Thanks for Helping Us Exceed Our Goal! Help Us Make PIKSI Do Even More.
Thanks to everyone who helped us meet our initial goal of $13,752! You’ve helped us show how broad the professional support is for diversifying the face of philosophy.
But we can still use your help! Our initial goal covered only one small piece of the PIKSI operating budget. $3,000 more would cover the costs of the visiting speakers who meet with and mentor the students.
If you’ve already donated, THANK YOU. Please help us continue spreading the word about this campaign.
If you haven’t given yet, please consider donating just $5 to further our goal and show how many of us are committed to changing the face of philosophy.
What is PIKSI?
For nine years, PIKSI,
or the Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institute, has been helping students from underrepresented groups develop the skills, confidence, and community needed to pursue graduate study in philosophy. Our students include women, people of color, LGBT individuals, individuals with disabilities, and people from economically disadvantaged communities.
PIKSI aims to change philosophy's status as the least diverse in the humanities. Only 16% of full-time academic philosophers are women. Of the 13,000 professional philosophers in the United States, only 156 are black. The experiences of members of diverse groups can cast new light on traditional philosophical questions as well as raise new ones.
PIKSI selects talented undergraduate students from underrepresented groups out of a pool of applicants who compete to participate in a rigorous eight day summer institute. They learn about graduate school and experience a stimulating and supportive
environment in which they can see how their interests and background
can make a distinctive contribution to the discipline.
PIKSI alumni have already begun transforming the discipline. They have moved on to various successful endeavors, including graduate studies in philosophy at the masters and doctoral level, and even tenure-track professorships.
Why PIKSI Needs Your Help
PIKSI
has traditionally received two sources of funding. The program is
housed at the Pennsylvania State University’s Rock Ethics
Institute, who together with Pennsylvania State University School of
Liberal Arts, have pledged to continue their partial financing of
PIKSI, conditional upon funding from a partner organization. Until
recently the American Philosophical Association (APA) has co-funded
PIKSI, but beginning 2014, this is no longer funding we can count on.
We need your help to keep this important and innovative program going!
What Impact You Can Make
Every year 12
undergraduate students are selected from a competitive field of
applicants. We need to raise $13,752 to provide these students with:
-
transportation to
and from
the
institute;
-
room
and board;
-
meals;
-
books
and materials required for the institute; and
-
a
small stipend.
In
additional to these, PIKSI incurs other operational costs relating
to:
-
personnel,
including PIKSI director and administrative support;
-
honoraria,
transportation, and lodging for guest speakers; and
-
food
and reception.
Graduate
Assistants are generously supported by their home university
departments.
In
2013, the APA's financial support of $21,000 went a long way to help
with these costs.
Make sure to check out the video the Rock Ethics Institute made about the story of PIKSI below, follow us on twitter, and friend us on Facebook to help get the word out!
This year, we need your help to keep PIKSI going and help change the face of philosophy.
