March 14, 2002

La Salle University Senior, Shana Viggiano, Raises Thousands of Dollars during La Salle's Phonathon Campaign

Some folks just have the gift. They have a way with people, and no matter what, they can provoke action. La Salle University senior, Shana Viggiano, a Marlton, New Jersey native, has it and she uses it to support La Salle University. "It" is the power of persuasion and it can be a valuable skill when used to benefit others. Viggiano, who will graduate in May, uses her persuasive skills, competitive nature, and friendly manner to raise thousands of dollars for La Salle through the University's Phonathon campaign.

A psychology major, Viggiano has been a Phonathon caller for five semesters beginning in the spring of 2000. During her first semester, she was the top caller raising $9,271. Viggiano would not let go of her reign and was named the top caller for the entire 2000-2001 academic year bringing in a whopping $20,717. She also held the highest pledge rate at 55% and obtained the most increased pledges for the year by successfully urging 155 donors to increase their contributions. "I love doing it," said Viggiano. "It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I look forward to seeing how well I could do each night." The only prior fundraising experience she had was going door to door to raise money to go to Europe for a soccer tournament. "I raised enough money for my whole family to go on the trip," she said.

For the fall 2001 Phonathon, Viggiano even surprised herself by raising an incredible $23,000 in one semester. Another accomplishment that term was obtaining two $1000 pledges. She also had the most pledges, credit card gifts, and the highest pledge rate at 80%. "Shana is a very competitive caller," said Trey Ulrich, Associate Director of the Annual Fund at La Salle. "She is friendly and helps to motivate other callers. We could be having a bad night and when it comes time for Shana to hand in her pledges I always know our totals will dramatically increase. She is a pleasure to work with and shows a great desire to succeed in fundraising."

When asked what the secret to her success is, Viggiano said, "I am just really friendly, and I listen to what the people have to say. I sometimes get into conversations with people about what campus life is like now, or what it was like when they went here. I even get career advice during some of my phone calls." Although she has quite a knack for it, Viggiano does not plan on a career in fundraising. Upon graduation, she plans to look into law schools where her persuasive skills will be put to a different kind of test.