BY LISA ADDISON
laddison@americanpress.com
The McNeese State University Alumni Association will hold its 22nd annual phonathon Jan. 22-31. McNeese students will be making calls to alumni to update contact information and to ask McNeese graduates to help support the university by making a donation to the annual fund.
“McNeese alumni have been generous in their support,” said Joyce Patterson, director of alumni affairs. “Last year, $90,000 was donated, and we hope to exceed that this year. With all of the state budget cuts, every little bit helps.”
Patterson said each phonathon is unique and brings new supporters. “A few years ago, one of our callers happened to reach a man who had graduated from McNeese in 1946,” she said. “He really enjoyed sharing some of his stories from his time at McNeese, as well as hearing about what is going on at the university at this time.”
Donations — large and small — are combined together, which Patterson said help to make an even greater impact on the university.
“It is financial support from our alumni that helps to keep the university on the cutting edge of technology and to best complete our mission of educating our students and preparing them for the workforce,” Patterson said.
Stephanie Clark, who also works in the alumni office, recalled a memorable phone call from a previous phonathon. “We reached a guy last year who said that he always enjoyed hearing from us each year but it was the first time that he had ever been in the financial position to make a donation and he was so happy to do that,” she said.
Patterson said nearly 20 phone lines are going at once during the phonathon.
Funds raised from the event are spent on campus for scholarships, undergraduate research projects, recruiting, university promotions, faculty support and areas that have been hit the hardest by budget cuts.
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For more information or to make a donation, contact the alumni office at 475-5232 or alumni@mcneese.edu.