Alumni phone calls

I just got the first phone call I've gotten from my university since graduating. They were, of course, asking for money, but the girl who called me was also asking advice since my degree situation was similar to hers.

I should have told her that she was crazy for getting her degree in communications with a minor in history, but since I got my degree in sociology with a minor in communications, I thought it might be a little hypocritical.

One question she did ask was if I recommended grad school. I didn't know how to answer the question because I'm really torn on going back to school myself, but I told her that I really thought that it was better to go back to get a masters after working for a few years. I mean, first of all, you'll be bringing real life experience back to the classroom which should help with the demands of grad school. Additionally, I couldn't imagine paying the ridiculous costs of grad school and then hating the subject I chose to pursue for my masters. If I would have gone back to school and gotten my masters in social work like I had planned after my sophomore year, I would be miserable. I love working with kids; I hate working with kids in a residential setting.

Has anyone else gotten calls from their university asking for money that turned into an advice session? I enjoyed the conversation, I just wonder what others would say with the same questions.

 

Only letters asking for money. I only have a cell phone, thankfully, and they're never getting that number.

 

Mine is the same number as it was in college, so they've had it for six years now.

 

Ah. I've never updated my address with the alumni office either, yet they always seem to find me. I'm proud to have gone where I did, but they got enough money from me.

 

I get mail from the alumni association asking for money and I didn't even graduate.

 

I've had one call, asking me to donate and wanting to update my information, including my occupation. He lost me and I gave him a pretty decent reaming when he explained how big of a fan he was of another school. Yep buddy, way to say you love another school more and ask me to donate in the same sentence.

 

We've gotten letters, but no phone calls.

 

I get letters, calls and e-mails -- from the Ole Miss foundation, the college of liberal arts and from the Center for the Study of Southern Culture (I majored in Southern Studies). Yes, that's three sets of calls, letters and e-mails.

Fortunately, they don't have my new cell number.

 

How come they only call asking me for money?
Why can't they call every once in a while and just say hi, check out how I'm doing, ask about the family ... why must it always be about the money?

 

I got a call a few years back. Told 'em they'd get theirs as soon as I repaid my loans in about 20 to 30 years ..

 

Never got a call (guess it might have something to do with being on "Do Not Call" lists) but I have gotten the letters. Only money I've given is to a scholarship fund in honor of my journalism professor who just retired last year.

 

My high school is always asking for money and I give every year. They have a few of the most popular classmates do the calling. So this year I get the call and she says, "We know you usually give near the end of our fiscal year, but if you give by May 1, you can be on the honor roll in time for our 30th reunion." I let it pass. I give out of gratitude for what the school did for me, not as a status thing.

About 10 years ago, Washington University in St. Louis decided I was an alumnus, although they actually wanted someone else with my name. They were waking me up about once a fucking month, or so it seemed, and no matter how many times I told them to take me off that list, they kept calling. Finally, after the alumni director seemed unmoved by my plight, I sent an e-mail to her saying that I had acquired the home phone number of the university president and that next time the school woke me up, I would call him at a time more convenient to me, say 2 or 3 a.m., and tell him his alumni director couldn't seem to remove me from the alumni database. And carboned the e-mail to the school prez. Who was very cool. He e-mailed saying he hoped the matter was now resolved, but if I were further annoyed, by all means I should call him whenever I wanted. And he closed with, "While it's true you are not a Washington University alumnus, perhaps you'll consider us for a graduate school program." They haven't called since.