We hope you share our amazement at what MIT students can accomplish. The MIT Public Service Center enables everything from one-time local service opportunities to ongoing capacity-building projects with communities around the world. There is no shortage of critical problems facing the world, but fortunately, there is no shortage in the passion and the innovative spirit of MIT students. We believe that every student at MIT, undergraduate and graduate, should have the opportunity to engage in these transformative experiences. We want every student to have the chance to see the issues firsthand, apply what they’ve learned at MIT, and aspire to learn more.
Supporting the Present & Guaranteeing the Future
It costs $1.5 million annually to maintain the PSC at its current level. Roughly two-thirds of our annual budget depends on gifts and grants. To meet increasing demand and to fully participate in larger institutional initiatives, we need to expand our base of support.
One area of concentration is fulfilling our immediate needs. Demand for our programs is already higher than we can meet, and it is growing as MIT students identify social challenges and feel compelled to address them. The more extensive the work and the farther afield, the more resources are needed to support the significant learning and impact. Gifts to the Public Service Center Program Support Fund enable MIT students to engage in meaningful public service experiences through the PSC's many program.
It is equally important that we secure our future. The PSC seeks to increase our endowment to secure our programs and initiatives, to cover our infrastructure and direct expenses, and to support our growth. Endowed gifts to the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Fund promote the growth of the PSC and ultimately increase the high-level public service impact that MIT students are engaging in.
Impact of Giving
The PSC provides transformative experiences that are an integral part of the MIT education of today. Every dollar in funding supports the PSC's mission of educating MIT students and helping communities in need.
- For $1,000, an MIT student can work with a Teach for America teacher on improving science curriculum while learning about the American educational system.
- For $5,000, a student can work on a Fellowship project for three months to create a sustainable community asset while developing leadership skills.
- For $20,000, a student team can launch a developing-world business or non-profit organization.
- For $25,000, students can become inventors and develop innovative new assets for communities in need through an IDEAS Global Challenge sponsored award.