the historic and modern photographic record of Armenians and Armenian heritage (www.projectsave.org).

“Humanics@FresnoState transforms lives and perspectives on leadership and philanthropy and engenders exceptional leaders, enhanced organizations and enriched communities,” Jendian said.

An applied program of the Department of Sociology, Humanics@FresnoState now offers a minor degree in philanthropy and community-based leadership to complement its certificate offering in “Administration and Leadership for Community Benefit Organizations.”

Since 2001, 210 Fresno State graduates (representing 23 different majors) have earned the Humanics Certificate. About 10 percent of these alumni have risen to the executive director/CEO position within their respective organizations. Approximately 70 percent of Fresno State’s Humanics alumni are employed in the community benefit sector at local organizations like Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County, Fresno Metro Ministries, Hinds Hospice and Resources for Independence Central Valley.

The Humanics@FresnoState AFP Collegiate Chapter was established in 2012 under the sponsorship of the local AFP California Valley chapter. Fifty seven students have now participated in the annual AFP conferences in San Diego (2013), San Antonio (2014), Baltimore (2015) and Boston (2016) thanks to support from Geil Family Fund at the Central Valley Community Foundation, SaveMart SHARES, Associated Students Incorporated at Fresno State and individual donors.

For more information about the program visit www.humanicsfresnostate.org or email matthewj@csufresno.edu.