Beloit College Alumni

WELCOME and THANK YOU top
for taking on the responsibilities of Class Agent and assuming an active role in ensuring Beloit College's future! We appreciate your commitment to Beloit, and are confident that you will be successful in helping the College grow and excel.

Beloiters are unique. Many of us share common characteristics, including a love of learning, a sense of responsibility and a propensity for challenging ourselves and others. We are united by shared memories and our conviction that Beloit College is an exceptional institution. We cannot fully measure the value and experience of our undergraduate education in dollars, as its true worth becomes more evident with the passing of years. In time, we recognize that our growth into the individuals that we are now (the individuals that we became) is intrinsically linked to the people we met and the experiences we enjoyed at Beloit.

As Class Agent, you are the College's vital link to your classmates and peers. Yours is the alumni voice they hear, and you are a source they can rely on for news and views on the College. You also serve as a role model—leading by example, actively participating in fund-raising and College events.

This Class Agent handbook attempts to (A) answer general questions concerning your role and responsibilities, (B) provide solicitation tips and fundraising definitions, and (C) outline the many ways in which people can give back to Beloit. We hope that you find this resource helpful, and encourage your suggestions for future manuals. If you have comments or questions, don't hesitate to contact us at 800-331-4943 or via email to Director of Annual Fund.

Beloit — Why We Love it and Show Your Beloit Pride!
Class Agent Job Description
Did you Know ...
Fast Facts about the Beloit Fund
Participation Counts!
Fundraising Goals
Other Methods of Giving
Encourage Increased Giving
Why do People Donate to Beloit College?
Fundraising Definitions
Reports
Class Agent Letter
FAQ's from Class Agents

Beloit — Why We Love it and Show Your Beloit Pride!

"Beloit is not a place to sit back and let your education happen to you. Students at Beloit conduct research. They serve on search committees to hire new faculty. They have important, responsible jobs on campus.... learning here is something you get out of your seat and do."
Shawn Gillen Assistant Professor of English

"Beloit students are bright, autonomous and self-directed people with a passion for a variety of interests. Their leadership comes out of that energy and creativity, and it draws other students."
Teresa Leopold Associate Dean of Students

"Athletes at Beloit play hard.... They can expect the same kind of personal relationships and attention from the coaching staff at Beloit that they find in the classroom with their professors."
Ed DeGeorge, Former Head Football Coach

"Beloit is about options. It's about choices. It's about genuine intellectual diversity. People with different ideas stand up and debate them in public, whether they're faculty, students, staff or the president.
Beloit fosters individuality, and I think that distinguishes it from just about every other college I am familiar with."
David Burrows Former Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Class Agent Job Description

Purpose:
Class Agents are the key leaders in the College's efforts to maximize class unity and increase support from alumni through participation in the Beloit Fund. Class agents also serve as news brokers for the class.

Responsibilities:

Demonstrate a personal commitment to Beloit College by making an early annual financial gift. Leadership by example is critical to the success of the class fundraising effort.
Write solicitation appeals to members in the class, urging them to make a financial commitment to Beloit College prior to the end of the fiscal year (May 31). Class Agents are encouraged to draft a personal letter, then individually sign each—with a handwritten note, where appropriate.
Maintain regular communication with the Class Agent Coordinators. Work to develop and achieve class dollar and alumni-participation goals for each year.
Solicit gifts from class members through personal contact—especially classmates whom you know well, but who do not currently support Beloit.
Educate classmates about the importance of increased unrestricted annual giving to the College; encourage participation in any challenges that the College is promoting.
Inform the Development Office of classmates' changes to biographical information (new addresses, phone numbers, employment and family-status). Encourage classmates to send updates and news to the College for possible inclusion in Beloit College Magazine.
Actively participate in mailings and contact events.
Work with the Development Office to identify major gift prospects.
Attend alumni events and the Class Agent Workshop whenever possible.
"Spread the word" about Beloit College to alumni, business and professional contacts, as well as neighbors and friends. Serve as liaison for classmates, External Affairs and Admissions.

Did you Know ...

Beloit's 1,235 students include men and women from 47 states and 40 countries; 18 percent from Wisconsin, 23 percent from Illinois, 15 percent from the East Coast, 10 percent from the West Coast, 25 percent from the states in between, and 9 percent from other countries.

Many Beloit departments—such as anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics and management, english, geology, modern languages and literatures, and sociology—have been cited in scholarly surveys as among the best undergraduate programs in the country.

Many Beloit students work on individual projects with faculty. These projects give students hands-on experience in an area of special interest to them. The annual student symposium highlight these projects.

Beloit's popular First Year Initiative (FYI) and Sophomore Year programs enable students to work closely with professors and peers, examining important issues and building relationships to last a lifetime.

Beloit has many special learning opportunities on campus, covering such diverse topics as artifacts (the world-class Logan Museum of Anthropology), entrepreneurship (Beloit's Venture Grants and CELEB Center), languages (the Center for Language Studies), literature (The Beloit Fiction Journal), market research (the student-run Belmark firm) and student research (Student Symposium).

Beloit offers multiple opportunities for experiential learning that complement students' classroom work. Field terms are typically a full-time position away from home and the Beloit campus. In either the summer or the academic year, field terms can include independent research related to work experience. Internships and summer work placements may also be arranged through Beloit's own Field and Career Services office.

Study Abroad: Broadening personal horizons is an important element of Beloit's liberal arts mission. Students may choose from a wide variety of domestic, international and cross-cultural exploration programs that take them all over the U.S. and the world, including:

Rennes, France	Glasgow, Scotland	Hirakata City, Japan
London, England	Shanghai, China	Dakar, Senegal
Florence, Italy	Moscow, Russia	Chicago, U.S.A.
Quito, Ecuador	Budapest, Hungary

There are over 100 student clubs and organizations including:

AIDS Education Task Force	Am Yisreal Jewish Cultural Club
Amnesty International	Anthropology Club
Black Students United (BSU)	Beloit Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (BSFA)
Debate Club	Coughy Haus Programming
Film Committee	Fencing Club
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Alliance	French Club
Gold Key student hosts	The Gold yearbook staff
Martial Arts Club	International Club
The Round Table newspaper	Phi Kappa Psi
Sigma Chi	Russian Club
Voces Latinas	Social Board
Womyn's Center	Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE)
Kappa Lambda Gamma	WBCR campus radio station
….and so much more.

Fast Facts about the Beloit Fund

Q. What is the Beloit Fund?

A. The Beloit Fund is an indispensable component of the College's annual operating budget. It supports every aspect of academic and student life at Beloit. Gifts to the Beloit Fund comprise 8 percent of the College's operating budget annually. The Beloit Fund covers many of the annual expenses not included in the price of tuition and fees. The College relies annually on Beloit Fund gifts donated each year by alumni, trustees, parents and friends.

You may ask, what is the purpose of the Beloit Fund? First, Beloit College needs to raise its participation levels, and this is one way of tapping into alumni preferences. Second, these designations are directly tied to the College's Strategic Plan and the strengths of the College. Even if a larger campaign for endowment and capital projects comes along, unrestricted gifts to the College become more important than ever to keep Beloit's operating budget strong.

You have the option to express a particular philanthropic interest by designating how your gift will benefit the best interest of students. You may choose one of the five designations outlined below.

Where the Need is Greatest
By allowing your gift to be used in a general way, you offer the College flexibility in meeting budgeted needs as well as special opportunities for teaching and learning. Gifts to the Beloit Fund are at the heart of a great education, and YOU are the heart of the Beloit Fund.

Student Scholarships and Financial Aid
Beloit's focus on enrolling the very best students takes precedence over a particular student's ability to pay for a Beloit education. About 70 percent of all Beloit students receive need-based aid, with an average financial aid grant/scholarship of $17,432. Your gift helps supply a continual stream of funds to meet the demonstrated need of admitted students.

Faculty Research and Development
Gifts to this area enhance library resources and services so that faculty have the tools they need for research and teaching. The Col. Robert Morse Library invests these gifts in new books (more than 7,300 volumes each year), journal subscriptions, and the licensing of electronic databases in order to connect users with information.

Internships
Gifts to this designation help Beloit place students in valuable work experiences that build skills, confidence, and direction. More than half the students complete at least one internship during their Beloit experience.

International Programs.
Beloit boasts a large number of students who study abroad and a sizable international student population on campus. Gift funds are applied toward the development of interdisciplinary seminars about global issues and citizenship, for example, and allow Beloit students to retain financial aid awards while they are abroad.

Q. Why is alumni giving so important?

A. Alumni contributions support essential elements of the College's operation including financial aid, faculty salaries, program development and campus building maintenance. Just as important, every gift counts toward the College's total alumni participation percentages. High percentages of alumni participation influence private corporations and foundations to make grants to Beloit—grants that help the College grow and develop. It also helps fuel parent giving and student recruitment.

Q. How much are alumni expected to give to the Beloit Fund?

A. Every gift to the Beloit Fund matters. Ask your classmates to consider giving at one of our gift club levels. We now have flexible payment plans to make it easier such as our monthly EFT Program, or credit card installments. For non-donors, this may help encourage them to give something.

Q. How often do alumni need to make Beloit Fund gifts?

A. Alumni are encouraged to establish a regular "tradition of giving" and make at least one Beloit Fund gift each fiscal year. The fiscal year runs from June 1 to May 31.

Q. Are gifts to the College tax deductible?

A. Yes! The College provides donors with receipts for their tax records.

Q. What if alumni have already made restricted gifts to Beloit College?

A. We ask each alum to consider making a regular gift to the Beloit Fund each calendar year, in addition to restricted gifts—those that are earmarked for a specific purpose i.e., scholarships, memorials, campaigns.

Q. Can alumni pledge now and pay later?

A. Yes—alumni need only indicate their intended gift on a pledge card, during Phonathon or to a College representative. The College will send out reminders periodically throughout the fiscal year.

Q. Do alumni donors receive recognition for their gifts?

A. Yes. Alumni contributors' names are published in the College's annual Honor Roll of Contributors.*

* Alumni may make gifts anonymously if they choose.

Participation Counts!

When Beloit's Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations meets with the representatives of a corporation or a foundation to discuss their organizations' potential support of the College, s/he is often asked to identify the special or unique characteristics that distinguish Beloit from other peer colleges. In many cases potential donors are really asking, "Why, considering our limited charitable resources, should we support Beloit College instead of another college or worthy organization?"

Beloit's known assets—a strong faculty with a proven commitment to teaching, small classes, a diverse and international student body, outstanding facilities and international programs, and successful graduates—are among the important components to our answer. However, many other colleges possess similar characteristics. The telling question then becomes, "What sets Beloit apart from all the rest?" The answer is Alumni giving.

There is no more persuasive argument that Beloit College can make to distinguish itself from other colleges. Outsiders are strongly impressed when Beloit is consistently listed among schools with a high percentage of contributing alumni. They interpret alumni giving as graduates' validation of the high quality of their undergraduate education. Consistently healthy alumni support indicates that there is something special and worth maintaining at Beloit College. This strengthens Beloit's credibility and—in a highly competitive market in which colleges are rated and judged like soft drinks and automobiles—an advantage over the competition.

Beloit must compete on many levels with institutions that enjoy greater resources and name recognition. The College is frequently asked to provide information on annual giving, often in support of grant applications and in response to questionnaires from college guidebooks and publications like US News & World Report. This information—coupled with enrollment, retention and statistical data—is provided to the parents of prospective students, graduate programs and potential employers of our graduates, who consider multiple sources when evaluating the comparative quality of Beloit College. High rates of alumni participation are a positive and influential addition to more general statistics.

Beloit's alumni giving percentages no longer reach the high 50% levels of the 1980s. We must reverse the current downward trend. Improving our traditionally strong record of alumni participation is vitally important. Without it, we risk losing one of our strongest selling points, one that distinguishes Beloit from so many other colleges.

Fundraising Goals

The Importance of Alumni Giving:
The reality is that alumni giving is essential to the College's financial well-being. In addition to funding important elements of the campus' operations, alumni giving also shows that alumni believe in the value of a Beloit education and identifies future alumni volunteers and leaders.

Fundraising Goals:
Our fundraising goals—in support of the College's strategic objectives—are to achieve:

• Alumni participation in the Beloit Fund giving at 40% or better (very important!).
• Raise $2.5 million in unrestricted Beloit Fund gifts.

Why give to Beloit? Because alumni gifts...
• continue to enable Beloit College to recruit premier faculty dedicated to teaching.

• allow Beloit College to offer financial aid and scholarships to students who otherwise can not afford a high-quality private undergraduate education.

• help finance renovations of existing buildings into state-of-the-art facilities, and enable the College to
plan ahead for future campus development.

• fund the improvements of campus technology, keeping Beloit among the most technologically advanced campuses in the nation.

Other Methods of Giving

In addition to cash, there are other ways to make a planned charitable contribution to benefit Beloit College. Please visit our ways to give website to learn more about these exciting opportunities.

Please don't forget that Matching Gifts can double and sometimes triple a gift to Beloit College. Thousands of companies will match employees' (current and retired) and their spouses' gifts. Check with your human resources department or contact Beloit College Gift Processing Coordinator, at 800-331-4943.

Encourage Increased Giving

There are a variety of ways that Class Agents can encourage their peers to give to the Beloit Fund. Campaigns vary by year and by purpose, but the following methods may be included in "the ask:"

Proportionate Appeal: The overall class goal has been increased by X%. Ask donors to do likewise.

Competitive Appeal: Class competes with nearby class, each trying to outdo the other. Ask donors to increase their gift, e.g.:"to put '66 ahead of '65."

Reunion Appeal: Special appeal made to members of reunion classes. Ask donor to contribute an increased amount this year "in honor of our 25th reunion." (See more on reunion giving at the bottom of this page)

Challenge Appeal: Individual or group agrees to make sizable gift (possibly matching, within limits) if other donors will achieve a predetermined goal. Ask donors for increased giving in order to help meet the challenge.

Upgrade Approach: Donor near or in an existing gift club. Ask donors to increase to the minimum of the next gift club category.

Flexible Payment Approach: Beloit College offers flexible payment methods. Encourage donors to use new EFT program, credit cards, or make incremental payments over several months. EFT save the College money because no fees are involved.

Why do People Donate to Beloit College?

Most people give because they have a relationship with Beloit College. Personal contacts help build these relationships far better than the typical letters to alumni and are far more effective. Contact from a peer is interactive and dynamic. It allows for flexibility, negotiation, and personalization. It is much more compelling to ask a peer to join you when you have already made your own philanthropic contribution. You can present the specific reasons for your own contribution. You can then adapt these reasons for each call you make and note you write.

Perception and listening are keys to your success in asking prospects to support Beloit College. Making personal contacts either in writing or by telephone presents a key opportunity to learn more about that prospect's feelings for Beloit and which parts of the campus are of the most interest to them. The new Beloit Fund allows alumni to target their giving and Reunion Giving does this as well. Not only does this help us to understand more about their potential, it tells you how to make the best appeal. So, why do people donate to Beloit? Like you, these prospects have some kind of connection to the campus. When a donor makes a gift to Beloit they generally motivated by one or more of the following factors:

• They believe in the mission of Beloit College.
• They are interested in a specific program.
• They are involved or have many connections to the college.
• They want to give back.
• To ensure the future of Beloit.
• Their personal memories and loyalty.
• Recognition and pride.
• You have influenced them with your own commitments.
• You asked — they respect you the solicitor.

You undoubtedly can think of several other reasons why one of your peers would contribute to Beloit. Some additional reasons may even occur while you are interacting with the prospect. Remember to listen, be enthusiastic in your "ask" and most of all make it fun!

For those of you celebrating a reunion this fall, your letter will likely be sent after homecoming/reunion has taken place. You may want to use your letter to recap the weekend and remind your classmates that the reunion giving effort continues throughout the entire year. For those of you who will celebrate a reunion in the fall of '04 you may want to use your "p.s." as a save the date reminder for your peers. The reunion gift effort for the '04 reunions started on June 1st of 2004.

When writing notes to your classmates and encouraging them to "step up" for Beloit, consider a Chapin "ask" wherever it seems appropriate. As always, participation is a key message.

There is dramatic evidence that giving participation is substantially higher when the "ask" comes from an alumni volunteer as opposed to a staff member of the College. We offer this thought to reinforce the fact that the leadership role you have taken as a Class Agent is vital to the success of Beloit College. Your work is valuable, important and we appreciate you for it!

Fundraising Definitions

ADDRESS	Please make all checks payable to: Beloit College – Beloit Fund 700 College Street Beloit, WI 53511
ALUM	A person who has spent at least one year (two semesters) at Beloit College and was invited back for a second year.
ALUMNI	Plural of alum. More than one alum. NOTE: If you are one male graduate, you are an alumnus. If you are one female graduate, you are an alumna. The collective graduates of Beloit College are known as the alumni, and each alumnus and alumna is a member of the Beloit College Alumni Community
BELOIT FUND	The "lifeblood" of the College, the Beloit Fund helps pay for 8% of the annual operating expenses, utility costs, student financial aid, and faculty salaries. A Beloit College education would cost one-third more were it not for gifts to the Beloit Fund; even full-pay students are subsidized by the Beloit Fund. The Beloit Fund is indispensable. These dollars are spent in the fiscal year which operates from June 1 through May 31. These gifts are solicited from alumni, friends, parents and staff; the majority of gifts are generated from direct mail, phone calls and reunion giving.
CULTIVATION	The process of forming a relationship with a potential donor, sharing information about the College and discovering the related interests of prospective donors.
DEFERRED GIFTS	Deferred giving refers to gifts through bequests, charitable trusts, and other long-term giving methods. A substantial portion of Beloit's endowment comes from individuals who remembered the College in their wills.
EMERITI (etc.)	1: Holding after retirement an honorary title corresponding to that held last during active service. 2: retired from an office or position. NOTE: Latin modifiers come after the noun, so one retired male professor is a professor emeritus, one retired female professor is a professor emerita, and a gaggle of retired faculty are professors emeriti.
ENDOWMENT	An endowment is simply a pool of assets held by an organization and invested to provide long-term growth, interest and dividends. If the Beloit Fund represents a portion of Beloit's "checking account," the endowment represents its "savings account."
GIFT CLUBS	Honorary organizations whose current members have made gifts to the College.
LYBUNT	A donor who gave Last Year But Unfortunately Not This year
RESTRICTED	Gifts to the College which are specifically designated and limited by the donor(s), to fund one or more projects.
SOLICITABLE	"Solicitable Alumni" are the alumni with good addresses that we can solicit. "Alumni of Record" is the number of alumni that we (Beloit College) believe are living. Those alumni who have specifically requested that the College not solicit them have been removed from the College's solicitation lists.
STAFF ASSIGNMENTS	Members of the College's development staff are assigned to prospective donors for cultivation and solicitation.
STEWARDSHIP	The process of maintaining a relationship with the donor, which includes an expression of appreciation for the gift, recognition of the gift and continuing dialogue with the donor about what their gifts have enabled the College to accomplish.
SYBUNT	A donor who gave Some Years But Unfortunately Not This Year.
UNRESTRICTED	An unrestricted gift is a donation used to cover operating expenses of the College. Each year, unrestricted Beloit Fund gifts help to meet the costs of a Beloit College education and to balance the budget.

Reports
THE CLASS AGENT REPORT:
Provides the class participation and dollars raised for each class.

THE YEAR-TO-DATE GIVING REPORT: Provides a list of your classmates and their donor status. *

IMPORTANT: All supplied reports are confidential and must be destroyed after use!

Getting it Done — The Class Agent Letter

At first glance, the task of writing a solicitation letter might seem daunting. It can be a real challenge to write a creative, energetic, stand-out letter—the kind that draws your classmates in, and moves them to give their financial support to the College. However, drafting a letter (or letters) can be easier than you think.

Click here to view sample letters from class agents.

Plan ahead! Allow yourself ample time to draft the letter. Schedule a window of completion, with extra time built in to review the "letter suggestions" and past issues of Beloit College Magazine.

Prepare. Find a corner of a table or desk to spread out your equipment—be it pen and paper or laptop PC. Call or email classmates in advance, and ask them for news to share. Check out the College's website for important College news.

Speak up! The chief ingredient in your letter is your personality. Write from your heart and with conviction. You know what the common experiences were for you and your classmates. Remind them of old times and bring them up-to-date on what's new and interesting, either in your life, in the lives of your classmates, or on campus.

Send it off! The sooner you send it to us, the sooner the letter production process can continue!

FAQ's from Class Agents

Q: When should I send out my Class Agent letter?

A: Please try to send your mailings within ten days after you receive them. The annual mailing schedule is designed for maximum results. It is important that your Class Agent appeal does not overlap with other solicitations. Please let us know if your mailing is delayed so that we can work together to have it sent in a timely manner.

Q: How can I help eliminate donor procrastination?

A: Write a short note to follow up any phone conversations that you have with classmates. In the note, point out that their donation is benefiting students, faculty or a program or scholarship that held special meaning to your class. Also, remind classmates that they can use their credit card to give a gift by calling the College at 800-331-4943 or they give on-line.

Q: What should I do when I receive news about my classmates?

A: You may consider referencing this sort of information in your class letter! Even if you don't, please pass the information on to the Alumni Office, and we will publish the news in the "Class Notes" section of Beloit College Magazine. You can submit information by calling Jane Armitage, director of alumni affairs, at 800-331-4943, sending an email to armitage@beloit.edu, or by mail to us and we will gladly forward them on.

Q: What should I do when I get a complaint from a classmate?

A: Please let us know of any complaints that are expressed by your classmates. With your description of the complaint, we'll try to fix the problem for the alum. It is extremely important that we satisfy our alumni, so be certain to pass complaints along!

Q: There are so many people in my class! Can I get some help?

A: Absolutely. If you feel that you need some help, work with us to identify a classmate who might be willing to serve as a Co-Agent. Or, maybe you'd consider asking your best friend or a college roommate to help you.