Articles:
Tech Spirit
Roll Call
Tech Spirit
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When it comes to giving back, Georgia Tech clubs make all the difference in keeping alumni in touch with the needs of students and the Institute.
Most of the 75 Georgia Tech clubs around the country sponsor local students with scholarships and the regions with Georgia Tech clubs have a higher percentage of contributing to Roll Call than other areas, said Jeff Colburn, director of alumni relations for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.
"The clubs and their members can get behind scholarships because they can see the results, but this year they have really become more involved in Roll Call," Colburn said, adding that more than 91 percent of club officers gave to the campaign and 86 percent of the clubs reached their goal of increasing participation by 1 percent during the 57th drive.
Clubs provide alumni near and far the opportunity to stay connected to Tech through student recruiting, camaraderie of club events and opportunities provided by networking with other alumni, Colburn said.
Jane Stoner, associate director of clubs, said the individual goals of each club give members some ownership to how they give back to Tech.
"The success of each club is entirely dependent on the leadership in that area. Without dedicated alumni volunteers in each community, our clubs would not be as successful as they are. This speaks to the desire to be connected to Tech and they are the driving force behind what we do," Stoner said. "We help them coordinate their efforts, but it is up to them to choose how they want to be involved."
For information on clubs, contact Jane Stoner at (404) 385-2216 or jane.stoner@alumni.gatech.edu.
Roll Call
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Outstanding alumni support was the hallmark of the 57th Roll Call, which experienced a dramatic increase in the number of donors giving back to Georgia Tech.
With more than 1,200 new donors making pledges in 2003-04, the total number of alumni participating in Roll Call was 27,973 exceeding the yearly goal by 6.3 percent and raising a total of $7,510,289, said Jim Shea, vice president for Annual Giving and Business Development for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.
"We are seeing the Alumni Association engaging more people and providing great programs and opportunities for our alumni to become involved. As people do that, they see the benefits of remaining involved in Georgia Tech and they see the needs and they want to give back," Shea said. "Tech Topics and the Alumni Magazine, Buzz Bash, clubs, our fantastic online presence through the Alumni Association Web site — these are ways we allow people to engage with us and that draws them closer to the Institute.
"Once alumni start learning more about the benefits offered by the Alumni Association and become more engaged with the Institute, they see what the needs are and what their contributions mean to the students and to the Institute and they want to help out. We are expanding our base of donors and that speaks well for the future of Georgia Tech," he said.
The achievements of the phonathon and clubs programs have been a factor in the overall success of the 57th Roll Call. The phonathon program raised nearly $1.5 million in 2003-04 from 13,207 donors.
Another way for alumni to maintain their Tech ties is through the 75 clubs located around the country. Each club raises money for scholarships to send local students to Tech, and they encourage member support of Roll Call.
Increasing the number of donors means more than monetary benefit for the Institute and for alumni, said Janice Wittschiebe, Arch 78, M Arch 80, vice chairman for the 57th Roll Call.
"A broader base of donors means that we can expect more consistent support over time. We have the highest percentage of alumni givers of any public university in the country," Wittschiebe said.
"A larger number of donors reflects alumni satisfaction and that helps the Institute with national rankings, which adds to the value of our alumni’s degrees."
©2004 Georgia Tech Alumni Association