As the four short days of Fall Break come to an end, you can hear a whoosh sound — not from leaves falling, but from Jeremy Vaughn doing his breathing exercises. As Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Vaughn is the force behind the weekend of Homecoming festivities. Of course, the week before is hectic for him and others who work diligently behind the scenes to make sure each event runs smoothly. But Vaughn employs the same breathing exercises he uses as a musician. He turns stress into a motivator.
Q: How did you get involved with alumni programming?
A: I credit my UMW liberal arts education for this opportunity, since I work in a field not quite related to my two majors. After graduating in 2008, I was working an unpaid internship doing curatorial work at the Fredericksburg Area Museum and needed a job to support myself. A few years of working this full-time job landed me a position as director of membership and fundraising-related programs. I am quite fortunate to have this fantastic job with Alumni Relations. They are a team of amazing people.
Q: What’s your favorite part of planning for Homecoming week?
A: I’m a sucker for the little things that make an event fun. This year, we have new custom wristbands with snap-off drink tickets that say “BEER ME.” It’s a small detail but I hope it gets a chuckle each time they use it at the bar.
Q: What are you looking forward to during Homecoming week?
A: I’d have to say my favorite part of any alumni event is watching alumni of different ages interacting and having a blast. We hold a happy hour on the Friday before Homecoming at Home Team Grill, which seems to attract a higher percentage of the older alumni. The brunch is a good mix of all ages, while the tailgate has a lot of younger alumni.
Q: Are there any Homecoming horror stories or funny stories you’d like to share?
A: If you were to ask any alumni this question, I’m sure you’d get some excellent answers for both. There are, of course, some legendary stories I can’t disclose, but to get these you should probably just come to Homecoming and hear them for yourself!
