There are always great questions… here are some terrific answers.
1-What do we get if we win?
The winning classes (in each category) will have their picture included in the Fall or Spring Cal Maritime Magazine and on the Alumni Website; will receive the honorary trophy in each category during Homecoming Dinner; be the 1st classes to be included via a plaque in their name on our Wall of Supporters at the Academy.
2-How can the contest be “fair” if some classes are much larger than others?
Awards will be given in the following categories:
1. Best Percentage of Donors- which might favor the smaller classes,
2. Most Money Donated– which could benefit either large or small classes,
3. Most Improved Participation-which can favor the larger more recent graduates or class that donates the most money.
3-I want my class to win. How do I get a list of those who have donated so far and contact information for the rest?
Call or email Silvia Regalado, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, in the Alumni Office at (707) 654-1299 or sregalado@csum.edu. She can send you a list via snail or email. NOTE: The list will only be provided to class representatives from the same class and information about amount of previous contributions WILL NOT be disclosed to anyone. We can provide you with an overall amount raised by your class.
4-How long will the Class Challenge last?
The challenge will run from now through the end of the Academy’s fiscal year on June 30th, 2009 and then start again in the fall for the following year.
5-Our class is finding a lot of new contact information for alumni who the Academy considers ‘lost.’ What shall we do with the information?
Send all the new information to Silvia Regalado, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, in the Alumni Office at sregalado@csum.edu and she will update the master list.
6-What does the Academy do with the funds raised in the Annual Fund?
Funds donated to the Annual Fund benefit every part of Academy life, from scholarships to athletics to cruise. The funds are used where the President considers them most needed.
7-My class would like to have our money go to a special project. Can we designate our gifts?
Yes, absolutely. Classes often ask us to use their gifts for a purpose that is of special importance to them. For instance, some classes have created scholarship endowments with gifts of $25,000 or more, some have donated to building projects on campus. If you think your class would like to designate their gift, call Silvia Regalado, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, in the Alumni Office at (707) 654-1299 and review your plans with her.
8-Give to the Academy but am not sure that my classmates will. Do you have any ‘helpful hints’ for me?
There are 3 things you need to focus on to be successful.
1. Recruit a team of men and women from your class to work with you. Do not try to do the work by yourself.
2. Start by talking with the people you consider to be the most likely to give, and save the ‘hard cases’ for the end.
3. When you talk with new potential donors, remind them of the names of all the folks who given already. People like to know that others are giving and that the effort will be successful.
There will be times when your work gets stalled and you can’t think of what to do next. Call Silvia Regalado, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, in the Alumni Office at (707) 654-1299. She will have lots of good advice and may be able to connect you with other classes that overcame the same problems.
Is your question not covered above? Call or email Silvia Regalado, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, in the Alumni Office at (707) 654-1299 or sregalado@csum.edu.