Activating the "A-Team"
Jack Claypoole - point
man for the new College Alumni Society
By Lindsay Burke
Jack Claypoole is fired
up about becoming chairman of the College of Mass Communications
and Information Studies' new alumni society.
Though the organization is named for alumni, Claypoole says
students are an important part of its work. He wants to make
the society the prototype for USC as other colleges begin
to form their own alumni groups.
"I want our college to set the standard for the University.
Because of our education and experience, we plan to raise
the bar in terms of communications, public relations and
special events as they relate to student and alumni activities," he
said.
"We are thankful to the Carolina
Alumni Association for their support and encouragement of
our College's initiative to create our very own Alumni Society," Claypoole
added.
Claypoole says students, as future alumni, will play a large
part in making the society a success. He wants them to realize
how valuable they are to the journalism and library programs
both now and in the future.
"As a journalism professional in a non-journalism field,
I have a deeper appreciation for the value of the education
our graduates receive," said Claypoole, who has been
president and chief executive of the Lexington-Richland Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Council for more than three years.
One of his plans as alumni society chairman is to create
a market for the students with the alumni, a place where
they can go for mentoring, networking, jobs, advice and more.
A strong base of alumni support makes a school successful,
he said.
The 1987 public relations graduate began working at LRADAC
12 years ago. He also worked in the community service department
and as chief of staff before becoming the agency's second
president in 35 years.
Claypoole also spends much of his time training and consulting
with a number of local and national groups, including the
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. When
he has free time, Claypoole enjoys spending it on the lake,
traveling and watching football.
He has been married for 18 years and met his wife, Sandy,
during his junior year at Carolina. They have a 9 -year-old
son, Connor, who, Claypoole says, "is dying to go to
USC."
He says meeting his wife is his favorite memory from South
Carolina. "I still remember that day!
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Lindsay
Burke is a senior public relations major from New
York. She is the current treasurer of the Public
Relations Student Society of America. |
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