Tuck GIVES on a Global Scale

Auction raises over $58,000 to fund summer internships.

Christine Hou T’15 came to Tuck to help Africa. Before deciding to attend business school, she’d already completed an externship in Dar es Salaam, developing value chain strategies for a Gates Foundation program focused on dairy. The effort provides one of the only money making opportunities available to Tanzanian women.

Seeing firsthand the impact of the private sector in improving the livelihoods of the poor alongside the stark demand for investment capital, Hou applied to Tuck to further her skill set. In her application, she described how much she admired the business model of the groundbreaking nonprofit Acumen, which invests in social entrepreneurs in developing regions, including East Africa.

This summer, Hou will get her chance to intern in Nairobi with Acumen, thanks to Tuck GIVES, an annual auction which raises funds to support students taking internships at nonprofit or public sector employers who might not otherwise have the resources to accommodate them.

“It means so much that Tuckies are willing to contribute to help their fellow students pursue fields that may not be as financially lucrative but will have a tremendous impact on the developing world,” Hou says. “This is a wonderful opportunity and I am so excited to return to East Africa with a bit more skill.”

Run by students with support from the Center for Business & Society and the Career Development Office, Tuck GIVES (Grants to Interns and Volunteers for the Environment and Society) has raised more than $754,000 to support 154 interns in 22 countries around the globe since 2001.

“It truly takes a village, says Kathy Buck T’14, who co-chaired this year’s Tuck GIVES along with T’14s  Zach Hogan and Meg Nunn. “The co-chairs were not recipients, nor were the majority of our 40 volunteers. Tuck faculty, staff, students, and alumni generously donated more than 275 items this year, so many of which reflected the vast array of talents, interests, and experiences that makes Tuck such a diverse and exciting place.”

Prizes included everything from a crawfish boil with Dean Paul and his wife Mary Ellen to Egyptian crafts to a Hawaiian vacation. In addition to the silent and live auctions, Tuck GIVES also held fundraising events tied to March Madness; an April poker tournament, and the event-closing Masquerade Theme Party. The organizers’ creativity and enthusiasm paid off: this year, Tuck GIVES raised more than $58,000.

In addition to helping Hou and her fellow funding recipients apply their business school expertise in the nonprofit sector, Tuck GIVES also plays a key role in highlighting the connection between business and service. “This entire process is an incredible celebration of being a Tuckie,” says Buck, “and our team could not be prouder to have been a part of it.”