For more than a decade, UCF student fundraisers have called on alumni and parents from a lively call center housed just slightly off-campus in Research Park. Known as Knight Line, the center employs around 35 full-time UCF students each semester whose goal is to engage with donors and potential donors and provide an insider view on the great things that are happening at UCF. Their efforts have raised as much as $400,000 annually for student scholarships and vital programs at the university.
When the pandemic came calling, the on-site engagement center went remote. Getting new software to keep information secure and allow calling from personal computers was the easy part. But with training and feedback being crucial to the student fundraisers 麻豆精品 S� success, this new format presented some challenges.
As is typical of Knights, they rose to the challenge and have excelled.
麻豆精品 S淸We] had to change up how we interact during shifts, since we aren 麻豆精品 S檛 together in person; it 麻豆精品 S檚 more difficult to ask a question or provide feedback, 麻豆精品 S� says Alexander F. Pribil, engagement center manager at Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), the organization that partners with The UCF Fund in managing call center operations.
Although COVID-19 has changed some of the logistics of student calling, the focus remains the same: staying in touch.
麻豆精品 S淥ur goal is to let [alumni] know we still care about them, wanting to know how they 麻豆精品 S檙e doing after graduating and letting them know about things going on at UCF, 麻豆精品 S� says student supervisor Ilyssa Appleman, an event management聽major who has worked at Knight Line for two years.
Now, the student fundraisers focus on 麻豆精品 S榗are calling, 麻豆精品 S� rather than on raising funds for university students and programs. Since the pandemic hit, callers have made about 16,000 care calls.
麻豆精品 S淲hen we got started with our care calling, we spent some time working on active listening, and taking cues from our alumni, 麻豆精品 S� says Pribil.聽 麻豆精品 S淢ost calls average around the three-minute mark but we have [had] some great conversations that went on for 25-30 minutes 麻豆精品 S� the callers were really connecting with our alumni. 麻豆精品 S�
Appleman agrees that everyone has adapted well off-site. She has found the transition to care calls very successful and says that most alumni seem to enjoy them.
麻豆精品 S淭hey feel appreciated that we called to check in during these challenging times. A lot of them like to talk because they have been cooped up inside. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淸The alumni] feel appreciated that we called to check in during these challenging times. A lot of them like to talk because they have been cooped up inside. 麻豆精品 S�
The student fundraisers also work hard to stay connected to each other remotely. 麻豆精品 S淚 believe that the callers have adapted to working off-site in a wonderful way, 麻豆精品 S� says Tahlia Hutchinson, a political science major who has worked at Knight Line for more than a year. 麻豆精品 S淲e run games in our chatroom during shifts and even just talk about our days and update each other on what 麻豆精品 S檚 going on. 麻豆精品 S�
But, regardless of the location 麻豆精品 S� on-site or off-site 麻豆精品 S� Knight Line makes an impact not only on the alumni who receive the calls, but also on the students who make the calls.
麻豆精品 S淭he friendships and connections I have made at the Knight Line will always hold a special place in my heart, 麻豆精品 S� says Appleman. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e learned so much about the university while working here, and while it 麻豆精品 S檚 common to have a bad day at a job, I have never had a bad day here! 麻豆精品 S�
Hutchinson agrees. 麻豆精品 S淲orking at the UCF Knight Line has offered me many different opportunities, from internships to networking, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭he UCF Knight Line pays in more ways than one. 麻豆精品 S�
