Bethel College's Phonathon
How students can help raise money for Bethel College.
A small community can have an impact on those who live there. Oftentimes, those who lived in communities for so long love to give back to their communities. At Bethel College, there is a fundraiser called “Phonathon.” Phonathon is one of Bethel’s many annual fundraisers. During Phonathon, students are encouraged to call the alumni and ask them to donate towards the Bethel College fund. This includes signing up for a 3 hour shift where students will be trained and then put in front of a phone to call as many Alumni as they can.
Our alumni span across the entire country. This fund is used for scholarships, academic programs and student life. Josiah Buller, a sophmore, states that, “This aims to connect students to our broader Bethel community” This fundraiser is one of the many examples of how small communities can span out farther than you could imagine. Bethel College’s alumni and community alike love supporting the college and their efforts. Phonathon shows that love and dedication tenfold.
Students are paid $10 an hour for their efforts but some sports teams also do it to put money in their own accounts. Some students enjoy calling and catching up with members of the Bethel College community. Kaleb Scripsick, another sophomore that has participated in Phonathon states, “It was a really cool experience and it was also a whole lot of voicemails.” He also states “When someone did answer most of the time they would ask me questions about myself and my relation with the college. I had multiple people ask where I was from, what brought me to Bethel, and asked me how it was going so far.” Finally, Scripsick says, “I would definitely encourage more students to sign up and do it. I went in not really knowing what it would be like but I left happy with the connections I made.”
Finally, students that make good interactions on calls can write that person can write them a little postcard to reinforce that interaction. Students can still sign up and make an impact this semester so that Bethel can reach its financial goals.