The 51 Percent

Author's Note: I am grateful to The Patterson Foundation for providing its staff and consultants with the unique opportunity to pursue courses at the Indiana University Indianapolis Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the first school dedicated solely to the study and teaching of philanthropy, through its Tuition/Fees Reimbursement Program. I also want to recognize The Patterson Foundation’s leadership; Donald R. Bowman, Ed. D., the Advancing Philanthropic Leadership initiative lead; and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy core faculty for their support and vision. I’m lucky to share this journey with incredible coworkers, including Lyndsey Smith, Carrie Miley, Alicia Exantus, and my study buddy (aka smarty pants) since the beginning, Josephine Eisenberg.

“To me, a 51 percenter has five core emotional skills. I’ve learned that we need to hire employees with these skills if we’re to be champions at the team sport of hospitality. They are: Optimistic warmth (genuine kindness, thoughtfulness, and a sense that the glass is always at least half full) Intelligence (not just “smarts” but rather an insatiable curiosity to learn for the sake of learning) Work ethic (a natural tendency to do something as well as it can possibly be done) Empathy (an awareness of, care for, and connection to how others feel and how your actions make others feel) Self-awareness and integrity (an understanding of what makes you tick and a natural inclination to be accountable for doing the right thing with honesty and superb judgment)”— Danny Meyer

What an adventure. It is hard to believe it's over! 

Since beginning the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in 2022, I have learned a tremendous amount. Yes, there were theories, research projects, economics, humanitarianism, comparative philanthropy, ethics, volunteerism, history, and community projects that work. But there was also experiential learning that stretched me far beyond the classroom. I explored philanthropy through the lens of different cultures while studying in Germany and the Netherlands, and spent part of a summer in Indiana, immersed in nonprofit law. For my final project, I partnered with Betsy Pennewill on an informal independent audit of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. I also worked with CreArte Latino Cultural Center for a deep dive into the principles and practices of fundraising and, for my capstone project, had the opportunity to collaborate with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, applying what I had learned to support a real-world nonprofit organization.

Along the way, I learned that growth requires humility. I also realized how fortunate I am to be surrounded by A+ people — people whose care, support, and belief in me run deep, just as mine does for them.

During my capstone project, I read an excerpt from Danny Meyer’s Setting the Table about the 51% Solution, which explores the idea that organizations thrive when people bring both competence and humanity into their work. After reading it, I felt two things at once: peace and excitement. Because I realized…I am that.

That said, during the program, my biases were challenged, and I was forced to confront my blind spots. Ughhhh. It did not feel good, but I kept moving forward anyway.

Early in the program, I had a conversation about learning with someone who helped me put the process into perspective. They said, “The more you learn, the dumber you feel until you eventually get it. Once you understand it, you keep growing and practicing, and before you know it, people are coming to you for advice. It’s like a U-curve.”

I suppose evolving requires letting go of the illusion that you already understand enough.

This experience reinforced how much culture matters. The 49/51% mentality exists beyond TPF, too. I see it in the people I choose to surround myself with, and in my consulting work with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.

In fall 2025, during one particularly late night, I was so sick and exhausted, desperately wanting to cut corners on a deadline so I could go to bed. I imagined how Debra Jacobs, CEO of The Patterson Foundation, would respond if I approached a situation without excellence or integrity. She didn't even have to say anything. Just her imaginary presence was enough...

I knew I was going to deliver and do my best, but in that moment, I wanted to give up.

At times, I felt that way with my classes too: broken down and exhausted. Life gets hard. But I would do it all over again because I would not have gotten to this version of myself otherwise.

Young-joo Lee patiently worked through economic concepts with me until they finally clicked, helping me see I was capable of learning difficult material even when it felt intimidating.

Pamala Wiepking expanded my understanding of generosity beyond financial giving and encouraged me to recognize everyday acts of care as meaningful philanthropy. Additionally, she helped me situate philanthropy within a global context, showing how expressions of generosity shift across cultures, governments, systems, and social expectations.

From ethics and history to studying abroad and preparing for my final independent study this summer, Kathi Badertscher has shown up with creativity, empathy, and encouragement. Her mother passed away from vascular dementia, and during this coursework, my mom has been steadily declining from what I understand to be a dual diagnosis of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s. There was an unspoken understanding of how heavy life could feel some days. She acknowledged the difficult moments without ever letting me spiral into them and worked with me to find solutions and keep moving forward. I sincerely value the care, flexibility, and time she poured into helping me succeed throughout this journey.

Doug Mercado brought humanity and urgency into conversations about humanitarian response: behind every statistic is a life, a community, or an ecosystem, and even when a crisis appears small on paper, its impact is significant.

Being surrounded by people and communities that value optimism, empathy, growth, and integrity has made me better.

I am leaving this chapter with a confidence I didn't have when I began. I don't have all the answers, and never will, but I now trust my ability to navigate complexity and contribute more meaningfully to the field of philanthropy.