The annual student phonathon concluded its nine-day run last night, failing to make its half-a-million-dollar goal, but earning more pledge donations than was expected after the drive's slow start.
Over 300 student volunteers solicited $454,665 in donations from 3,970 donors -- numbers higher than anyone anticipated after an opening four days of poor attendance, which translated into lower than targeted donation amounts.
"After the first week of the phonathon I started thinking we might come in at about $350,000 ... this is an outstanding total," Assistant Alumni Fund Director Christopher Boffoli said. "The first couple of slow nights hurt us."
Scot Berg '99, one of the four senior interns to the alumni fund who organized the phonathon, said the mood in the last few nights was more uplifting than what was described last week as "disappointing."
"We're really excited," Berg said. "The participation through the second half was just fantastic."
However Boffoli added there was still some negative thoughts lingering. "We're obviously disappointed not to meet the goal after working this hard."
This is the second year in a row the phonathon has not met its target, after breaking records for total pledges in 1997 when the phonathon raised over $568,000 from over 5,500 alumni.
However, this year's drive raised slightly more in donations per alum than the 1997 drive.
Berg and Boffoli attribute the comeback success of this year's drive to the increased student volunteer participation.
"It's about momentum, and in the last part of the program Dartmouth kids responded to their friends and when word got out that Dartmouth students benefited, people came out," Berg said.
Boffoli and the interns increased advertising and communication with campus groups after last weekend in an attempt to increase the program's publicity and exposure.
The proceeds raised from the phonathon go towards many departments at the College including financial aid, student programming and professors' salaries.
Berg said Greek houses once again played their traditionally pivotal role in supplying callers for the drive.
"The real core of our support comes from the Greek houses and they seem to be the most loyal students on campus," Berg said. "Second to Greek houses, the freshmen are always a loyal bunch."
Boffoli said he expects the Greencorps, the Alumni Fund's paid callers, to make up the additional $50,000 the phonathon came up short.
Berg said he and the other student interns, Debbie Bender '99, Paul Killebrew '99 and Farrah Russell '99, are pleased with the outcome of their project and have not regretted the major personal investment.
"There was a real challenge over nine days -- a lot of time and energy was spent, but to achieve such a tangible result was very fulfilling."
Berg said he expects the top prize drawings, including free airline tickets, a VCR and a video game entertainment system, to be conducted by the end of next week.
