by Stacy Finz

Students at Stanford University gave away $100,000 on Wednesday.

Handing out large chunks of cash sounds easy enough. But for Isabelle Wijangco, a senior majoring in human biology, it was a herculean honor that she'll never forget.

For 10 years, Bruce Sievers has taught Theories of Civil Society, Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector in the political science department. The objective is to teach participants about the nonprofit sector and how it drives social change. The lesson plan in the past included allocating pretend grant funds to nonprofit organizations.

For the first time this year, the students did it for real.

The Once Upon a Time Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas, donated $100,000 to the class to be given away to Bay Area nonprofits. But the class of 21 students had to figure out whom to give it to. And they had only a short amount of time - an academic quarter - to make their decision.

For Sievers, the foundation's donation brought a new experience to the course. "I'm chagrined to say it, but I think the class is way better with real money."

For Wijangco, "When I learned we would be using real money, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility."

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