10.12.05

From left, Lyn and Neely Gaston, Jane Holladay and Wes McAllister.

Alumni Board welcomes class representatives

The Erskine Alumni Board challenged class representatives Saturday to take an active role in raising $575,000 in unrestricted funds during 2005-06, part of a larger Annual Fund goal of $1.75 million.

Annual Fund co-chairmen for 2005-06 are Leonard Price '66 and Linda Price '68 of Greenville.

Some 15 alumni representing their class years, along with Alumni Board members, attended a meeting in the Galloway Center's Hall of Fame lobby and heard remarks from President Wes McAllister of Mount Carmel as well as Annual Fund and Alumni Affairs Director Ralph Patterson and Executive Vice President Neely Gaston.

"I call it 'light bill money,'" McAllister said, stressing the significance of unrestricted funds for Erskine's day-to-day operations.

McAllister urged class representatives and Alumni Board members to foster face-to-face contact with alumni who need encouragement to give to Erskine's Annual Fund. "The electronic age is a wonderful thing, but the personal request is still so important," he said.

"I know they would rather hear from you than from me," Patterson told the representatives.

Class representatives, formerly known as class agents, help strengthen Erskine's relationship with alumni by serving as ambassadors for their respective classes and liaisons between their alma mater and their communities.

In addition to personal appeals, such contact methods as phonathons, direct mail, reunions, chapter meetings and e-mail solicitation were noted as ways to increase the number of Annual Fund donors. A plan to send out letters from class representatives was also discussed.

The Alumni Board would like to see some competition among classes to increase giving percentages, McAllister said. "The classes are going to make the difference here."

Patterson noted that an increase in class giving percentages would lead to an overall increase in alumni giving percentages, a key element in how the institution is perceived by foundations with money to contribute to higher education.

"If we can get these percentages up it can help us get grant money that will quadruple what you're doing," Gaston said.

"Any gift is appreciated — $25 still counts," Patterson said. "If foundations see those giving percentages going up, that will be good for Erskine."

Erskine Board of Trustees Chairman John Moore has established a "Leadership Challenge," seeking 100 percent participation in the Annual Fund, and Patterson noted the importance of strong giving by leadership boards.

Last year's contribution of some $380,000 in unrestricted funds must be increased by nearly $200,000 to meet this year's goal of $575,000.

"We have a couple of donors who are willing to put up match gifts to go into the Annual Fund that will make that goal more attainable," Gaston said.

Unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund are donations that are not designated for a particular project, but go directly toward student support. "A good bit of our scholarship money comes from the Annual Fund," Patterson said.

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