Volume 24 · Number 3 · Spring 2007
Connections
Tales from the Annual Fund Call Center
Student callers sometimes make unexpected connections.
Student callers for the UC Davis Annual Fund can all tell stories of illuminating moments they’ve shared with the people they call.
They never know what to expect when they dial a number, but they know that the call will be a two-way exchange. It’s an opportunity for alumni, parents and friends to reconnect and support the campus through their gift, and for students to learn what UC Davis means to the people they call.
When the students first begin as Annual Fund callers, they can be nervous about asking alumni, parents and other friends of the campus for gifts. Eventually they become more relaxed when they realize that the people they call share their same passion for UC Davis.
“I found it to be intimidating to make those first few calls,” says Anne Tran, who began as a student caller this past fall. She became comfortable after she called a woman in Florida who was happy to reconnect to
the campus through Tran by chatting with her and making a gift.
“That call taught me that simply being a UC Davis student linked me to such an array of people,” says Tran.
Here are some of our favorite stories, provided by our student callers, of unexpected connections and inspirational moments.
Inspiration from an alumna
Connie Bi ‘09
Sociology/Asian American Studies
First year as a student caller
I had the pleasure of speaking to an alumna who described the incredible experience she had attending UC Davis, from the sisterly love she received in her sorority to the eye-opening experience she had studying in another country. While speaking to her, I realized just how student-oriented UC Davis actually is.
That alumna inspired me to stop putting off my study abroad plans. Now I’m going to Spain for spring quarter, and then I’m off to England for summer study abroad!
Do you love Mollusca?
David Rehman ‘06
Biological Sciences/Music
1.5 years as student caller
One quarter when I was taking a class in marine biology, I found myself wondering when I would have time to study. Meanwhile, I got an alumnus on the phone who had completed an M.S. and a Ph.D. in ecology at UC Davis. Living in Massachusetts now, he told me how the wildlife on the coasts of that state were endangered by the effects of global warming.
I asked him if he knew much about animal phylogeny, and he said he was an expert. I told him I had an exam soon on this material, and he offered to test me on phylum Mollusca, a huge group of marine animals that includes squids, mussels and land animals like snails. He not only helped me remember the names of the organisms but also gave me an in-depth lecture of where each organism could be found on the East Coast!
Learning what it means to give
Lily Tavassoli ‘09
Environmental policy
analysis and planning
1 year as a student caller
Several months ago I was speaking to one of our Davis Chancellor’s Club members, an alumnus who gave $2,000 yearly. He was an elderly man who was retired but cared deeply about UC Davis and wanted to stay involved through our giving programs. After a nice conversation with him about his experiences here at Davis, I invited him to join the Fellow’s level with a gift of $8,000. I was very surprised when, matter-of-factly, he agreed to the very charitable gift.
Even though he had graduated from UC Davis years earlier, his memories of his own experience and his desire to help our current students inspired him to give an extremely generous gift to the Annual Fund. His kindness was touching and showed me how much alums care about our wonderful school!
Having a cow
James Webb ‘07
Genetics
1 year as a student caller,
1 as a supervisor
I had a great conversation with an alumna who shared her experiences of working and living in a livestock barn during her studies at UC Davis. She shared with me a story of one particular night—which unfortunately happened to occur during finals week—where she delivered a baby cow.
She was the only person in the barn that night and therefore had to leave her chemistry studying behind to assist the cow. She held nothing back in her explanation of the birthing process and went into great detail of the intricacies involved. Thanks to what I learned from this memorable alumna, I feel certain that, if I had to, I could successfully deliver a baby cow.