Bryce:Â Welcome to Western Hall, this is Bryce Weiler and I have the pleasure of chatting with Amy Spelman, the Director of Alumni Programs at Western Illinois University. And Amy's role with this group, she does a lot of traveling around the country, and recently have seen her in a variety of states. She was in Champaign, Illinois for an event before Western Illinois' game against the University of Illinois and the Fighting Illini. And she was at Coastal Carolina when Western took on the No. 1 ranked Chanticleers. Can you talk about how these events at these various road games give you the opportunity to interact with graduates from Western Illinois all across the country?
Amy:Â Sure, well first of all, thanks very much for having me. These events were wonderful. We always get excited when we learn what the big games are each year. And the University of Illinois is an easy one because it's right down the road, and so we had over 300, 350 alumni and friends. And the neat thing about these events is it's not just for graduates of the university. We like to promote for friends, and especially for friends of athletics because there are a lot of friends for athletics who like to join us for events. It's always nice when it's a tent right outside the stadium and you can just walk right on in. They really came from all over the country, to that event. And of course, down in Conway, South Carolina, But we had about 30 that actually came from the North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida area who just made the short trek, when they can't make it all the way to Macomb. It worked out well for them.
Bryce:Â Now you're a member of the Leatherneck Club here at Western Illinois. Can you talk about some of the Purple and Gold Auctions that you might have attended in the past and some of your favorite items that you have purchased?
Amy:Â I've loved the Purple and Gold Auction and loved it so much that I've also served on the committee for, I would say, about 15 years. I've had the opportunity to see the back-end and all of the hard work that goes into the event. We've already started for next year's event. I've probably been going, attending it, for about 15, 16 years.Â
Some of the things I've actually purchased have been trips, and we really like the WIU items at the Purple and Gold Auction. But what I've also been able to do, being on the committee, is secure some items from some of our alumni around the country. We have one graduate up in the Northbrook area, Jack Brannigan, who is a wonderful supporter of the auction, and he, every year, finds us some sports memorabilia, usually something autographed. We'll get Bears autographed items, Bulls autographed items and you name it, he's been able to come up with it. A lot of the things, I have to admit being a St. Louis Cardinals fan, a lot of what I have purchased has been tickets to those types of games.
Bryce:Â Now you get to work with people, you get to see the student-athletes when they're a student-athlete, but also, I'm sure you get to interact with them after they have graduated and hopefully joined your group. Can you talk about that?
Amy:Â Sure. I will say that we're one of the schools of the country that when you graduate, you automatically are a member of the Alumni Association. Some schools you have to actually pay to be a member. So all of our graduates are actually a member.
And one of the neat things, as you mentioned, is getting to really watch the student-athletes while they are at Western, and then after the fact, getting to see them and meet with them after they graduate. They turn out to be wonderful members of society. They've got great jobs, and because they were so involved as students and student-athletes, they have more tendency to also be involved as graduates and come out to events, support the university financially. But sending students our way, sending their kids our way, there are a lot of ways to support the university that's not necessarily financial. While we love the financial side of it, there are a lot of other ways and former student-athletes and forever Leathernecks are always supportive.
Bryce:Â What's the greatest lesson that you've learned being a part of the Leatherneck Club and something that you hope to pass on to others?
Amy:Â I think a lot of schools can brag about their school. At Western, we know it's about the people. And I think being a member of the Western Illinois University community, and especially with athletics and the Leatherneck Club and that community, it's such a nice, close-knit group. We know each other, even those folks of the Leatherneck Club that maybe live in Chicago, they're involved enough.
My lesson is probably knowing that I've got a ready-made family, an extended family of my own, and knowing that we are all committed to the university and that the group of people in Leatherneck Club are committed to our students, our student-athletes, the university, the administration and the Macomb community. I think that Leatherneck Club not only supports the university, but they embrace the Macomb community and try to bring everyone together.
Bryce:Â And those are lessons that people can take with them, no matter if they're a freshman in college or someone who's been out of college for a few years. Those are things that individuals can always learn from and gain from throughout their lives, helping others and helping serve others who might need assistance.
Amy:Â Definitely, I agree with that whole-heartedly.
Bryce: Well, it's been a fun time chatting with you, Amy Spelman, Director of the Western Illinois Alumni Programs. I hope you have more fun traveling to various events. You have a Chiefs and Bears game next month, then a Rams and Bears game the following month on November 15, spotlighting some of your sports events, and you have oodles of other events as well that you're going to or have listed on your calendar.
Bryce:Â This has been Bryce Weiler chatting with Amy Spelman, thank you for taking part.
Amy:Â Thank you.
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