Page 12 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021- Online Magazine
P. 12

Exceptional



                                                              SENIORS


     “Professional”                                                                    Omega and the Student
                                                                                       Senate. He served on the
                                                                                       board of the Student Union
                                                                                       and as president of Thompson
         Saddle                                                                        Hall. But nothing was more
                                                                                       enjoyable for him than being a
                                                                                       Saddle Tramp.

         Tramp                                                                         After graduating in 1970, he
                                                                                       joined the NM National Guard.
                                                                                       Following basic training at
                                                                                       Ft. Polk and AIT at Ft. Bliss,
                                                                                       he was able to transfer to the
                                                                                       Army Reserves in Lubbock
            Jim Douglass                                                               where he served out the
                                                                                       remaining five years of his six-
                                                                                       year commitment.

                                                                                       His first job after graduation
          by Jane Bromley                                                              was with KSEL AM/FM Radio
                                                                                       where he was Continuity
                                                                                       Director for three years.
               he 85-year-old Saddle Tramps                                            From 1974-79, he was the first
               of Texas Tech have a long                                              executive director of Lubbock’s
         Trich history of supporting the                                              Big Brother organization.
          university – with so much more than   As VP of Development for the      Big Sisters were added during his
          bells and crepe paper streamers.    TTUAA, Jim is tasked with           tenure. In October 1979, Dr. Bill
          Their school spirit is unmatched,   overseeing 75+ alumni chapters      Dean, director of what was then
          and every pledge class is expected   across the country, directing      known as the Texas Tech Ex-Student
          to master a massive amount of       the Alumni’s Vacation/Travel        Association, contacted Jim about an
          Tech history. The underclassmen     Program – The Traveling Techsans    opening for assistant director. “It
          use their stint at the university to   –  stimulating membership        was a tough decision for me. I have
          advance their mission: “If it is for   recruitment, coordinating        loved every job I’ve ever had, and I
          the betterment of Texas Tech, let’s   community relations, organizing   hated to leave BB/BS.”
          work at it.”                        the Texas Tech University System
                                              Day in Austin every other year,     But, for the former Saddle Tramp,
          Over 50 years ago, Jim Douglass     and much more. One of the main      it seemed like a perfect fit. Jim has
          was one of them. And today, he is   reasons the Alumni Association      been able to travel with many of the
          the Texas Tech Alumni Association’s   exists is to support Tech’s academic   Tech presidents as they visited the
          Vice President for Development.     mission – mainly, raising money     various alumni chapters around the
          “Basically, I’m a professional Saddle   for scholarships – and Jim has been   country. He has mobilized hundreds
          Tramp.” The service organization    doing it for 42 years now. He caught   of Tech alumni to show up for Texas
          had a huge influence on the young   the vision for advancing the mission   Tech Day to lobby state lawmakers
          man from San Antonio. “The Saddle   of Texas Tech over a half century   on behalf of higher education in
          Tramps did more to prepare me for   ago, and he shows no sign of        Texas. He works hard to encourage
          my career than any of my classes.”   slowing down. Red and black have   the dozens of alumni chapters to do
          That statement doesn’t take away    been his favorite colors for longer   their own fundraisers to provide
          from the excellent education he     than he can remember.               TTU scholarships from their
          received in the College of Business.                                    hometowns.
          (“It wasn’t the Rawls College of    Although born in Corsicana, and
          Business back then because Jerry    raised in San Antonio, Jim Douglass   For years, many Red Raider alums
          Rawls and I were there at the same   was destined to be a Red Raider.   who have chosen to support their
          time.”)                             He was a member of Alpha Tau        Alumni Association have done so



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