Converse “Rocks the Tower” Worldwide for Second Annual Day of Giving
At the stroke of midnight on November 9, ‘Rock the Tower’ took over the Converse website and social media channels for the College’s second annual day of giving This 24-hour event raises support and awareness for the Converse Annual Fund, provides funding for student scholarships, supports initiatives that positively impact student and faculty retention, fuels the preservation of our historic campus, and much more. Rock the Tower 2017 exceeded its goal of 500 donors, with a jump in participation by more than 200 people, and exceeded last year’s fundraising total, bringing in $88,674! The Converse community enthusiastically championed the cause, rallying one another online in a fun-spirited and sometimes competitive manner to support their alma mater.
Whether it’s $1 or $1,000, giving back to your college’s annual fund provides the same opportunities for scholarships to someone else that you received when you attended
Among the “best of” posts was this from Catherine Parler ’16 in Kentucky, which embodies Rock the Tower’s message that every gift of every amount makes a difference: “I may be working as a full-time volunteer, but that doesn’t mean that, on this day of giving, I didn’t find a way to thank the institution that made me into the woman I am today! Whether it’s $1 or $1,000, giving back to your college’s annual fund provides the same opportunities for scholarships to someone else that you received when you attended. Every young woman deserves the education Converse College provides and I am more than happy to help make it possible!”
Francie Balling Little ’66 and five of her Converse friends took time out of their girls trip to Spain to show their collective support, sharing a group photo with the comment, “Converse gals in Seville, Spain #RocktheTower!” Back on campus, freshman Lashyra Washington stopped by the Rock the Tower headquarters in Wilson Hall to see what all the excitement was about and was greeted by applause from the Rock the Tower crew. “I just walked into the room and people started cheering, so I was like ‘whoa’,” she said. She not only decide to contribute her own gift, but stopped by again later in the day to see how the campaign was going. “The atmosphere that Converse has is like no other college I know of,” she said. “It makes me feel like I’m a part of a real community.” Alumnae posted their support from the wee hours of the morning all the way up to the final moments before the campaign ended at midnight. “It’s not too late to #RocktheTower !!!!” Jackie Bielevicz ’15 encouraged her friends on Instagram at 11 PM.
“After a long day of teaching, celebrating friends, and finalizing lesson plans, I showed my support….you can too!” Support and shares also came from all over campus, from Admissions and Athletics, from Student Development and Success to the Petrie School of Music. A total of 116 faculty and staff made a gift during the campaign. Director of Alumnae and Advisory Boards, and Converse alum Jessica Eggimann ’00 says Rock the Tower is a perfect opportunity for alumnae and friends to reflect on and celebrate what Converse means to them. “It’s about much more than the amount of money raised – it’s about friends reconnecting on social media because they were tagged in their classmate’s Rock the Tower post, its about reflecting on and voicing appreciation at this stage in life for how you were impacted by your alma mater. My heart is truly full and I can’t wait for next year’s Rock the Tower!”