Callers raise $228,000 for PSU

PSU’s 30th annual spring Phonathon, which concluded in March, raised a record $228,000 in pledges. It was a $50,000 increase over last year.

“I was really impressed at what we accomplished,” said Melanie Cumoletti, assistant director of annual giving.

Cumoletti attributed the Phonathon’s success to the faculty and students who made the calls. Faculty callers raised more than $50,000 in pledges designated for their departments and programs. Pledges collected by student callers were added for the overall use of the fund, said Cumoletti.

“We had a good group of students and faculty callers. Five students returned to work from last year’s campaign. One student raised more than $20,000 alone.”

A new approach to Phonathon training included inviting various departments to speak to the callers. Representatives from ROTC, nursing, accounting, and other departments told callers about recent developments in their areas.

“When the students got on the phone with alumni from those departments, they were able to better connect. Student callers liked that they were able to share something important and relevant with them,” said Cumoletti.

Callers reached than 9,500 alumni and friends. Follow-up cards were mailed to an additional 2,000 individuals who could not be contacted by phone.

Cumoletti said planning is already underway for the fall Phonathon in October, which will focus on reaching alumni who have not given in the past.

“It is a lot more challenging to reach out to alumni who have never given. But we feel this is an opportunity for alumni to become re-engaged with the university.”

For information about giving to Pittsburg State University, call the Office of Development at 620-235-4768 or visit their Web site.

---Pitt State---