Barbie Hampel - “Keeping in Touch”
Barbie Hampel
As coordinator of Mississippi State's calling center, Barbie Hampel is one Bulldog who definitely loves her job.
For the past few years, Hampel has enjoyed chatting with alumni and friends as she leads the efforts of the Bulldog Calling Center. She updates their records and fills them in on the latest campus news. "It is very rewarding to talk to someone who absolutely loves MSU – hearing their stories and finding out about how things have changed since they were on campus is always entertaining," Hampel explains. Interacting with graduates and friends one-on-one influenced Hampel to become a part of the MSU Foundation team.
By the time she graduated from MSU with a degree in psychology, the Hatton, Ala., native had worked her way from a student caller to coordinator of telefunding for the Annual Giving Program. She understands firsthand the benefits of supporting the MSU Annual Fund and by doing so, activating a very beneficial membership in the MSU Alumni Association. Hampel now interviews and hires university students as callers. She trains and supervises them on a nightly basis as well. "I set nightly and weekly goals for the callers, and provide incentives for them through games and competitions," she said.
One of the most gratifying aspects of the job, Hampel says, is motivating MSU students as they raise funds for their university. Typically 30 students work for the center year-round, making calls for almost every area of Mississippi State. "This is a great starter job for the callers – many of them live on campus and benefit from scholarships – so this provides additional financial assistance," she explains. "I know I'll be able to provide many of them with a good reference which should help them down their chosen career path," she added.
Hampel notes the most fun part of her job, hands-down, is working with the students from the different academic disciplines. "They are so full of energy that they always have me laughing and wanting to come to work – it's just a really great job to have. I'm teaching our students the benefits of giving back and always staying connected with Mississippi State." Find out more about giving through the MSU Annual Fund at http://www.msufoundation.com/ways/annual/.
