By TARA OWEN
Senior Reporter
The annual Thank-a-Thon event will be held Nov. 13 and 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Ranger Room.
Hosted by the Northwestern Alumni Foundation and Association, this event is a way for Northwestern students to show gratitude to the donors of the university.
Students can either write personalized thank you notes or make phone calls to donors. There will also be free pizza and T-shirts as well as prizes given away to those who attend.
“The Thank-a-Thon has been going on long before I accepted the position which enabled me to host the Thank-A-Thon,” said Michelle Shelite, Relationship Manager at NWOSU Foundation and Alumni Association. “This event was one that excited me about the position because it allowed me to continue working with students while ensuring our donors know how important they are to our students, the university and the community as a whole.”
One touching moment that stands out to Shelite when reflecting on the impact of this event is a memory from last year.
“The Foundation staff always asks for volunteer students to call donors, which for some, is a task that suits them better,” Shelite said. “We had one young lady who volunteered and did a tremendous job.
At the end of the evening, she had kept notes and then went into detail about her conversations at the end of the evening. The expression on her face and the joy in her heart was evident while informing us. It was wonderful to see her gratitude.”
Each year students assist and help the alumni office host this event.
Shelite said the students help because they genuinely want to.
“Realizing people help because they want to and donors want to know that scholarship recipients appreciate the opportunities they have been given,” Shelite said. “Nothing is owed or mandated to any of us, yet our donors ensure our students have the funds to attend college and participate in extracurricular activities which help direct their futures.”
As for the students assisting with this event, they said that they see this as an opportunity to serve and give back to the donors.
“Throughout the years, I have been able to connect with donors on a deeper level,” said Edna Garcia, junior psychology major from Beaver.
Garcia has been assisting as a student volunteer for years.
She said she continues to help with this event because she enjoys serving and helping in any way she can.
However, she likes this event in particular because of the students’ reactions.
“I have seen some of the athletes write cards to donors that they have met, and it is awesome to see how personal they get with the thank you cards,” Garcia said.
As for another student assisting with the Thank-a- Thon event, she explains how this event is extremely important on our campus.
“I always want to give donors thanks and just let them know I am extremely grateful for them,” said Ella Bouse, sophomore psychology major from Woodward.
Bouse shared that she enjoys serving the campus in different ways and she knew assisting with the Thank-a-Thon was another opportunity to do just that.
“I think this event is a great way for students to learn how to give thanks and how to make others feel appreciated,” Bouse said.
November is the ideal month to take time to give thanks and gratitude to those who make a difference in your life.
This event is an opportunity for students to truly take the time to thank those who have impacted their academic career along with their time at Northwestern.
“The more people pay attention to and give gratitude, the easier it becomes and the more they are apt to see and acknowledge the good around them,” Shelite said.
According to the National Day Calendar, November is national gratitude month.
A study from Berkeley Graduate School reported that around 52% of women and 44% of men regularly express gratitude.
However, 90% of people say they are extremely grateful for their family and closest friends.
Busy schedules, not understanding the impact and assuming gratitude is known are just a few of the reasons many people don’t show their gratitude.
However, the impact of a thank you or expression of gratitude can highly impact others.
Along with encouraging them to show gratitude to those who impact their life.
Throughout the month of November, take the time to show gratitude to someone you are thankful for.
You never know the impact it can truly make.
“My biggest hope is that each student understands how blessed they are to have this opportunity and utilize it to do great things and help others when they are able,” Shelite said.
