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TelALutes reach ambitious fund-raising goal
May 04, 2007
The PLU TelALutes reached a much sought-after goal last week when their fund raising efforts for the year topped $200,000.
It marked the first time in history the group of students, who raise funds for the university’s annual fund, reached the $200,000 mark, said Laura Rose, assistant director of annual giving.
The university had set the group’s goal in dollars at $200,000 for the past several years, but until last week, that goal had never been reached. Last year, the students raised $182,000, and last came close to reaching the goal a few years ago when they raised $191,000, Rose said.
“We’ve had a lot talented students in the past, but this year, they work really well together,” Rose said. “They’re friends inside and outside of the office and believe in the common goal.”
Twelve students currently work as TelALutes, meeting in the basement of the Nesvig Alumni House Monday through Thursday. For three hours each night, the students call alumni, the parents of past and current students and friends of the university to solicit donations to the university’s annual fund, called Q Club.
The money raised by the students is used to fund various aspects of a PLU education, including campus life, academic excellence, student scholarships and areas of greatest need, Rose explained.
When the TelALutes started calling at the beginning of the year, $200,000 seemed like a daunting challenge. Junior Emily Dooley is one of only four callers who returned to the TelALutes this year, and she was initially nervous about reaching the goal because the majority of the staff was brand new, she said.
However, after some teambuilding activities and four days of training, the staff quickly bonded. The closeness of the staff kept everyone motivated to reach the goal, and the positive attitude of the office is reflected in their calls, Dooley said.
“We have a really great team of people this year,” said first-year Katie Hasted. “We get along and that makes a good environment.”
Rose credited this year’s success in part to the high number of student callers who are actually receiving scholarships from Q Club.
“A lot of (the callers) are Q Club scholars,” Rose said. “They know firsthand the importance of what we’re doing. It’s sort of their way of paying it forward, making it possible for themselves and future students to come to PLU.”
First-year Kelly Ryan is one of those callers who received a Q Club scholarship this year. Kelly started working in the TelALutes office after J-Term 2007, but he said the fact that he is receiving the scholarship makes it easier for him to ask for donations. Plus, Q Club funds are used for all areas of campus life.
“It’s not just a scholarship fund,” he pointed out. “It influences every aspect of my education at PLU.”
While working to reach their goal, the TelALutes determined how they were doing throughout the year by comparing their totals each night to the previous year’s totals.
“You could see we were doing well,” Hasted said. “It became less of an ‘if’ we’d reach our goal and more of a ‘when’ we’d get it.”
The TelALutes hope to raise $225,000 by May 17, which means they have to raise about $2,000 a night, Hasted explained. Now that they’ve reached their initial goal, the student callers are optimistic about surpassing it.
Dooley said the job has been rewarding. She enjoys talking with alumni, parents and friends, adding that she’s been offered various jobs during her conversations. Plus, she now understands the value of donations.
“In doing this job, I’m helping to keep our tuition down,” she said.
To learn more about Q Club, visit www.plu.edu/~deve/q-club/home.html.
Photo by Laura Rose.
The university had set the group’s goal in dollars at $200,000 for the past several years, but until last week, that goal had never been reached. Last year, the students raised $182,000, and last came close to reaching the goal a few years ago when they raised $191,000, Rose said.
“We’ve had a lot talented students in the past, but this year, they work really well together,” Rose said. “They’re friends inside and outside of the office and believe in the common goal.”
Twelve students currently work as TelALutes, meeting in the basement of the Nesvig Alumni House Monday through Thursday. For three hours each night, the students call alumni, the parents of past and current students and friends of the university to solicit donations to the university’s annual fund, called Q Club.
The money raised by the students is used to fund various aspects of a PLU education, including campus life, academic excellence, student scholarships and areas of greatest need, Rose explained.
When the TelALutes started calling at the beginning of the year, $200,000 seemed like a daunting challenge. Junior Emily Dooley is one of only four callers who returned to the TelALutes this year, and she was initially nervous about reaching the goal because the majority of the staff was brand new, she said.
However, after some teambuilding activities and four days of training, the staff quickly bonded. The closeness of the staff kept everyone motivated to reach the goal, and the positive attitude of the office is reflected in their calls, Dooley said.
“We have a really great team of people this year,” said first-year Katie Hasted. “We get along and that makes a good environment.”
Rose credited this year’s success in part to the high number of student callers who are actually receiving scholarships from Q Club.
“A lot of (the callers) are Q Club scholars,” Rose said. “They know firsthand the importance of what we’re doing. It’s sort of their way of paying it forward, making it possible for themselves and future students to come to PLU.”
First-year Kelly Ryan is one of those callers who received a Q Club scholarship this year. Kelly started working in the TelALutes office after J-Term 2007, but he said the fact that he is receiving the scholarship makes it easier for him to ask for donations. Plus, Q Club funds are used for all areas of campus life.
“It’s not just a scholarship fund,” he pointed out. “It influences every aspect of my education at PLU.”
While working to reach their goal, the TelALutes determined how they were doing throughout the year by comparing their totals each night to the previous year’s totals.
“You could see we were doing well,” Hasted said. “It became less of an ‘if’ we’d reach our goal and more of a ‘when’ we’d get it.”
The TelALutes hope to raise $225,000 by May 17, which means they have to raise about $2,000 a night, Hasted explained. Now that they’ve reached their initial goal, the student callers are optimistic about surpassing it.
Dooley said the job has been rewarding. She enjoys talking with alumni, parents and friends, adding that she’s been offered various jobs during her conversations. Plus, she now understands the value of donations.
“In doing this job, I’m helping to keep our tuition down,” she said.
To learn more about Q Club, visit www.plu.edu/~deve/q-club/home.html.
Photo by Laura Rose.