Duke Club Week - Supporting the Duke Club is Supporting JMU Athletics

For those of you that may not be aware, I've been fortunate to work at the James Madison University on three different occasions. Third times the charm, not three strikes you're out! First as an intern in the sports media relations office after graduation from college and on two different occasions within the Duke Club office.

I did not graduate from JMU but one of the reasons that I wanted to return to work here was the people and the relationships that I've been able to form. Not just the relationships with the individuals in the department but with the alumni, fans and friends of the institution. Essentially, we are in the "relationship business," but at JMU, I feel it's definitely a two-way street and easy to get consumed by the culture.

That culture bleeds into athletic fundraising and what we do day-to-day. We have talked this week about the commitment to raising annual dollars to benefit athletic programs and student-athletes, but the Duke Club works to identify people to invest in other areas as well. These include capital projects, sport-specific initiatives and endowments. Working to provide additional resources for the programs incudes improving existing or fundraising for new facilities. Further, it includes working to raise resources for "excellence" initiatives like foreign trips. Finally, establishing endowments to create a foundation of long-term, sustainable resources is also important to the overall effort.

Beyond fundraising, connecting alumni, fans and friends to the athletic department and the university is another vital mission of the organization. Today we'll play William & Mary in football but will also compete in women's soccer (at Towson). Tomorrow, volleyball will be in action at home against College of Charleston (1 p.m.) and field hockey takes on Drexel in Philadelphia. These teams will have JMU on their jerseys representing the institution proudly – we are an extension of that visibility and help bridge the gap from coast to coast.

Athletic competition is one way to spread the brand of James Madison University but the Duke Club staff does its part to spread the message to constituents. We'll travel the state of Virginia extensity but also span the East Coast from Boston to Florida, along with Texas, California, Chicago and points across the United States. If we're missing your area – please let me know (biancadj@jmu.edu) and we'll come see you! We're committed to connecting with people that have a passionate place in their hearts for JMU. In addition, events locally (Gourmet Pairing & Golf Classic) help with that engagement but we also take the "show on the road" with pregame events, watch parties and networking functions.

Supporting the Duke Club is truly about benefiting athletics and the university as a whole. If you speak with myself, or any of the Duke Club staff, you will hear us reference JMU Athletics as the front porch of the university. We understand that we are not the most important part of campus life but have the opportunity to be the most visible. ESPN's College GameDay, NCAA Tournament appearances and alumni in the professional ranks are just a few examples of that exposure.

So as we come to the close of Duke Club Week, I want to thank those of you that have historically supported the Duke Club or those that jumped on board this year… or this week, every gift is important.

David Biancamano
Senior Associate Athletic Director, Fundraising

More from Duke Club Week:
What is the Duke Club?
Where does the money go?
Growing Membership
Believing in the Mission
Letterwinner Chapter
Bourne Dialogue
Engaged in Excellence

Calendar