2008 Woodie Awards
Phonathon links students with alumni through donations
by Timothy Cama | Llama Ledger Staff
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: News
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The Student to Alumni Phonathon asks student volunteers to call alumni and ask them to donate money toward scholarships for Simon's Rock students.
"A lot of schools do phonathons," said Chery Mirer, Institutional Advancement associate. Prior to a smaller phonathon in April of this year, Simon's Rock hadn't done one in 10 years, she said.
Students signed up for two and a half shifts at lunch in recent weeks. Some signed up for only one shift, but others signed up for two, three or more shifts through 5 and 10 p.m. between Monday and Friday.
The Phonathon is seen as a replacement for the sophomore and senior class gifts, said Mirer. Students were reluctant to donate to those gifts, she said, but are far more excited to help solicit donations from alumni.
Only seven percent of alumni donate to Simon's Rock, said Mirer, and her office always tries to increase that number. Their goal now is to have 15 percent of alumni donate.
Donations of more than $25 from alumni who haven't donated in the past year get a $100 match this year, said Mirer. This is thanks to a group of 18 alumni who had agreed to pool their money together for the matches.
The first one took place in April, said Mirer, but "that one wasn't very smooth." Her office learned some lessons from that Phonathon, and used them to make this one better.
For example, a student committee was formed to organize and execute this Phonathon, and to recruit student volunteers. In April, Mirer herself sat in the Dining Hall and tried to recruit.
During their assigned times, volunteers fill the Institutional Advancement offices and run down lists of alumni, calling each one. Lists include around 3,000 alumni, all of whom have donated or in some other way communicated with the school in the past 10 years.
Every time a student gets a donation, he or she yells "Woo-hoo!" loudly enough so that everyone else in the office can hear.
Institutional Advancement staff give volunteers water, coffee and snacks that faculty and staff have provided. They also check in on volunteers frequently to help them, support them, or even congratulate them.
Each phone number dialed can mean any number of things. The number may have been disconnected. The alumnus may have moved. It may just be the wrong number.
But on the positive side, student volunteers frequently get to hear what Rockers like themselves do after graduation.
Sophomore Sadie Roosa talked with an alumnus who is now a philosophy professor. Simon's Rock made him realize that he didn't have to do what everyone else is doing, Roosa explained. After graduation, the alumnus became a farmer, then lived in an island near Scotland, before realizing what he wanted to do.
"'Simon's Rock is a great way to start your life,'" Roosa recalled from the man's advice. He also donated $100.
Student volunteers enter into a raffle as a reward for their participation. Prizes include a a golf cart chauffeur for a day (Mirer is the chauffeur), dinner cooked by Dean of the College Ba Win, and gift certificates to local businesses such as The Triplex and Bizen. Businesses were more than happy to help the school by donating the gift certificates, said Mirer.
Simon's Rock gave $5.7 million of scholarships to students last year alone, and around $4 million the year before. All proceeds from the Phonathon go to these scholarships, but alumni may choose to make additional donations to other costs in the college.
Contact the author: tcama@llamaledger.com
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