“It’s my second semester working here,” Flynn said “This is a good opportunity to get work experience, help the university, and I really enjoy talking to alumni. Pledges and credit card gifts can range from anywhere from $19.89 in honor of a person’s graduation year to as much as $1,000 or a given night. Of course, some nights are better than others.” Flynn has generated over $8,400 and 112 pledges, making her one of the programs top callers.
Funds raised during the sessions are used to help with department, college and university wide needs such scholarships, technology upgrades, student travel to conferences, laboratory equipment, textbooks for students in need, and activities.
“This program is definitely moving in the right direction when you consider that it is the first real comprehensive tele-fundraising effort by the university,” said Ullysses Tucker, Jr., Director of Annual Giving at UMaine. “I have a wonderful group of callers; plenty of energy in the room on a nightly basis and in many ways they serve as ambassadors for our institution because they are the first real contact with many of our graduates in years. It’s great listening to the conversations as the proud past connects with the bright future.”
The students also update demographic information, spread the word about campus events and activities, and more importantly, secure support to offset diminishing funds from the state. In only fourteen weeks of calling (the program runs from September-April when classes are in session), the students have generated nearly $160,000 ($41, 000 in credit cards gifts) and over 2500 pledges.
While Flynn is excited about obtaining donations, she takes a practical approach to her work.
“This job experience has definitely helped me academically and socially,” she said. “I’ve learned to talk with a variety of people, and now when I have to make a presentation for class or when I graduate and have to be in front of people, I will have more confidence in my speaking ability and communication skills.
“I’ve also learned how important support is to UMaine,” Flynn added. It’s encouraging to talk with people who have been through the same thing, and who now are in a position to – and want to – give back. Someday, I hope to be able to do that myself and help students.”
For more information about UMaine giving opportunities, visit www.umaine.edu/give. or contact Ullysses Tucker, Jr., Director of Annual Giving at 207-581-1157 (ullysses.tucker@maine.edu).
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Paul G. Coulombe, University of Maine alumnus and president and chief executive officer of White Rock Distilleries, Inc., endowed the Paul G. Coulombe Scholars Fund in 2010. When fully funded, the scholarships will benefit a minimum of four students per year (one from each undergraduate class), with first preference given to financially needy students.
“I’m very fond of my alma mater and I think it’s important to support our state university,” said Coulombe, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1975. “When I learned that the need for financial aid has grown over the last few years, in part because aid has dropped off at the federal level, I was more than happy to make a gift to help the young people in our state who may not be able to afford an education.
“The University of Maine is a great school with an excellent business program,” he said. “I believe in supporting UMaine because it works to strengthen the economy and make the state a better place to live. It’s a key ingredient to the success of the state as a whole.”
Founded in 1928 and acquired by Paul Coulombe’s parents in 1971, White Rock is a leading manufacturer and importer of fine spirits and liqueurs and operates a state-of-the-art facility in Lewiston, Maine. When it started, the company had three employees and a 10,000 square foot plant and was selling just 25,000 cases a year. Over the next 30 years, two generations of the Coulombe family built White Rock into a major industry player through acquisition, expansion, and development of new technologies. Today the company boasts sales exceeding 3.5 million cases, has 250 employees and does business in all 50 states and in about 20 countries.
“It’s exciting to have been part of the growth of my family business,” said Coulombe, who was born in Lewiston and graduated from Lewiston High School. He began work at White Rock after graduating from UMaine in 1975 and was vice president of marketing and a sales manager before being named CEO in 1995. “The marketing aspect excites me the most because it drives revenue. Good marketing and advertising make the difference between a company’s success or failure. You can make all the products you want, but it’s really about getting the word out and creating a demand.”
Key to building White Rock into a major industry player was daring to take risks, Coulombe said. “Being creative and innovative and willing to try new things has been our creed. We were always willing to try new concepts, whether it was new flavors, product lines, or packaging. We were involved in acquisitions and expansions and we developed new technologies in packaging and machinery, but we always believed that having a sense of what’s going on in the marketplace and staying up with the latest fads and trends was the way to be successful and to set ourselves apart.
“We had our share of failures, but we learned from every one of them,” he continued. “It’s all about tenacity and hanging in there when things look darkest. Some people give up. I was raised a different way – you just keep going and work even harder.”
President of his Class and of Phi Mu Delta Fraternity, Coulombe stayed busy and active at UMaine. The training and skills he acquired in his finance, accounting, and general economy classes stood him in good stead throughout his business career. “The best course I ever took required students to run their own fictitious company,” he said. “We had to compete against each other as we applied the business theories we learned in class. We had to understand finance and marketing and know how to regulate inventory and sales. I learned some great lessons in that class. It had a huge impact on me.”
Coulombe’s advice to undergraduates: Aspiring entrepreneurs should become well versed in basic business principles such as finance, accounting, banking, marketing, management, and even law, he said. “All those courses are more important today than ever. Then, continue your education, get an MBA, and take a position in a large, global company. Once you have a few years under your belt, go out on your own or work for a mid-sized or smaller firm. You’ll be a better business person in the end.”
Dunkin Donuts of Orono and Old Town recently donated $4,000 to benefit the UMaine Alumni Association, Black Bear Fund, and Presidential Priorities to support scholarships as part of its community outreach and corporate responsibility program. The university also provided each location jerseys from all of the male and female sports to display at the local outlets.
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