News

An Evening on the Phone

by Heather Herschberger C'07

Hi, this is Heather Herschberger. I'm calling from Bethel University. Do you have a few minutes to speak with me tonight?

I have my script memorized, and I should—I repeat it anywhere from 50 to 100 times a week. The Bethel phonathon is sweeping the country, impacting current Bethel students and alumni alike.

Some would label us telemarketers, but we prefer to think of ourselves as an essential part of the Bethel University development office, furthering the kingdom one pledge at a time. We serve other purposes as well, such as updating alumni records.

Is there anything you'd like me to update in your records? Any marriages, new babies, job changes, or further education? And, at the end of each call, We like to pray for all our alumni; is there anything in particular I can lift up for you?

But most of our time spent on the phone is doing the necessary—asking for money.

Now that we have your records updated, I do want to tell you a little bit about the Bethel Fund and our alumni participation rate. The alumni participation rate directly affects the amount of money granting agencies give to Bethel, and it is our job to make sure the rate keeps rising.

At first I was surprised at the number of alumni who actually give to the Bethel Fund. But the more I talk with former students, the more I come to realize the impact Bethel has had on so many lives. Many give a dollar, asking us to pray that they find a job or that they will not be laid off, and thanking us for our prayers. Others are able to give in increasingly larger amounts, making up for those who are unable or choose not to give. They pledge willingly. Sometimes those who have never given surprise a student caller with a gift above our usual $120 ask amount. Bethel is not merely a school; to many people it is an extended family. And so they give, according to their means.

My nights at the Bethel phonathon have put me in contact with many wonderful alumni. The phonathon has reinforced my belief that Bethel is the place for me—a place filled with friends and loved ones welcoming me to share the joys of life with them.