Jon Jack B.B.A.'11

Paying It Forward

The life of a student is hectic, and the life of a student athlete is even more hectic, but Jon Jack, B.B.A.'11, defensive tackle on the Bronco football team, did not let that get in the way of giving back to the community. By his senior year at Western, Jack had more than 100 hours of community service logged in Kalamazoo and surrounding areas. He loved the feeling of being a positive influence, especially when working with kids. "The most rewarding experience was going to children's hospitals and seeing the faces of kids in the ICU light up," says Jack. "They forget about their situation for a few minutes. It is a powerful experience."

His hard work did not go unnoticed. Because of his work in the classroom, on the football field, and his dedication to the community, he was nominated for and received the Timmy Parker Memorial Pay It Forward Scholarship. Each year this scholarship is awarded to a student who is a strong leader and positive change agent in the community.

In the spirit of "paying it forward" Jack did something that only the most humble and grateful student would; he used the monetary award as seed money to set up a scholarship award in honor of his great grandmother, Lena Mae Jack. He hopes students who receive the award will see their dedication to helping others is recognized and that they will be inspired to achieve success, just as he was inspired by his great grandmother.

Jack does not stop there when it comes to the Haworth College of Business. He continues to give back to the college by providing networking opportunities for students with him and others he has met in the management field, and calls networking, "the most powerful tool for starting your career."

Jack is a shipping executive at Target, where he motivates his team members to reach their goals and ensure the customer receives their products on time. He routinely takes lessons on leadership from his days on the WMU football team and applies them to his career. He offers students this advice, "Realize that people do not become successful by thinking they know everything. Be prepared to take advantage of every situation and find a way to learn something."