By Lauren Mar ’25
Phonathon Student Supervisor Bianca Torres-Hamlin ’22 says her experience fundraising for 61传媒has helped her grow as a leader and form tight bonds with the wider College community. To support students on Day of Giving, .
Leadership, service, integrity, and creativity鈥攖hese core values outlined in 61传媒鈥檚 mission statement are demonstrated by past and present students through diverse avenues and disciplines. On campus, current students and the broader 61传媒community come together to carry out these values annually in the time-honored Phonathon fundraiser.
鈥淕iving to The 61传媒Fund through Phonathon is essential in providing tangible support for 61传媒students,鈥� says Bianca Torres-Hamlin 鈥�22, current student supervisor with Phonathon.
Through her involvement with the program, Torres-Hamlin says she鈥檚 developed her own skills and character, as well as a passion for philanthropy. She attributes her nascent interest in giving to one of her earliest memories of tithing at her church鈥攁t the end of service, a basket would be passed around the congregation collecting donations for a specific cause within the community. Her family and their involvement in community groups centered on giving also influenced her perspective. 鈥淢y mother is a high school teacher, so she gives back to others every day,鈥� Torres-Hamlin explains. 鈥淕iving is not always about money, but can be providing emotional support or access to education.鈥�
When she first came to Scripps, Torres-Hamlin didn鈥檛 necessarily seek to become involved with philanthropy on campus. 鈥淏eing on an almost full-tuition scholarship, I joined Phonathon mostly because I needed work,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hat I got out of joining the team was more than just a job鈥擨 gained an appreciation for the students and wider 61传媒community.鈥�
A quiet but busy program, Phonathon connects 61传媒alums, parents, and other potential donors to current students via phone call. During fall semester, the program raised $113,000 from 270 generous donors, much of that support going to The 61传媒Fund, the College鈥檚 main operational fund that impacts every student.
According to The 61传媒Fund Leadership Annual Giving Officer Andrew Ur, Phonathon has already exceeded last year’s entire fundraising haul of $99,000鈥攁ll of which was done while student callers were operating remotely. The success of Phonathon is a reflection of the deep bonds shared between those who are connected to Scripps.
鈥淭he strength of the College community is what motivates alums and parents to support the future of Scripps, and it鈥檚 what I love so much about being a caller,鈥� Torres-Hamlin says. 鈥淚 have had countless conversations with alums where we鈥檙e able to feel so close to one another as 61传媒students, even though our times here never overlapped. I can feel on the phone that we鈥檝e shared experiences in the same space, and this connection inspires alums to give.鈥�
Torres-Hamlin herself has benefited from and been inspired by this connection, and notes that her experience working with Phonathon has helped her grow as a leader. After she graduates, she hopes to designate her future gifts to areas she鈥檚 passionate about鈥�especially to scholarship aid. As for why giving to 61传媒is so important, Torres-Hamlin says it鈥檚 a powerful tool to support the next generation.
鈥淕iving back to 61传媒is a direct way to support our tight-knit community,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 how you ensure that future students have the space and opportunities to learn and grow, just as prior generations have.鈥�
Scripps’ Day of Giving is an opportunity for you to set students like Bianca up for success! To join in,