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Jay Dade will take the helm as president of the MU Alumni
Association in July. Rob Hill photo
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Tiger
Forever
With helpful advice from his parents, Jay
Dade, BJ ’85, JD ’93, enrolled at MU to study journalism.
Since then, no matter where he has gone, he’s always come
back to his roots as a Tiger.
As the new president of the MU Alumni Association, Dade will
build upon MUAA's momentum to help further MU's reputation of
academic excellence. Read on to find out how Dade plans to help
Mizzou embrace the future.
Who were your role models at the
beginning of your career?
Dade: I have to break my
answer to this question into two parts. First, at the beginning
of my magazine publishing career, I looked to two people as role
models: Don Ranly, professor at the journalism school and head
of its magazine sequence, and Michele Kenner, BJ ’83, who
was editor-in-chief of The
Savitar during my freshman year. Second, at the beginning
of my legal career, I again looked to two people as my role models: The
late Timothy Heinsz, who was dean of the law
school and my labor law professor, and Robert Bailey, assistant
dean of the law school and whose office door was always open.
Why did you choose MU?
Dade: Early in high school
in Grandview, Mo., I decided I wanted to pursue journalism as
a career. The University of
Kansas wasn't that far away, and I expressed an interest in
going there. One day, my father sat me down and explained
that I could go anywhere and do anything I wanted, and he and
my mother would support those decisions. He further explained
that a college education was very important, and he and my mother
would pay my tuition and expenses, but only up to the amount charged
by MU; anything above that would be on me. Well, all of a
sudden, MU — and its best-in-the-world School of Journalism
— began to look pretty good to me. I took a college
day visit to campus with my parents and was hooked. I never applied
anywhere else.
I was working in Atlanta, Ga., when I decided
to look into law school. At the time, I lived about three
miles from Emory University's
law school, but the MU gene had now been triggered by my undergraduate
career as a Tiger. I never looked anywhere else and moved
back to the Kansas City area for a year to rebuild my in-state
residency before beginning law school at MU in 1990.
Which MU professor or class had
a major impact on your life?
Dade: Beyond those I mentioned
in my answer to the first question, I would have to add the late
professor Walter Johnson and his Econ 51 class. You hated
his exams, but you understood economics at the end of the semester
(or you died; it was that simple). In law school, beyond
Tim Heinsz and Bob Bailey, professors Jim Westbrook, Carl Esbeck
and Mike Middleton all greatly affected my life and career as
a lawyer.
What are some of your most vivid
memories as an MU student?
Dade: Oh my; first, I have
to check to see if the statutes of limitations have expired on
certain things! Actually, there are indelible memories of MU to
me: the first day of spring on the Francis Quadrangle; living
in the middle of Greek Town during sorority rush; crisp fall Saturdays
on football weekends and pulling the big drum after Mizzou touchdowns
while dodging ice cubes; road trips to just about anywhere, particularly
the hamlet of Easley, Mo.; collecting aluminum cans to reclaim
the deposit money for Sunday dinners at G & D Steakhouse;
watching my father initiated into my fraternity as an alumni brother;
my ears ringing to the roar of the Hearnes Center when the Tigers
beat KU or Oklahoma; the silence of the law school library during
finals; “skeet shooting” with silly string and bubbles
in the law school library basement; late-night brainstorming sessions
in the old Savitar office in Read Hall all hopped up
on Little King or Sub Shop sandwiches; counting five downs; and
completing my last final in law school.
When did you become involved in
the MU Alumni Association?
Dade: I had been a member
of the association since graduating in 1985. In 1996, I thought
it would be interesting to become involved on one of the national
standing committees; I really didn't care which one. At the
time, the Rules Committee was where lawyer volunteers seemed to
land. That's where I was asked to serve, and I got my first
intriguing glimpse at how the association worked.
What campus and alumni association
events are you looking forward to this fall?
Dade: Without a doubt, Homecoming — which has always been a highlight of the year for
our family — will be special, with Norm and Virginia Stewart
as Grand Marshals. He'll always be “Coach” to me. In
addition, I can't wait to be at Tiger Walk in August, an event
that is unique to Mizzou and concludes with free Tiger Stripe
ice cream. What could be better?
As president of the MUAA Board
of Directors, what will be the top items on your agenda?
Dade: This past April, our
Governing Board approved a new long range plan. I hope to
continue the implementation of that plan throughout my term, particularly
the plan's legislative advocacy component. Lifelong relationships
are the foundation of MUAA's support for Missouri's flagship university. Those
relationships are enhanced through advocacy, communication and
volunteerism. I want to do what I can to promote those activities
to support the university I love and hope to improve for my children's
benefit. I look at our mission
statement every day as my guide.
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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