The Sarah Lawrence Phonathon connects alumnae/i and families to current students, allowing those who are not on campus to hear about what’s happening at SLC these days. From early fall to early spring, student callers telephone alumnae/i and parents to talk about the College, share Sarah Lawrence experiences, and raise money for students and faculty through the Fund for Sarah Lawrence.

The student callers are eager to hear about the experiences of alumnae/i, and to find out what parents have heard about Sarah Lawrence from their students who currently attend. Some great connections have been made during Phonathon—check out the stories below!

Reconnecting with a Long-Lost Mentor

During the fall 2008 Phonathon, caller Nasrene Haj began a conversation with Elaine Edelman ’59, not knowing at the time that someone in her family had a close connection to Elaine. Elaine kept asking Nasrene how she pronounced her name until she was sure that she had it correctly, but Nasrene was used to this since her name is unique. She finished the conversation and went on to other calls, but a few weeks later Nasrene’s mom called her to tell her that she had received an email from a writing teacher she had had ten years prior: Elaine Edelman. The two had lost touch in ten years, but Elaine recognized Nasrene’s name during the Phonathon call because it had been used so much in Nasrene’s mother’s nonfiction writing. The reconnection was exciting for both Elaine and her former student, and the realization that both were connected to Sarah Lawrence deepened their friendship. In fact, Elaine has since expressed how pleased she is to have had a conversation with Nasrene, saying that Nasrene is a “terrific, bright, blazing, SLC-type girl!”

A Networking Opportunity

Dylan Hyland was excited to speak to Ellen Kaye ’82 during the fall Phonathon: her enthusiasm for the school was obvious from the start. She expressed interest in helping to set up fundraising and alumnae/i events, mentioning that she worked in the restaurant industry. Dylan told her of his culinary experience, and the two began discussing his desire to find an internship in Manhattan in one of his fields of interest. Ellen offered to meet with Dylan to help him in his search, and since that phone call, the two have kept in contact and developed a fruitful mentoring relationship.

Phonathon is certainly a wonderful time for all members of the SLC community to connect, and it provides the perfect opportunity for parents and alumnae/i to show how much SLC means to them.

Read more about the callers showcased above and the rest of the team