Alumni in 5
Jamie Munson '13
Employer
Assistant Director, Alumni Relations at The University of Chicago
1. Tell us about your journey since graduation.
Life after college required some soul searching and I was
fortunate to do mine as a Nurse Tech at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation
Hospital. I got to work with an incredible team of co-workers and help
patients who were going through difficult moments in their lives.
While my end goal was to work in higher education, I knew that my
experiences at this hospital were critical to my personal growth and
would forever shape me as a person. I eventually went on to begin my
alumni relations career at the University of Michigan after seeking
guidance from and building connections with a lot of wonderful
development professionals. Along the way, I think it was most
important for me to realize that life presents us with a lot of
different opportunities to learn and grow. Take your time, talk with
people, and truly ask yourself, “What gifts am I meant to give to this
world”? That helps inform me where I belong.
2. Share a favorite Grand Valley memory.
I have so many great memories from GVSU. If I had to pick one,
it’d be my freshman year watching our football team in the playoffs on
an ESPN-televised game. It was absolutely freezing out. We won the
game and all the students stormed the field afterward. Who says
Division II sports can’t be fun?
3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
“Sincerity of purpose always expresses itself in action.” - Harry Kelly
4. List three words you would use to describe your Grand
Valley experience.
Beautiful campus, Inspiring professors, Selfies with Louie
5. What difference would you like to make in the world?
I want to make the world a little kinder by treating everyone I
meet with love and respect. We’re all going through something. If I
can positively impact people’s lives by simply being a good person,
why wouldn’t I do that? It’s also my hope that the alumni relations
work I do day-in and day-out leads to better access to college
education, increased awareness (and the tools to abolish) the
inequalities that exist in this world, and supporting a more connected community.
February 2021
Interest Area(s)
Sociology
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