ISU Bengal

Issue date: 2/2/05 Section: Life

Media Credit: ISU Photographic Services Students answer phones at last year´s phone-a-thon.

Ever wonder where the funds for ISU scholarships and departmental wish lists come from? These and other program perks exist largely in part to the yearly phone-a-thon called "Connection ISU" overseen by the Idaho State University Foundation. More than one hundred ISU students and faculty members participate in paid and volunteer positions to keep this vital financial intake active. This year's dialing for donations starts January 31 and will continue through March 11.

While many a student's first response to manning a donation call center is a quick "No way, I could never do that," K.C. Felt, Director of Annual Giving and long time phone-a-thon coordinator, credits students' repeated participation as the backbone of the event.

"Students that participate in calling get first hand experience in recognizing that scholarship money doesn't grow on trees," Felt says, adding, "They know it comes from real people," She also cites that "Connection ISU" callers are more likely to become donators as alumni because they see how and why the generated funds are used.

Ninety-nine percent of ISU scholarships are provided by alumni in private business, and from friends of the University that believe they are investing in the future of their communities as well as in their Alma Mater. They understand the importance of students having access to higher education, program related workshops and conventions, and projects implementing the latest techniques and technology.

Each college within ISU works to establish a donation goal to meet their own particular needs. These are combined to set an overall goal for the upcoming event. Last year donations totaled $302,000. Based on 2004 expenditures and adding for growth, "Connection ISU" will reach to attain $325,000 in donations over the next six weeks.

The College of Arts and Sciences will start off the first two weeks of calls, followed with weekly sessions by the College of Business and a combined effort by the College of Technology and Pharmacology. The next week's designated callers represent the College of Education, followed by joint endeavors by the College of Engineering with the College of Dental Hygiene, and General Education combined with the College of Health Professions for the final week.

Continued...

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