For a few months out of every year, the ETSU Phone-a-thon Center in the D.P. Culp Center is transformed into a bustling call floor. The Office of University Advancement uses the center to house one of the largest fundraisers for ETSU, the Phone-a-thon. By day the space is coordinated with Disability Services to be used as a study room and by night students use the room to raise funds.
During the Phone-a-thon, students contact alumni and ask them to give back to their alma mater. In the past, alumni who were chosen as contacts for the Phone-a-thon were those who had donated to the university before. This year, however, is a little different. “This is the first year in many years that we are calling non-donors as well as donors,” said Tisha Harrison, director of University Advancement and the head of the Phone-a-thon. This brings the total to 70,000 alumni from all colleges within the university.
But it isn’t just about raising funds for the scholarships and programs. This is also an opportunity for current students. “[The Phone-a-thon] gives students calling a place to work on campus,” Harrison said, “and have a flexible schedule, as well as offers a time to network with our alumni.”
Amanda Linek, a 19-year-old freshman, said she’s enjoyed her time with the Phone-a-thon. “I have tremendously enjoyed working the Phone-a-thon because of my fellow employees,” Linek said. “It’s a fairly easy job with not a lot of hours that fits nicely into a full-time student’s schedule.”
The schedule for the 18 students that are currently employed with the Phone-a-thon is three hours a night, at least three nights a week, from Monday to Thursday. “We try to provide [student workers] with support, and incentives to keep them interested,” Harrison said. “It’s hard to call people who haven’t given and not get discouraged.”
But when they look at the numbers, students shouldn’t be too discouraged. “Right now,” Harrison said, “we’re averaging 20 percent of our calls that are non-donors who are now giving.”
Students at the Phone-a-thon are also allowed to look at their own numbers to see just how much they are raising for ETSU. “We’re keeping track of the dollars students are raising so they can use the information in their rsums,” Harrison said.
Raising funds for the university not only looks good on a rsum, she said, but allows students to make contacts in the business world through other ETSU alumni.
Since students who work with the Phone-a-thon are raising money for scholarships and programs, they are also helping to better the opportunities they have while still attending ETSU. The alumni’s donations are allocated wherever they designate their gift. “Every gift makes a difference,” Harrison said. “It all adds up.”
Totals for this semester are still adding up due to the influx of pledges from mail-outs. When students are unable to reach alumni by phone, they leave a message and mail out a pledge card and thank you note. Pledges will still be arriving even after the students are done calling for the semester.
“It is estimated this year the group will raise in excess of $75,000,” Harrison said.
This semester, the phoning began Sept. 26 and will run until Dec. 1. Next semester students will be on the phones again on Jan. 30 and go through to sometime in mid-April.
“[Since we are] calling non-donors, we are extending [the Phone-a-thon] to next semester,” Harrison said, “and we have eight to 10 positions we are going to add.”
Students interested in opportunities with the Phone-a-thon should contact Tisha Harrison anytime between now and the first week of spring semester. “We want students that are confident, reliable and realize that this is a truly important position for the university,” Harrison said.
Her office is located in University Advancement, Room 302 in Burgin E. Dosset Hall. You may also reach her at harristc@etsu.edu or 439-4242.

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