Seton Hall’s Digital Engagement Center Comes to Life

Did you recently receive a call from The Hall? On the other end of the line is a proud Seton Hall student! Seton Hall has 19 diligent and dedicated students working five days a week to make more than 90,000 calls annually to alumni, parents, and friends, with the objective of attaining support in various areas for Seton Hall University. 

The center is an initiative to engage with alumni and raise funds, small or large, to support the mission of Seton Hall and create a more prosperous present and future for our Pirates. You can make a significant impact on Seton Hall by answering the phone and having a chat with one of our students.

"I’ve been a caller for 3 years now, having started in Fall of 2020, which happened to be my freshman year," says Dareen Abukwaik ’24. Abukwaik is excited to continue raising funds and build camaraderie as a team. "I am incredibly grateful to be promoted to supervisor this Fall because I love helping out my fellow callers and being a resource they can come to whenever they need any help. Calling can seem solitary, but it’s really a team effort to build up morale and have everyone feel confident enough in their ability to speak on the phone," says Abukwaik.

Through daily communications with alumni, students learn what their futures might hold, while also letting graduates know what is currently happening at their alma mater.

"My favorite part of being a caller is speaking to the alumni and hearing about their experiences," notes Abukwaik. "I always appreciate anyone who takes the time to speak to me on the phone because it truly means a lot to hear from our alumni."

Blake Goodwin ’24 knows the impact that a good conversation can have on a student. "The best part of our night is a good conversation," he says. "We honestly all look forward to chatting with alumni from a wide array of class years, from the 1960s through the 2020s."

Goodwin, a marketing major, shares that working in the Digital Engagement Center has helped him build connections and become a people person, something he knows will be crucial in his career as he heads into a sports marketing apprenticeship.

It’s not just building people skills that makes this job great. The connections made between great minds foster professional and personal development. 

Abby Knauss ’23 will be joining the Peace Corps after graduating in December. As a member of the Digital Engagement Center, she’s already spoken to alumni who were also in the Corps, or alumni with ties to others who have that experience. Through these meaningful conversations, Knauss has already been able to connect with alumni and friends on LinkedIn, better preparing her for this next step in her journey.

"While not everyone answers the phone, those who do, are so personable," says Knauss. "Getting to relate to alumni on a human level – people from different cultures and areas of their career – has been invaluable. Interpersonal communication can be daunting, but having the chance to connect on the phone encourages me to be more outgoing," she adds.

Our hard-working students rely on your dedication to fulfill their dreams. Please accept our profound gratitude for your ongoing support and for answering the call when a Pirate reaches out!  For questions or more information, contact Dorothy Lee, Associate Director of Philanthropic Engagement, at [email protected].

Categories: Alumni, Campus Life