Three Cowboy Callers raise more than $120,000 for Oklahoma State University

Friday, June 8, 2007

Person with short blonde hair wearing an orange t-shirt that says STATE GO POKES in black and white letters standing in front of a brick building with large windows. — Chelsey Hoselton

The Oklahoma State University Foundation recognized Chesley Hoselton, Candace McCreary and Sydney Garner as the top three Cowboy Callers for the 2006-07 school year after their combined efforts raised $120,896 to benefit university programs and students.

The combined efforts of Cowboy Callers raised nearly $900,000 for the year.

“These three young women have made an impact on OSU and future students they will never know,” said Debbie Nance, assistant director of annual giving programs. “Each of them loves OSU and is very proud of their work as student Cowboy Callers. They are positive role models for our students, displaying a healthy work ethic and understanding the importance of giving back to OSU.”

Person with long blonde hair wearing an orange T-shirt that says OSU Oklahoma State Cowboys in white letters standing in front of a brick building with white columns. — Candace McCreary

Hoselton, an El Reno, Oklahoma, native, began working as a Cowboy Caller in the OSU Foundation’s telemarketing department in the spring of 2005 and raised $41,936 of the total.

“We are doing much more than fundraising for the colleges on campus,” Hoselton said. “We raise money to help others reach their goals. I have been lucky enough to be a scholarship recipient, which was made possible by an alumnus giving back to OSU.”

Hoselton graduated from OSU in May with a degree in communication sciences and disorders. She is continuing her education at the University of Tulsa, where she will earn a master’s degree in speech pathology.

The second highest-grossing caller, McCreary, is a native of Idabel, Oklahoma, and began working as a Cowboy Caller in the fall of 2006. The junior international business major secured $40,615 in donations for the fiscal year.

Sydney Garner

Garner, a native of Durant, Oklahoma, also joined the Cowboy Callers in the fall of 2006 as a freshman at OSU majoring in hotel and restaurant management. Her efforts resulted in $38,345 benefiting OSU students and programs.

Overall, $880,583 was raised in fiscal year 2006 by nearly 50 student callers who contacted over 28,000 alumni and friends who played a significant role in OSU’s annual giving efforts. Ten months a year, five days a week, OSU students work to raise funds for the university through academic and financial student support. Future OSU students will see the results of these collective efforts for many years.

“Every OSU student could benefit from working at least one semester as a Cowboy Caller,” Nance said. “The exposure the students receive to other academic colleges and faculty is priceless, as is the interaction with OSU alumni.”

The Oklahoma State University Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for OSU, as designated by the OSU Regents. Its mission is to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.