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The knowledge and experiences she gained in the classroom continue to serve her today, but when Jen reflects on what ´óÏóÊÓƵ truly taught her, one lesson rises above the rest: the value of relationships. 

"´óÏóÊÓƵ showed me that success isn't just about the accomplishments that you have on a piece of paper, but about the way you interact with, encourage, support, and learn from those you meet in your journey," Jen said. 

It's a lesson that has stayed with her for more than two decades—and one that helps explain why her relationship with ´óÏóÊÓƵ didn't end when she received her diploma. 

For Jen, there wasn't one particular moment when she decided she wanted to remain connected to the University. It simply felt natural. 

"´óÏóÊÓƵ was such an important part of my story that it was clear graduation wasn't the end of that chapter," she said. "As the years have passed, I have appreciated even more my time and experiences at ´óÏóÊÓƵ and have wanted to find ways to give back and remain a part of the ´óÏóÊÓƵ community." 

Today, one of those ways is through service on Alumni Council. 

Being part of the Council gives Jen an opportunity to give back to the place that helped shape her while also doing something she values deeply—building relationships with other people. 

"Being a part of the Alumni Council allows me to stay connected, build new relationships with Muskies of all eras, and hopefully help other alums connect with our alma mater as well." 

In fact, one of her favorite parts of serving on Council has been discovering just how quickly those relationships form. 

"No matter how many years apart our time at ´óÏóÊÓƵ may have been, there is such a deep connection that unites us immediately," Jen said. 

It's a shared bond that stretches across generations and reflects what Jen believes alumni engagement is really about. Today's alumni are part of a much longer story—one that includes the Muskies who supported them as students and the students who are following in their footsteps today. 

"Our ´óÏóÊÓƵ story doesn't end when we get a degree," she said. "It's a part of who we are, and we were so fortunate to have had alums supporting us during our time as a student. It's important for us to do the same." 

For Jen, staying engaged also helps preserve the traditions and relationships that make the ´óÏóÊÓƵ experience special while providing alumni with an opportunity to pay that support forward to today's students. 

It's a balance between honoring what has always made ´óÏóÊÓƵ special and embracing what comes next—a balance that also makes Jen excited about the University's future. 

"As the world around us continues to evolve, I'm excited to see how ´óÏóÊÓƵ continues to invite new ways of thinking and learning as it prepares students for success," she said. "I'm also excited to see new ideas and people come into each chapter of ´óÏóÊÓƵ, building upon our story and what makes ´óÏóÊÓƵ special as we journey together to new spaces." 

But if Jen could travel back to her own first chapter at ´óÏóÊÓƵ, she knows exactly where she would go: freshman move-in weekend. 

"Everything was new and exciting, and that was the weekend that I met so many new friends who are still my friends to this day," she said. "It was also when I knew I had chosen the exact right place for me." 

Years later, those friendships offer perhaps the clearest example of the lesson Jen learned at ´óÏóÊÓƵ in the first place. Accomplishments matter, but the relationships built along the way are what endure. 

Ask Jen what being a Muskie means to her today, and one word captures it perfectly: "Community." 

"Being a Muskie is being a part of a unique group of people, and it extends well beyond the time we spent on campus," she said. "It's one full of friends, memories, experiences, and lessons that stay with you." 

And when asked to finish the sentence, "´óÏóÊÓƵ will always be home because…," Jen's answer brings her story full circle. 

"It is a deep part of me and who I am. No matter where you go in life, you carry a piece of it with you, and no matter how long it's been or how far away you have been, you can always go home." 

Lightning Round 

Coffee or tea? Tea 

Sunrise or sunset? Sunset 

Favorite campus food: "Hands down, the French toast sticks and tater tots served on Sundays." 

Favorite study spot: The WMCO/MCTV newsroom in Cambridge Hall 

Favorite professors: Dr. Diane Rao and Dr. Jeff Harman—both of whom, Jen says, are still encouraging her and rooting her on all these years later. 

Song that reminds her of college: Nelly's Ride Wit Me—with a ´óÏóÊÓƵ twist: "Must Be the Money" became "´óÏóÊÓƵ Money." 

Favorite vacation destination: Nashville 

Dog or cat? Cat 

One word friends would use to describe her: Dedicated 

Favorite ´óÏóÊÓƵ tradition: Midnight Breakfast during Finals