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Phonathon


The Phonathon program is comprised of paid student callers who reach out to loyal Eastern alumni, engaged parents and supportive friends to speak with them about current events on campus, student experiences, and ways that you can influence the growth of the University. They raise critical funds for various on-campus initiatives including scholarships, Parents Fund, emergency funds and general unrestricted annual support.

These amazing students complete more than 75,000 phone calls each year raising over $70,000.00 in gifts and pledges. Please take a minute to speak with our students when they call. A robust Annual Fund helps to keep tuition fees in check and is what drives the alumni participation rate that is a factor with US News & World Report rankings of colleges and universities.


Phonathon FAQs

  • Our program has recently moved to a house on campus. Twelve callers work each shift with their supervisor, Maggie Gibeault. These engaging students make a competitive hourly rate and have the opportunity to earn incentives each night and pay increases for each semester they return. There is also the ever-so-important snack break and team-building game during each shift.

  • Maggie, a 2012 graduate with a Communication degree, manages each call shift. During the day Maggie works in the Office of Institutional Advancement as the Assistant Director of Annual Fund and Advancement Services and overseas the Phonathon program during calling hours.

  • Each academic year we call during the fall semester from the middle of September to the beginning of December, and in the spring from early February to late April. We call Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. We run two shifts on Wednesday; 9 A.M. until 12 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. We also call on Sundays from 3 P.M. until 6 P.M.

  • Each semester the Office of Institutional Advancement hires callers through Eastern's Student Employment website. You must be eligible to work three call sessions a week. The ideal phonathon caller is engaged in the university, an attentive listener, an amazing communicator and an ambassador for Eastern.

    • They believe in Eastern's future and want the University to continue to transform the lives of future graduates
    • They believe in a particular academic department or have an affinity for athletics, fine arts, research, etc.
    • They want to invest in their own degree and by doing so they are endorsing the quality education they received at Eastern
    • They feel indebted, especially alumni who received scholarships while they were students at Eastern, helping provide similar opportunities to others

  • Our calling system does not accept incoming calls but will automatically put you back in the calling queue for another day if you're not available to take our call. If you prefer not to speak to a student caller please let us know at gibeaultm@easternct.edu. You can always give online if you prefer.

  • Yes. Our callers process your credit card live, over the phone. You will receive an email confirmation of your gift within the next couple days and an official tax receipt in the mail. The reason we place gifts on credit cards is because it helps maximize your gift! By placing your gift on a credit card, it helps to cut down on the administrative and processing costs of sending you a pledge packet that would include the envelope, letter, return envelope, and postage.