Can we talk? Students Connect with Alumni for Westminster Fund

The Westminster Phonathon Team. Front row, Ayush Manandhar, Ashlee Hernandez, Kunzes Dumbang, Binju Gaire, Grant Peterson, Ahmed Baqai. Back row,  Matt McCormack, Alec Vinson.

The next time your phone rings, it might be Maya. She’s a Westminster cheerleader and preparing for a summer study abroad trip to Argentina. Or it might be Grant. Ask him what it was like to be part of Westminster Blue Jays soccer this past fall when the varsity team went to the NCAA Sweet 16 competition.

Whether it’s Maya or Grant, or one of the other Westminster students who is a Westminster Fund caller, the phone call might be one of the most interesting conversations you can imagine.

For eight weeks each semester, dedicated Westminster students call alumni to share news about the College, find out what our alumni have been up to, and to talk about the Westminster Fund. Each caller has a true love for Westminster, a compelling personal story, and a sincere desire to get to know you and your memories of your time at the College.

“I absolutely love being a student here, and I love being a phonathon caller for the Westminster Fund,” says Maya Sosa, Class of 2016, from St. Louis. “It allows me to share my love for the College while hearing other people’s Westminster stories. It’s an amazing feeling to hear from so many people why they love Westminster.

Just a few minutes with these people on the phone reminds me that Westminster is something that stays with you for life, and I’m so lucky to be a part of this community.”

Phonathon student callers are from as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal, and as near as St. Louis, MO. They represent diverse majors and interests with a shared common theme: they love Westminster College and they love talking to Westminster alums.

The phonathon offers students a unique real-life career experience. They help to set goals, train new callers, recommend process improvements, and function as true members of the Institutional Advancement team.  They understand and appreciate the generosity of alumni and the impact their support makes on campus every day.  Student callers also become dedicated alumni themselves with a passion to give back when it is their turn.

The next time Westminster calls – please answer. Share your story, and meet one of the interesting Westminster students who are carrying on the Westminster legacy you share.

“Westminster is just an amazing place to learn and to grow into a leader in the global community,” says Ayush Manandhar, ’17, from Nepal. “I am proud to be a phonathon caller and really enjoy talking with alumni, hearing stories about their time on campus, and sharing the importance of the Westminster Fund and how it supports the College every day.”

Meet Westminster Fund Phonathon Student Callers

Ahmed Baqai is a freshman from Saudi Arabia and has studied and traveled all over the world.  He is on the junior varsity soccer team and enjoys breakdancing as one of his many activities.

Kunzes Dumbang is from India and enjoys singing, dancing, and working with Habitat for Humanity.

Ashley Flood is a sophomore from Arbuckle, California and is on the women’s softball team and is active in Greek life.

Binju Gaire is a sophomore from Nepal and is a peer health educator, a marketing intern with an insurance company, and loves to play tennis.

Ashlee Hernandez is a sophomore from Joplin, MO and is majoring in Biology – and is a certified scuba diver.

Ayush Manandhar is a freshman from Kathmandu, Nepal.  He is an international business major and hopes to give back to Westminster throughout his life.

Matt McCormack is a sophomore from St. Louis, MO and is active in Phi Delta Theta and works with the service corps on community assistance projects.

Grant Peterson is a freshman from Chillicothe, MO and plays on the junior varsity soccer team and the tennis team.

Maya Sosa is a sophomore from St. Louis, MO who is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, a cheerleader, and plans to go on a Westminster study trip to Argentina this summer.

Alec Vinson is a sophomore from St. Louis, MO and is active in Sigma Alpha Epsilon and enjoys all kinds of sports, especially baseball.

Illiana Zamora is from Dallas, Texas and is active in the chemistry club.  She would like to pursue telemarketing in her future career path.