Students who work as callers in Meredith’s Phonathon play important roles in raising money for The Meredith Fund.
Click on each student’s name to learn more about seniors Margo Alfieri, Jasmine Broadnax, Ellen Frazier
and Nataleigh Timberlake, who are serving as The Meredith Fund Phonathon student supervisors.
The Meredith Fund would like to thank you – the faculty and staff – for your hard work and loyal support of our encouraging community. Without you, these students would not have the memorable experiences that they enjoy while at Meredith. If you would like to have a student call you, please contact Brandon Stokes, Meredith Fund Program Coordinator, at 760-8041 or by email at stokeske@meredith.edu.
Margo Alfieri
Class of 2011
Major: Interpersonal Communication
Minor: Human Resource Management
Hometown: Salisbury, NC
What has been your favorite call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
I Just last week I spoke with a woman who graduated in the 60s. She explained to me how she studied education at Meredith College and had a wonderful experience throughout her college career. Following graduation, this alum had a big ambition which was to give African-American children the opportunity to obtain an education. She wrote a special kindergarten curriculum for students in a county in North Carolina and had to persuade the superintendent to allow the program. Needless to say, her efforts were very successful and she taught kindergarten for many years! She gave credit to Meredith College for preparing her to overcome obstacles in life. Towards the end of our conversation, she told me that I could do anything in the world if I put my mind to it. Speaking with this alum was very inspiring and made me reflect on what I will do to make a mark in the future!
What has been your most challenging call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
Last year I spoke with an alumna who was disappointed with some of the decisions Meredith College has made. As a result, she refused to give to The Meredith Fund because she believes we have strayed too far from our original beliefs. It was upsetting for me to hear that a past student was unhappy with her alma mater. At this point, I turned the conversation around and emphasized all of the wonderful things our college is doing and how we still practice many of the traditions Meredith is known for. I also explained how I can’t think of many, if any, schools who move forward with society and continue to value their original foundation the way Meredith College has. By explaining these concepts to her, she gained a better understanding of why change is necessary and how Meredith will continue to cherish the things most important. In the end, the call turned into a great discussion and the alumna decided to make a gift to The Meredith Fund.
Why did you decide to apply and interview to become a student caller?
When the position opened up, I was eager to apply because my brother and sister both worked for the Phonathon at their college. They always enjoyed speaking with alums, and I wanted to have a similar experience. Making the connection between alums and current students is a unique and important process in keeping the college’s support system strong. As a communication major, I was confident I would be able to do just that. By calling alumnae, I would be helping them stay connected to the Meredith Community.
Jasmine Broadnax
Class of 2011
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Durham, NC
What has been your favorite call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
It’s really hard to choose one call but the calls that I love the most are the ones that haven't donated before to The Meredith Fund and choose to do so for the first time.
What has been your most challenging call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
The most challenging call I had since I've been with the Phonathon has to be a called I had with a parent, while we were calling for The Parents’ Fund. The mother did not speak English and my Spanish skills were kind of rusty, but I told her about The Parents’ Fund to the best of my ability in Spanish and she gave for the first time to the fund.
Why did you decide to apply and interview to become a student caller?
I became a student caller because I really thought it would be exciting to get a chance to talk to Meredith alums and hear about their experiences at Meredith. I also knew that The Meredith Fund helps with student scholarships and I felt that working for Phonathon would help other girls attend such a wonderful school and have the experiences that I had.
Ellen Frazier
Class of 2011
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Cary, NC
What has been your favorite call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
My favorite call was with a Meredith alumna who I knew before coming to Meredith. I met her while I was in high school and have not had the chance to speak with her much since coming to college. Being able to talk with her again about Meredith as a senior year really was such a treat! She was just as encouraging as she had been four years ago when I made the decision to come to Meredith.
What has been your most challenging call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
One of the most challenging calls I have had to deal with was in the aftermath of the student decision of the main performer for Sizzlin’ September. She was very upset by the student decision and the school’s decision to move forward with it. It was not a challenge to understand where she was coming from, but rather to help her understand that this one decision did not reflect the Meredith student body as a whole and to encourage her to continue to support the college in the future.
Why did you decide to apply and interview to become a student caller?
A good friend of mine encouraged me to apply to be a student caller during my sophomore year. The opportunity to be in direct communication with Meredith Alumnae on a regular basis was one that I felt was too good to pass up. The Meredith community extends well past your four years as a student and this experience as a student caller has helped me already be more aware of what my Meredith future holds.
Nataleigh Timberlake
Class of 2011
Major: English
Minor: Professional Writing and Presentation Media
Hometown: Zebulon, NC
What has been your favorite call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
My favorite call was made earlier this semester, when I called an alum from 1947. She lived through the war, got married, taught school, had a family, and was very successful in her time, and was an absolute pleasure to talk to. She's lived in several parts of the state, being a military wife, and she has actually lived in my boyfriend's hometown for a while, so we talked about that for a long time.
What has been your most challenging call since you’ve been with the Phonathon?
I always find the calls where the alum has recently passed away or is very sick to be the hardest calls. It's always a challenge to speak with a family member that's grieving their loss, while also trying to speak on behalf of The Meredith Fund.
Why did you decide to apply and interview to become a student caller?
I decided to interview and become a student caller because I have a friend who did this at Meredith for four years while she was a student and loved it, and she recommended it to me as well. I love my job because we get to talk to a variety of people, and really learn a lot about the history of the college, as well as take some very helpful advice from women who have gone before us.
In this Issue:
Open Enrollment for Benefits Underway
Web Improvements Support College Goals
Meet the Student Phonathon Supervisors
Successful Senior Visitation Day Held
Veterans Day Recognition for Faculty/Staff
From the President’s Desk
Faculty/Staff Accomplishments
Upcoming Events
News Briefs
Have you presented research or attended a professional meeting recently? Has your department earned an award? Share news of these accomplishments and more with the Meredith community. Faculty and staff are invited to email items to Melyssa Allen, “Campus Connections” editor, at allenme@meredith.edu.