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Show u N I I T y G~nerosity a hallmark of SUU's Phonathon By PHIL CHIDESTER FOR THE JOURNAL It wasn 'c the affirmative response that got Kyle Ayrton 's heart race jumping . This wasn't his first "yes," after all. He'd received lots of chem. In face , the institution 's alumni were already proving themselves to be remarkably generous co the cause of student scholarships at SUU-and this was just the first week of che 1998 Phonathon. No, it wasn 't the response chat lit up the Phonathon headquarters, located in the basement of the). Reuben Clark, Jr. Alumni House, with a burst of excitement on a calm even ing in early November'. Jc was, instead, the long string of zeroes on the end of the number he was hearing that thrilled chis sophomore cdminal justice major from Morgan , Utah. "It's a great job," Ayrton said of his part in the university's annual Phonathon effort. "There's about a dozen of us on the phones. We call up alumni of the university, we inform them about what's happening on campus, and then we tell them about [SUUJ President [Steven 0 .) Bennion's goal .of raising $100,000 from the alumni for student scholarships at the university. "We emphasize that we're looking for one hundred percent participation from the alumni, and we us ually get a pledge from everyone, " he added. "People really understand the need for scholarships -at the university, and they've been very supportive." But even the early success of the program couldn't prepare Ayrton for the biggest single call to date of the 1998 Phonathon . "I was talking to an o lder, retired gentleman, and he mentioned that he'd donated through the Phonathon in the past, but that he was actuaJly looking at pledging something different this year," Ayrton said. "He told me that he had a couple of ranches, and that he was . thinking about donating one of them to the university to help the students here." The student caller was shocked, to say the least, at the remarkable offer. "I told him that I wasn't sure if we could take that kind of gift, hut that I'd find out what l could and-call him right back," Ayrton said of the donor, who has asked co remain anonymous. VaLynne Nicholes, director of annual giving at the university and Ayrton's s upervisor at t he Phonachon , quickly returned the call to the donor and put him in touch with the Development Office, which is working co finalize arrangements on the gift of the ranch. According co Nicholes, while such a large and unexpected gift is a rarity during the institution's annual telephone campaign for scho larship resources, it does represent the same kind of commitment and generosity that typifies chose who suppo rt the quest for learning at Southern Utah University. "We're extremely grateful, in particular, to our faculty and staff," she said. "We're pleased with the response we've received from them, and we're deeply grateful for their generosity. "And we had a great response from our alumni as well, even before we began calling," she added. "We contacted the alumni, along with our faculty and staff, through a letter a few weeks before we began to call-and we had a tremendous response from the mailer alone." The ranch owner's pledge has also highlighted what has been a significant increase in hoth the numher and size of gifts to the annual fundraising push, Nicholes noted. "Those making pledges this year are at least doubling their pledges from previous years, and in some cases the gifts arc three or four times as large," she said. "Our gifts from first-lime donors arc up as well. There just seems to be a lot of enthusiasm and support out there for the university." "We think it might tum out co he a million-9ollar gift," said Gayton Frehner, director 9f development, of the pledge from Airton 's new-found friend . "When you make a call, you never really know what's going to happen. " The 1998 Phonathon wiJI continue through the end of the year. Those who would like co participate may contact Nicholes at 586-7776. SUU President Steven D. Bennion has set a goal of raising $100,000 this year from the alumni for student scholarships at the university. .· \ |