After a sluggish start, the 2013 Dickinson Annual Fund surged forward to reach over 5,100 alumni donations on April 30, according to members of the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement.

Held every year, Dickinson’s Annual Fund solicits donations from recent alumni to help raise money for vital projects. The money raised through the Annual Fund goes towards paying for the college’s scholarships, supporting student organizations, purchasing new classroom equipment and furthering the college’s construction projects.

While the Annual Fund draws predominantly from alumni, friends of the college and parents of current students, the school hopes to have the majority of donators, around 6,850 out of their goal of 10,280, be recent graduates and older alumni, according to the Dickinson College website.

Compared with the end of April last year, the Annual Fund was behind their end of the month goal by 300  unique alumni donations by April 29, however, explained Assistant Direction of Alumni and Parent Relations Nickie Redmond.

To help close the gap, the Annual Fund hosted the “Give Back to Dickinson” phone drive on April 30 in Stafford Auditorium. During the drive, student volunteers and club members sent letters, phone messages and emails to recent alumni to help raise more than 500 new donations for the school, hitting a grand total of over 5,100 donations.

Though they hope to raise around $4.2 million through their donation work, the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement is also worried about reaching their donator goal.

“We’re not concerned about how much people give,” explained Alexander Egner ’13, a student volunteer with the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement who helped organize the phone drive. “People can give any amount of money, even small amounts. All we need is people to donate.”

The number of alumni donors who participate in Dickinson’s Annual Fund helps influence the college’s standing in certain national polls. According to Egner, alumni involvement in colleges help effect the school’s annual ranking in publications like U.S. News and World Report.

“If you haven’t donated a gift yet, please do so,” said Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Engagment Kathy Schriner Marcello ‘80. “Everything, no matter how little, counts.”

The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement encourages those who still wish to donate to visit www.dickinson.edu/gift. Donations will be accepted till their fiscal year closes on June 30.