Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Have you ever been to a UD wedding? When two young graduates tie the knot, it’s a big deal for a lot of Flyers (emphasis on a lot — if you know, you know). And, if you do know, then you also understand that the UD community is always there. Not just for the big celebrations, but also for the most devastating times, too. That’s what a true community does for each other.

That was certainly what Amy (Zimmer) Jamieson ’94 experienced after the unexpected death of her husband Jason “JJ” Garrett Jamieson ’91. Despite her familiarity with the UD community, she was still surprised by how many Flyers came to Jason’s funeral in Kingwood, Texas, just north of Houston. The community of Flyers also called, wrote, and sent cards and memorial gifts. Jason would certainly be humbled to know that the UD community he loved so much turned out in force to honor his life — creating the Jason “JJ” Garrett Jamieson ’91 Memorial Scholarship.

Alexa Plummer, a junior marketing major active in UD’s Fiore Talarico Center for Professional Selling, is the first recipient of the scholarship, which supports junior and senior students, with a preference for students who are members of the Center for Professional Selling. Plummer was able to meet with Amy on campus just one year after Jason’s death, and she learned about his passion for sales — and for people.

“I find it truly remarkable how dedicated he was to those around him, whether immediate family or friends,” said Plummer. She aspires to follow Jason’s lead in life in his dedication to both his career and family. And, after Plummer’s active experience with the Center for Professional Selling and completing an internship, she is planning to launch her career in sales. 

During that afternoon, Amy shared several stories about Jason and his passion for sales. It was in his blood, and he excelled at it — not because he was a great talker (though he was) — but because he was a fabulous listener who cared deeply about all the people in his life.

The Jamiesons would run errands together on the weekends before they had their five children, and Amy remembered how Jason’s first stop was always at the local convenience store for coffee. A regular, he had even negotiated a weekly deal with the owners, Joe and Lisa. One Saturday Jason ran in for their coffee, and he was inside for 20 minutes. 

“It was 8 a.m. on a Saturday, and there was no one else there. When Jason came out of the store he said, ‘I’m sorry it took so long. Joe and Lisa got into an argument, and I was the mediator. I think they’re OK now,’” said Amy.

It was never about the money for Jason; it was always about people. And his ability to really listen was a gift that touched everyone who had the pleasure of getting to know him, and why nearly 50 gifts from across the country came in to fully endow the scholarship in his honor in less than six months. The scholarship was awarded to Plummer in less than a year.

After meeting with Plummer, Amy toured the center with the director, Anthony Krystofik ’78. The center is one of 127 professional sales programs at colleges and universities, a number that has nearly doubled since UD’s sales center opened in 2012. The program placed UD on the Sales Education Foundation’s list of Top University Sales Programs in the U.S.

Amy said Jason would have loved the sales center and dedicated lab. “UD was very important to Jason,” said Amy. “It started with the UD soccer community and athletics — Jason received a full scholarship to play soccer for the Flyers for four years, so he was adamant about giving back to the University.”

And as memorial gifts were received — generously given by so many Flyers and Jason’s colleagues in sales — Amy knew UD was the right choice for Jason’s memorial gifts because of his love for his community and career.

“Then I learned about the Talarico Center for Professional Selling, and I realized that it was the perfect fit. It’s a growing area that can help so many students, and hopefully, we can grow the scholarship, too,” said Amy. “I want everyone who donated to Jason’s scholarship to know what a fantastic candidate received this first scholarship, and their gifts are so appreciated.”