I recently met with Samantha “Sam” Cogswell, staff leader of the Bowdoin Common Good Grant Program, and two of the program’s student leaders: Pranav Vadlamudi and Kavi Sarna.

We sat down in a room in the Bowdoin College Chapel. I took a religion class in that very same room 61 years ago taught by the esteemed Bowdoin professor Bill Geohegan. One day in that classroom stays burned in my memory: Nov. 22, 1963. I recall drawing an American Flag with tears dripping down from it, because I’d learned about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy just an hour earlier.

The Common Good Grant Program provides a great way for students and supporters of the program to heed the clarion call from Kennedy’s inauguration speech: “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Since its inception in 2001, the program has awarded a total of $455,696 to area nonprofits, thanks to the dedicated involvement of 360 students over the years, many of whom were first attracted to the college because of its deep commitment to serving the common good.

Twenty students are currently involved with the Common Good Grant Program. Some students focus on development. That is, they make official asks of potential donors, most of whom either live locally or were former Common Good Grant participants. The amount raised is added to the $10,000 contributed every year by the founding donor. The students receive training before meeting with donors in person or on line.

Other students focus on reviewing letters of intent and visiting some of the nonprofits that requested funds for a specific purpose.

All students meet to decide which organizations should receive funding.

For the current year, 42 organizations have submitted letters of intent. The list will be narrowed down to 11 or 12. Ultimately, nine or 10 of these will each receive grants of $4,000.

Pranav Vadlamudi, Class of 2026, a neuroscience/philosophy double major from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, got involved in the program his first year because he wanted to get involved with nonprofits, learn about fundraising and sharpen his interpersonal skills.

Kavi Sarna, 2025, a computer science/math double major from Alexandria, Virginia, has been involved for the last there years. He wanted to hone his public speaking skills and gain experience in serving as a board member of what is, in effect, a foundation.

Students learn about the needs of the local area by visiting nonprofits. They gain experience in fundraising, a valuable experience for anyone who ultimately hopes to serve the Common Good. And they learn how to work with others to make difficult decisions.

The nonprofit agencies benefit from the direct funding, to be sure, but they also gain inspiration from meeting with young people who genuinely care about getting to know the needs of Midcoast Maine and doing something to make a positive difference in the community.

I can say from past experience that supporters of this program also benefit in many ways. We get to meet amazing young people while contributing to their personal growth. We give a boost to deserving nonprofits from around Midcoast Maine. And we enjoy the celebratory event held at Bowdoin every May to honor the recipients of the Bowdoin Common Good Grant Award.

Like most readers of this column, I get hundreds — perhaps thousands — of requests every year for money from organizations in Maine, from across the U.S. and around the world. For my money, nothing tops the Bowdoin Common Good Grant Program in terms of yielding amazing returns on the investment.

Meeting with people like Sam Cogswell, Pranav Vadlamudi and Kai Sarna instills hope in the midst of winter’s bleak days and the turbulent state of the nation and the world.

To learn more about this extraordinary program go to Google and search “Bowdoin Common Good Grant Program” or contact Sam Cogswell at Bowdoin (s.collins@bowdoin.edu).

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.