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NAA Volunteer Spotlight on
Jim Jacobs SESP76
 Occupation: Director, Alumni Relations, Occidental College
NU Affiliation: NU Club of Los Angeles
Title: Member, NU Club of Los Angeles Board and Community Service Chair; Northwestern Director, Big Ten Club of Southern California (and secretary-elect)
How did you get involved as an NAA volunteer and how long have you been affiliated with this, or other, NAA organizations?
Past president Rich Allen (BSC61), who for so many years did a great job leading the LA club, invited me to a board meeting at the Marina del Rey Yacht Club several years ago. I think that was in 2001, not too long after I had moved to California. At that meeting, I expressed interest in organizing events with a community service focus and Rich and the other Board members basically said "go for it" and ever since we've been offering one or two service events each year.
What was one of your most rewarding experiences as an alumni volunteer?
I can think of several but the one I'll mention is seeing alumni volunteers come together to give something back to the local community. While our contributions are modest, there's a great deal of satisfaction to take from helping to build a Habitat for Humanity home or putting together boxes of food at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank that will be distributed to food pantries around the city. I think it's important for alumni clubs to serve their local communities and to help advance Northwestern's great name - and community service projects offer a wonderful opportunity to do that.
What keeps you involved with NAA?
For me, it's the chance to meet so many diverse and interesting alumni and parents at our club events - I think that's the one thing that I enjoy the most about being involved with the club. But a close second might also be the opportunity to serve as a member of the club board, which has some very talented and interesting people on it.
What are your other interests?
Besides cheering on the Green Bay Packers, I enjoy bicycling in the San Gabriel Mountains (both road and mountain), tending to my garden at my home in Azusa, and exploring with Jackie, my girlfriend, all the things that California has to offer.
How has your NAA experience benefited you personally and/or professionally?
Serving as a volunteer has been a terrific experience for me since my day job is working in alumni relations and my Northwestern service allows me to see things from 'the other side of the desk', so to speak. By being a Northwestern volunteer, I'm hopefully able to more effectively work with our many Oxy volunteers who do a great job in serving their alma mater.
What advice would you give to an alumnus new to your area?
That's easy - join the Los Angeles club and attend some of the many events that we put on each year - there's something for everyone. It's a great way to meet fellow alumni, to network and to maintain a strong connection with Northwestern. And, of course, if they really want to get involved, to attend one of our regular Board meetings and see if there might be a volunteer role that they might be interested in taking on.
What advice would you give to an alumnus new to volunteering?
If they have offered to volunteer, they've already taken the most important step. And once involved, regardless of their role, I'd encourage them to become as active as their schedule allows, whether it's in a leadership or support role. I'd also encourage them to make a commitment and to follow through on whatever projects they're working on since volunteer organizations are normally only as effective as the commitment of the volunteers who run them.
How often do you get back to campus? What brings you back?
I don't get back to campus nearly as often as I'd like but usually at least every other year, or so. When I do return, it's usually for a football game or to visit Henry Bienen, a friend of mine going back to when I used to work in the Princeton Alumni Council.
What is your favorite memory of Northwestern as a student?
Probably like many other alumni, I have quite a few. But if I had to choose one, I think it might be my fraternity, Delta Upsilon, and living in the DU house. I transferred into Northwestern as a junior and, not knowing anyone, being a member of a fraternity helped to immediately give me a social network, not to mention having the added benefit of being able to live on campus (Northwestern, at least then, did not provide campus housing for transfers).
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