With the 4.3 million-dollar budget gap looming over Fairfield, those involved with telephone fundraising see gifts from alumni as a way to ease the University’s financial burdens.
Their goal is to raise $3 million each year, the amount the University budgets for contributions.
“Anything we can do to raise money above and beyond that will help close that gap,” said Kimberly LoPiano ‘04 who supervises the telephone fundraising program known as Phonathon, one of the programs Fairfield uses to reach its fundraising goal.
Proceeds from the Phonathon arrive in The Fairfield Fund, a general fund for donations that are not restricted to a specific program. Money from the fund is used to fund clubs and offset the cost of tuition for students. The Board of Trustees ultimately decides how the money is distributed, according to LoPiano.
Last year the Phonathon raised $460,000 for the Fairfield Fund, and they are on target to meet this year’s goal, according to LoPiano.
Some of those donations come in over the phone to students in Bellarmine Hall. Each Sunday through Wednesday night, 10 paid student callers pick up the telephone and reach out to alumni.
LoPiano said the Phonathon program has been going “on and off” for many years. Up until three years ago, the University contracted an outside company to call its alumni.
“It wasn’t as effective or productive,” Lo Piano said. “We decided, let’s take a chance and see if we can do it with our students.”
The program is now student run in an office in Bellarmine, complete with high-tech computerized phones.
“Two years ago I was filing hundreds of papers in 3 inch binders, and students were hand dialing in the offices at Bellarmine,” said Elisabeth Downey ‘12, student manager for the program. “Now, the computer system has made our jobs much easier and more efficient. The computers have also helped boost percentages each semester.”
LoPiano said that students also use the calls as an opportunity to update alumni on class events such as reunions.
Sometimes callers can be quite colorful, according to Barbara Kaplan ‘12.
Students also take note of alums’ complaints or suggestions in the Phonathon’s computer systems.
And after chatting with the alums, students ask for donations, which they often get.
“I think the biggest reason why alumni give back and why I do is that I love Fairfield so much,” LoPiano said.
Megan Protas ’12 shares a similar view on the importance of fundraising. “Without the Fairfield Fund, current and future students would not be able to have the same experiences that I have had during my time at Fairfield.”
Donations also help to raise the University’s reputation.
U.S. News and World Report uses alumni giving as a criterion for their college rankings. The report does not measure the amount of donations, according to LoPiano, but the number of people who donate.
Last year, Fairfield jumped from #4 to #2 as Best Regional University in the North.
Besides the student Phonation, which targets all alumni, another fundraising program specifically reaches out to athletes.
Current student athletes will call members of past teams and ask them to make donations, according to Greg Chase ’13, who raises money for the cross country team.
However, unlike the Bellarmine callers, the athletes are asked to participate in the program as volunteers.
Reaching out to alums is not always easy. Some with caller ID don’t pick up the phone when Fairfield calls.
Like the University, the entire country including alums have fallen on difficult financial times. And that’s impacted donations.
“The economy definitely has an impact on everybody,” said LoPiano. “I think we have to work a little bit harder. Some people are giving lesser amounts but those that can are keeping their gifts consistent and some are increasing. I’m definitely optimistic.”
The Phonathon program is always looking to recruit student callers.
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