For the past eight years, Janet Holbrook has been a
tireless volunteer for the Alumni Association. "I started with
Phonathons while I was earning my teaching credential in the School of
Education. I brought in a lot of donations because I showed up and did a
lot of calling," she said modestly. She has shown a remarkable
talent for recruiting volunteers for phonathons, Alumni Board positions,
and alumni events. "Even popular, outgoing people need to be asked
to help," she said. "And they usually say yes."
Holbrook
genuinely enjoys calling alumni to ask for financial support of the
College. "People are glad to hear from Saint Mary's," she
said. "I get very positive responses. Results are so
satisfying, and the people at the College are great to work with."
Why
does she work hundreds of hours each year for Saint Mary's? "I
received a lot as a student here and my training in education helps me
do that for others," she said. "It's my way of paying back.
It's unlikely that I'll ever give a building, but I can give some of my
time." She is a dedicated teacher at a small public school in
Burlingame. "Some of my children are driven in luxury cars and some
have free lunch," she said. "Many families spend all their
time just surviving. But often a struggling family realizes that
education is their child's chance to succeed."
_____
_____. "Meeting the Challenge."
1992 - 1993 President's Annual Report.
Saint Mary's College of California - excerpts. (1993), p. 5.
