It’s the fellow students vying for space in Earlsfort Terrace, or straining for a view of the game at the Belfield Bowl. It’s the academic who brought new light to dark passages of history, who ignited a spark in the engineering lab, or inspired future doctors and nurses. It’s the librarians, technicians, porters and publicans who worked together to make those days so memorable.
While the students of 2009 will have a radically different experience to the students of the 60s, 70s and 80s there are many shared points of reference. The UCD Alumni Fund aims to build a bridge between today’s students and yesterday’s – in a very practical way.
Student callers in action, 2008
In autumn 2007, UCD’s first telephone fundraising campaign raised €269,000 in gifts and pledges for the newly established UCD Alumni Fund. One of the first campaigns of its kind in Ireland; its phones were staffed by current students from around UCD. Aíne Gibbons, Vice-President for Development recalls, “I was overwhelmed with the response to our ‘call to action’. We had 200 applications for forty roles and undertook a rigorous selection process to find the best callers. Our team of interviewers was very impressed by the enthusiasm and energy shown by the students and this was carried forward to the calling campaign itself.”
UCD Alumni Fund telephone campaigns now take place twice a year, in spring and autumn. Since 2007, over 16,000 alumni have been selected to take part in these campaigns. Initially, they receive notification of the telephone campaign and all are given the opportunity to opt out – but generally only 2-3% elect not to receive a call. This type of activity shouldn’t be confused with cold calling or telesales. The objectives of the call are two-fold, to elicit feedback on the quality of existing alumni communications, reunions, events etc and, of course, to ask for a gift. Graduates are asked either to donate a single gift or, ideally, to commit to a regular payment – which facilitates budget planning and allocation of funds.
The student callers are very positive about their experiences. Third-year student Thomas O’Boyle has taken part in four telephone campaigns. He says, “The campaigns are a great way to meet new people. I’m doing Structural Engineering with Architecture, and it’s really interesting to hear from graduates who took similar programmes as students. It is by far the most rewarding job I’ve had because I know that all the money raised is going to a great purpose.’
Increasingly the Alumni Fund will focus on the provision of scholarships for New ERA students, Entrance scholarships, and programmes such as the Medical Sciences Summer Electives.
Funds raised annually from graduates and friends of the University are disbursed by the UCD Foundation following approval of the recommendations from the Alumni Fund Grant Committee. The grants awarded span the breadth of activity at University College Dublin.
- UCD New ERA is the Equal Right to Access programme at UCD. In 2007, the Alumni Fund was able to able to provide €6,250 to fund a scholarship for an Arts student. Such scholarships enable students to overcome social and financial barriers to attending university.
- UCD New ERA is the Equal Right to Access programme at UCD. In 2008, the Alumni Fund was able to able to provide €6,250 to fund a scholarship to enable Arts student, Stephen from Ringsend to come to UCD. Such scholarships enable students to overcome social and financial barriers to attending university. Stephen says, “I'm the first member of my family to go to university, but I hope not the last. I'm studying single honours History and hope some day to teach. This wouldn't be possible without university degree, and I wouldn't be here without the New Era Scholarship that came through the Alumni Fund. So I'm really grateful to the people who made it possible.”
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- The woodland boundaries, tree avenues, and walled gardens visible around the UCD campus today are legacies of the 18th and 19th century period houses and associated lands from which the campus has evolved. Access to these important campus resources have recently been improved, with the development of a Campus Woodland Walkway. This project was awarded €10,000. Read more about the Campus Woodland Walkway
- Law Library – A grant of €5,000 was awarded to the Law Library to increase resources allocated to the purchase of essential student textbooks for the next academic year.
- UCD Symphony Orchestra was provided with€6,000 to fund ten scholarships. The UCD Symphony Orchestra is a platform for musical talent within the student and staff body on campus.
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- Recognition of Voluntary Engagement Programme (ROVE) - The ROVE Programme promotes volunteering in UCD through public recognition of the voluntary contribution of students to community life. The Alumni Fund awarded a grant of €6,000 towards the launch of the programme.
UCD
students and staff engage in many volunteer activities already. Shown
here at ‘Give it a Swirl’ day are (l-r): Mary Finlay, Quinn School of
Business; Ms Rachel McKinney, 2nd year Neuroscience student; Dr. Martin
Butler, UCD Vice-President for Students; Ms. Munirah Zeidun, 2nd year
Medicine student; Ms. Hazel Carrick and Ms. Leona McGarrigle, 2nd year
Psychology students
- The Get in Gear Programme
is targeted at students who are not involved in formal or organised
exercise activities, to promote a healthy lifestyle. It provides
students with a five-week plan of moderate physical activity,
complemented with an option for a pre- and post- programme health
evaluation. The programme was awarded €8,000.
- UCD History Review – The History Review was awarded a grant of €1,500 to publish an academic journal containing articles on various aspects of history and book reviews. The journal will also be published electronically.
Find out more about the UCD Alumni Fund.