Your Hoos have been actively repping our Brotherhood this summer. Here's a quick look at some recent happenings at home and across the pond:
FO0TBALL 101
On July 30th, several alumni led the annual “Introduction to American Football” event for the incoming class of international students pursuing MBAs at Darden. There were over 120 participants this year.
The event was created by Darden’s international program in 2019 in partnership with several football alumni to provide international students with a general understanding of the game and its influence in American culture. This enables them to more actively participate in fall home games and be conversational in business recruiting visits when football comes up in interviews or social gatherings.
Jay Dorsey ’04, Jon Copper ’09, and Jon Thompson ’04 and their families led this year’s event at Scott Stadium.
Jon's outline can be found here. If you would like to participate in this event in the future, please reach out: jon@journeygroup.com.
Speaking of Darden...
All-American linebacker and Campbell Trophy winner Micah Kiser '17 is making the transition from the NFL to grad school. He recently shared his story and the thought process that went into returning to Grounds, and where he'll soon join the dozens of other former players who have come home to study at Darden. Have a listen here.
You may recall the projects we did the past two off-seasons with the student-led Community Consultants of Darden in an effort to position ourselves for long-term stability. Additionally, the new Forum Hotel will once again play host to our Career Kickoff in December. The event will also feature a free executive education session on Leadership & Organizational Behavior led by Darden professors. The school continues to be a great partner to our group.
'MURICA
If you're an Olympics junkie like some of us, you have have picked up on the fact that the Wahoos were well represented in Paris the other week. All told, UVA student-athletes past and present racked up 14 medals. To put that into context, if UVA were a country we would've placed 13th in the medal count, nestled between Canada (27) and judo powerhouse Uzbekistan (13). Impressive.
And if you were watching closely you may have caught a glimpse of two of our own: Andre Levrone Jr. '17 and Jared Rayman '22.
Andre is married to 400m hurdle gold medalist and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Jared is dating gold medal 200m breaststroker Kate Douglass. Well done, men.
HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER
Here's a piece on 3rd-year runninG back Xavier Brown and his road back from injury. A nice piece about X, and as you read it'll be clear how much support and perspective mentor Howard Petty '87 has provided along the way.
Awesome job, Howard.
"I’m proud of him for working hard and dealing with the mental adversity that he’s going through and now being in position to be to do something. And that’s kind of where our conversations lie. This isn’t the last time he’s going to be somewhere in life where he’s going to need to psychologically deal with the environment and the adversity, and to get through it he’s going to have to have the confidence that he pulled from this piece that he’s doing now.”
BREAKING BREAD
Training camp can be a grind. Up early, lift, treatment, film, meetings, practice, more meetings, more film, more treatment. What a welcome break it was then when 70+ of you came back last weekend to take in a scrimmage, break bread with the team, and check out the new facility. The event also served as a touchpoint where mentors and mentees could connect before the season and classes start.
Additionally, Marc Yavinksy '92 and Joe Hall '93 took it upon themselves to take the Defensive Line out for a meal at Three Notch'd Brewery before camp started (not to fear, it was just food). Consider what that would've been like for you to get a call from an alum, who knows exactly what you're about to step into, and to have him extend an invite to put aside the busyness for a few hours and just hang out with your buddies. Good stuff, Marc and Joe.
When the check came, we're told that Joe conveniently "forgot [my] wallet at home...."
So there's your quick look at Hoos been up to what recently. What's most impressive is that these sorts of things are happening organically and instinctively. No one had to tell Howard to be a friend to Xavier, just as no one had to ask Marc and Joe to take some younger brothers to dinner. You guys are doing these things naturally, on your own, and it's wonderful to see. Keep up the good work.
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