By Daniel Rothberg

In an effort to raise money for Annual Giving, approximately 20 student volunteers made more than 300 phone calls to alumni at a phonathon on Feb. 3.

“The students called alumni who typically make their gift to the school by this time in the year as a reminder, and also made thank you calls to alumni who have made their gifts already,” Associate Director of Alumni Relations Susan Leher Beeson ’96 said.

Before the phonathon, the volunteers attended a training dinner in the student lounge. In addition to the Advancement Office staff, Casey Federman ’91 and Marcia Bryant Osborne ’92 helped train volunteers and answer their questions.

“[The alumni] always ask really great questions about what’s happening now,” Beeson said. “Occasionally, they will tell a funny slash embarrassing story about when they were kids. It’s always fun.”

The student volunteers, all members of the Harvard-Westlake Student Alumni Association, made calls in the deans’ offices and in the Math Department office.

“It’s a really fun event and I encourage all students to sign up for it,” Beeson said.

Students can sign up for similar events by speaking with Beeson. The next student phonathon will be held on April 26 and 27.