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WC Aims For 3,000 Alumni Donors
Last year, with 2,677 alumni contributing to the Washington College Fund, the College set a school record in alumni participation. This year, the College hopes to up the ante to 3,000 alumni donors, and raise alumni participation from 35 percent to 38 percent.
The Washington College Fund is a campaign to raise annual contributions from alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff and students to help defray College costs that are not covered by annual tuition revenue. Budget items supported by the WC Fund include many merit- and need-based financial assistance programs, including the Washington Scholars
"So," says Ed Athey '47, retired athletic director, coach and volunteer chairman of the WC Fund, "during this fiscal year (July '00 - June '01) we expect to reach 3,000 donors, representing 38 percent participation from our 7,821-member Alumni Association. We want the alumni team to become champions."
The Washington College Fund campaign is being administered by a new assistant director for alumni annual giving, Sally Haynsworth Grafton '93. Grafton succeeds Mike Stafford '99, last year's record-breaker who stepped down to study law at Duke University. Sally and her husband, Jeff '94, a financial analyst with MBNA America and volunteer alumni adviser to the Kappa Alpha fraternity, have settled in Chestertown a few doors from the Alumni House.
One of Sally's many responsibilities in the Alumni Office is to direct the enthusiastic group of students who comprise the Washington College Fund Phonathon team. "Phonathon conversations between students and alumni are the best way we know to get alumni to support the annual fund," explains Grafton. "Many alumni appreciate being introduced over the phone to the undergraduates who benefit from their support."
Those who do not want to be called are advised to make their gift early in the fiscal year or to contact the alumni office to request removal from the phonathon list. This year the College is offering an 18-month wall calendar, Travel Through Time, for all gifts received before January 2001. The calendar is illustrated with historic photos and events excerpted from the recently published book, Washington: The College at Chester.
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