Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - As part of the larger University of Wisconsin-Platteville Phonathon every spring, student callers devote time to speak to parents of current students. The funds generated during the parent phonathon contribute to support departments providing direct services to students, such as Tutoring Services, the Writing Center and Counseling Services.

According to Rebecca Peters, director of the UWP Student Success Center, parent phonathon funds are a valuable supplement to the regular operating budgets of these departments. Funds have been used, for example, to provide style guides and other reference books available for check out in the Writing Center, and to provide ongoing training for student tutors, while Tutoring Services has invested in three laptop computers to assist students who may be doing research in conjunction with a tutoring session.

One of the most promising uses of these funds is in the area of tutoring outreach. Last semester, Tutoring Services began subject-week tutoring at two residence halls on campus, chosen because they were deemed to be reasonably convenient for all residents. Because of parent phonathon funds, student tutors were available for tutoring for approximately two hours an evening, several days per week. In fact, Peters, along with Linda Mulroy-Bowden, associate director of Student Housing, and Gina Concannon, director of Tutoring Services, applied for and received an Opportunity Grant to continue the program next year. The Writing Center is also considering a renewal of its "Roaming Writers" program if the Tutoring Services program proves to be successful.

"I hope the parents who make these donations realize the value of their contributions and know how much we and the students appreciate them. Their gifts support student learning and academic achievement in a very direct, meaningful way," said Peters.

The Phonathon is part of the UWP Foundation Annual Giving program, supervised by Gina Udelhofen, coordinator of annual giving and donor relations. Udelhofen works with several UWP staff and approximately 25 students every semester. The parent phonathon totals have gone up every year over the past four years and reached almost $30,000 in 2005-06.

Anyone interested in learning more about the services offered through the Student Success Center may contact Peters at (608) 342-1818; anyone interested in learning more about the work of the UWP Foundation may contact Dennis Cooley, assistant vice chancellor for University Advancement, at (608) 342-1309.

Contact: Gina Udelhofen, coordinator of annual giving and donor relations, UWP Foundation, (608) 342-1968 Prepared by: Evelyn Martens, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,martense@uwplatt.edu