Why we soar: Taking flight from 986 miles away

Yaimarie Queeman Soto ’14 knows a great deal about being intentional with her time and service. Along with being a mom of two and working in the fast-paced alcohol sales industry, she manages to make time for the school she loves. 

Queeman Soto is one of many alumni volunteers who help keep Flyers engaged from afar and strengthen the alumni network while facilitating participation, contributing to UD’s volunteer goal during the We Soar campaign. Her inspiration for it all is simple — she may have left campus after graduation, but UD never truly left her.

After all, Queeman Soto maintains contact with friends, used her business major to pursue a job with the company she connected with at the campus career fair and even met her husband when they worked as resident assistants in Marycrest. In most aspects of her life, there always seem to be breadcrumbs that trail from Dayton back to her.

In 2022 she was nominated to be a part of day10, a committee whose goal is to support young alumni and help them stay involved with the University through philanthropy and engagement opportunities like alumni panels and media outreach.

“All of the initiatives are centered around being resources, keeping the community alive and making sure that everyone stays connected to Dayton,” Queeman Soto said.

“All of the initiatives are centered around ... making sure that everyone stays connected to Dayton.”

Upon her family’s relocation to Dallas, Queeman Soto discovered there was a flourishing alumni group with members who shared the same sentiment. As leadership opportunities presented themselves, she became more involved.

After serving her term on the day10 executive committee, Queeman Soto became the community leader of the alumni group in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. At the local level, her group maintains group messages and face-to-face connections when communicating University campaigns and initiatives. She also comes back to campus yearly to meet with other community leaders to share how they are achieving their engagement goals.

Queeman Soto said she is happy to take the lead in her community, and her role has even allowed her to lend a helping hand to current students. 

Her proudest moment as a volunteer came when she helped organize a panel of professional alumni from diverse backgrounds to speak to students in the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center about their transition to graduates. In the meeting, the panelists answered questions about navigating job offers, deciding where to live after graduation and even the best ways to establish credit.

“I want to be an example and a resource,” she said. Flyers, through acts such as answering questions and offering insights into their professional journeys, have assisted future generations of Flyers.

“When it comes down to it, if I can help someone who hasn’t figured it all out yet as they transition from student to alum, or if I can provide that sense of community and unity — that’s going to help grow awareness of what we’re trying to do [as volunteers],” she said.

Queeman Soto’s work serves as an example of how alumni efforts continue the University’s mission, vision and values, keeping Flyers connected long after they leave campus.

She encourages students and new alumni to reach out and stay involved with UD beyond graduation. There are always opportunities to remain connected to campus, no matter where life takes you. 

With final regards to her time spent at UD, Queeman Soto said she is grateful for all the opportunities that have come from being a Flyer, most notably, her family and career.

“Truly,” she said, “it made me who I am today.” 

Photos courtesy Yaimarie Queeman Soto