As she laces up her bright blue Ascics, Maria Powell plops down on her bed. “I could run all day long,” says Powell, a senior at Auburn University. “I just can’t explain it.” This has been her routine for the past semester. She gets home from school, changes into her running clothes, and heads off for a jog.

Powell has been training for a half marathon since November. It isn’t just any half marathon, though. It is the National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer this coming Sunday. After running for many years, Powell decided to challenge herself and run for a good cause.

“It’s not easy. It’s definitely a challenge, but when it gets hard I just think of why I’m doing it and all the women this is going to help,” says Powell. “This run isn’t about personal gain…it’s about so much more.” Powell has been personally affected by breast cancer. One of her roommates recently lost her mom to breast cancer.

But Powell isn’t the only student running for a cause. If you look around Auburn on any given afternoon you will see a slew of students jogging around campus. “It’s like the in thing to do these days,” says Auburn University student Molly Hilyer. Hilyer is also running in the breast cancer half marathon in Jacksonville, FL with Powell.

“I’ve heard of so many people training for half marathons around Auburn,” says Hilyer. “It’s exciting that so many college students are helping these different causes.”

Anna English, an Auburn University sophomore and Amy Battle, a senior, are both training for the Seaside Half Marathon in March. All proceeds of this marathon go towards education in the Seaside community.

The enthusiasm brought to these events by young people is unparalleled. Donna Deegan knows this first hand. Deegan, a breast cancer survivor and avid marathoner, is the founder and event chairman of the National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer.

“I love it when young people connect with the power of philanthropy,” says Deegan. “Young people have so much energy and so many ideas. It's great to have them involved involved!”

Colleges and universities around the US are starting to take notice at the growing philanthropic interest among college-aged students. Many have started offering courses related to philanthropy and non-profit organizations due to high demand for these subjects.

From Cornell University to the University of Virginia, students are taking active steps to become more socially and economically conscious of the world around them through these courses. The concept is that philanthropic-related courses have the potential to prepare college students in areas that are not addressed in other college courses.

Although Auburn may not be on the cutting edge as far as philanthropic classes go, its students are no less concerned when it comes to the issues. When Powell laces up her shoes Sunday she will be running 13.1 miles for women all over the country. “I am just so excited that I can have a part in this and I don’t think it will stop here.”


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