Duke Club Week - Letterwinner Chapter - James Madison University Athletics

My four-and-a-half-year experience of being a student-athlete at James Madison is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The knowledge I gained, my personal development and the long-lasting connections I made are all things I could never put a price tag on. When I was being recruited, and during the first few years of school, I knew nothing about how scholarships worked or the behind the scenes fundraising involved to provide me with the best resources to succeed both in the classroom and on the field. Fortunately, I went to a university that is highly committed to student success and provides one of the best educational experiences in Virginia. Additionally, I was granted the opportunity, the luxury, to play in one of the best stadiums in FCS football with one of the most competitive teams in the country. The exceptional support of athletics, through the Duke Club, contributed to making my experience the best it could be. I have often heard stories from friends at other universities about their negative experiences, but this was not the case for me. I can't remember a time that I felt as if I did not have the resources or the funds to be able to do the things necessary as a student-athlete.

As I advanced in my college career, I began to gain a basic understanding of how scholarships operated at JMU and how the Duke Club played a part. Realizing that the university I'd competed at for so many years does not receive any state funding for athletics and that the resources that we have come from mostly fundraising and donations was astonishing to me. Over time, I gained an interest in working with athletics which ultimately led me to doing an internship with the Duke Club my senior year. I wanted to be a part of an organization that plays a major part in creating opportunity for student-athletes very similar to myself. My transition from being a student-athlete to working at the Duke Club has been a remarkable one. The same competitive excellence that I had on the football field is the same that I exhibit in the work place. Getting the chance to play a part behind the scenes is something that I find to be rewarding. I am constantly learning something new about fundraising and development through working with this organization. Much of what I learned as a student-athlete has guided me in working for the athletics department. Many skills that I gained as a student-athlete, such as that of time management and being able to deal with adversity on the fly, are skills that I exercise often in the office. For me, the most satisfying part of working for the Duke Club is the rewarding feelings of working endlessly to help JMU Athletics grow, and most importantly, working to provide opportunities to student-athletes, just as someone worked hard to provide me those opportunities.

-Alex Mosley '15
Duke Club Donor and Letterwinner Chapter Member

JMU Athletics has a very rich history. National Championships, CAA Championships, stand-out teams, players and more make up our phenomenal history. We are very proud and thankful for the over 7,000 past and present student-athletes who have given their blood, sweat and tears to the sport they loved while representing James Madison University.

The Duke Club works hard to connect with student-athletes after their playing days in Harrisonburg are over. Just because they are no longer competing, doesn't mean that they are no longer a part of our family. The Letterwinner Chapter, comprised of former student-athletes giving back through gifts to the Duke Club, aims to connect and engage with as many former student-athletes as it can.

There are many ways our letterwinners can get involved:

Update contact information at jmudukeclub.com/letter
Stay in touch with your current program
Come back to campus for an alumni event or athletic event
Volunteer your time as a mentor of our current student-athletes
Give back to the Duke Club in support of the student-athlete scholarships and experience

The Duke Club is always looking for more individuals to invest in what is happening on campus. It is time for former-athletes to hold on and cherish their fond memories of their playing days, and look ahead at the current-athletes as they are making those same memories you did; paying it forward to the next group of potential National Champions who wear their purple and gold with pride!

More from Duke Club Week:
What is the Duke Club?
Where does the money go?
Growing Membership
Believing in the Mission