April 10, 2019

Bearcat Callers meeting fundraising goals, earning coffee with president

By Kelsey Johnson, communication assistant

Christina Whalen with Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski

Sabryna Smith and President Jasinski

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Northwest Missouri State University’s Bearcat Callers continue to raise money for the Northwest Foundation, and their efforts are getting notice from the University’s top ‘Cat.

Bearcat Callers who raise more than $10,000 in donations are inducted into the Presidential Club and earn a meeting with Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski for coffee and conversation.

Bearcat Callers are student employees in the Office of University Advancement who secure pledges and funding for the Northwest Foundation through phone calls to alumni and friends of Northwest.

Christina Whalen, a freshman dietetics major from St. Joseph, Missouri, finished the fiscal year raising more than $15,000. She began her job as a Bearcat Caller last fall.

“It was a super unique opportunity to meet with (Jasinski) one on one and discuss his path to Northwest,” Whalen said. “Not many students are able to do this, and it made me feel more involved with the campus.”

Sabryna Smith, a sophomore majoring in psychology and human services from Unionville, Missouri, also met with the president after raising $13,000.

“I was nervous to meet President J at first, but the feeling didn’t last long and we had a really good conversation,” Smith said. “My favorite part was getting to talk about the campus and how much the campus really tries to take care of its grounds.”

Makayla Hasch, a sophomore elementary education major from Omaha, Nebraska, will soon meet with Jasinski and is excited for the opportunity to discuss his career in education. Hasch broke $10,000 just last month.

“Not everyone gets the chance to sit down and have coffee with President Jasinski, so I am just excited to have this opportunity,” Hasch said. “Since I am going into education, I am interested to hear what his journey has been up to this point in his career.”

Asking alumni for donations may seem like a daunting task, but for the Bearcat Callers it is a unique opportunity for a memorable conversation with stories of Northwest from an alumni perspective.

“My favorite part of being a Bearcat Caller is getting to connect with alumni of Northwest,” Hasch said. “They love to share stories about their time as a Bearcat, and I love telling them about all the awesome things that are happening on campus now.”

The Bearcat Callers take pride in hitting their goals as well as accomplishing something that seemed out of reach when they started their work. 

“When I first started this job I was pretty intimidated to talk to alumni and raise money for Northwest,” Hasch said. “By the time I reached $10,000, it had become easy for me to talk with alumni. I was proud of myself when I reached my goal because it showed me I was capable of doing this job that I was originally intimidated by.”

Smith said, “When I hit $10,000 I was really surprised. I didn’t think I’d be able to raise that much in a short time span.”

For more information about the Northwest Foundation or to make a gift to support Northwest, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/GiveOnline.