Logging about 40 hours of research each week during their summer break hasn’t stopped a group of Harvey Mudd College students from getting in some chat time on the phone—with alumni, that is.

This summer’s group of Phonathon callers are working hard to reach out to alumni in an effort to increase giving participation and bring the HMC Annual Fund to an all-time record high of $1.4 million.

Alumni participation boosts the rankings that many top-notch prospective students rely upon when considering where to go for college. It also helps HMC with granting institutions, which can make a world of difference for students in regard to support for building renovations, modern equipment and scholarships.

“Originally, I thought it would be very awkward for me to call strangers and ask for money,” says joint chemistry-biology major Ginna Kim ’09, a Phonathon manager who has been a caller for the last three years. “But from the first day, it wasn’t bad. Although, I may never meet the people I’m calling, they’re not strangers because we’re all part of the Mudd family.”

Phonathon, the backbone of the Development Office’s Annual Fund programming, has created a name for itself as a unified fundraising organization outfitted with a new space that the callers decorated themselves.

In addition to bringing in support for the Annual Fund, Phonathon also builds participation for HMC’s Alumni Fundd, and, together with leadership of the senior class, is integral to the success of the annual senior gift. 

Starting with the Class of 2007, the senior class gift is organized by leaders of the Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College and senior class phonathon managers to encourage graduating classes to collectively raise funds towards a class endowed scholarship program.

“I’m just happy to be helping the school,” says caller Audrey Lawrence '11, a computer science major whose summer project implements algorithms to identify sketches drawn on tablet computers—a project that potentially could help improve the military’s sketch program.

While Phonathon duties plus research make for some pretty long workdays during the week, the callers find meaning in it all.

“It makes me appreciate how many alumni support the school and still care about it years after their graduation,” says Lawrence.

“I like talking to alums who share anecdotes or advice about life post Mudd,” adds Kim, who is working at City of Hope this summer on a project looking at how bisphenol-A, vinclozolin and DEHP—compounds known to have adverse affects in humans—affect the grandchildren of pregnant mice exposed to them. “It’s comforting to hear that life gets easier after HMC. Plus, I know how much it costs to run this school, which makes me have a greater appreciation for my Mudd education.”

The fiscal year comes to a close June 30, 2008, but there’s still time to make a gift to the Annual Fund. Remember, every little bit counts!