September 11, 1998

Unusual Appeal for Funds by Wells College Finally Pays Off

Some 50 years ago, Wells College tried an unusual fund-raising strategy: It sent an appeal to everyone in the Manhattan phone book with the last name "Wells."

The appeal was a flop at the time -- but it has just yielded $1-million.

"From a professional fund-raising point of view, nothing could be crazier than to write to total strangers and expect them to support the school because of the commonalities of name,"

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