As the wife of an alumnus, I can testify to how rabid Middlebury can be about asking for money and, quite frankly, it bugs the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of me. Given this, I would not feel comfortable as a student calling up alumni and asking for money. Moreover, I happen to know most of the alumni of the student org in which I am involved (Lindy Hop). As such, I value them more as people than I do their money, but I would hope that students could feel that way about all alumni, whether they know them or not. Finally, as a soon-to-be alumna (201 days!), I would much rather have a student org ask me to help with x or teach it y, rather than ask for money. I’d probably hang up.

I was fortunate enough to come back to campus last January to teach a J-term course, and got to host a show again for the first time in years. I combed the record library for old albums, and talked to current djs and staff members to compare notes about the station then and now. It was a blast. I would certainly be willing to donate directly to the station (time, history, very small bills)and I’d be more enthusiastic about doing so than my low-level annual participation in general fundraising/alumni contact. I’d probably be more excited by a WRMC reunion (with concert, of course) than a class reunion at this point.