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In this episode of 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast, hosts Meg Connolly (A&S ‘90, GRAD A&S ‘92) and Tony Minor (A&S ‘03) explore how campus involvement shapes student life and lays the groundwork for lifelong connection. Connolly opens the episode alongside Amy Fehlig Kendall (CSB ‘91, GRAD CSB ‘98) to discuss the history and impact of Oriflamme, SLU’s longest-standing group of student leaders that welcome new students to campus and help them transition to college life. Fehlig Kendall reflects on how Oriflamme and the warmth of the Billiken community built her confidence, created lifelong friendships, and eventually came full circle when her own sons attended SLU.
In the second half, Minor and Connolly lead a dynamic roundtable with alumni guests Jeff Jarrett (CSB '03) and Aric Hamilton (A&S ’23, GRAD ED ’25). They explore why saying "yes" to sometimes unexpected campus opportunities during a student’s undergraduate years can lead to a lifelong calling. Jarrett shares how working at SLU’s on-campus radio station, KSLU, influenced his career in music management and event production, while Hamilton reflects on how serving as SLU’s Student Government Association president helped him discover a passion for higher education administration and student advocacy.
Finally, as always, Minor shares a valuable alumni perk — signature celebrations held throughout the year just for graduates, their families, and guests, offering exclusive experiences not available anywhere else.
Want to learn more? Delve into SLU’s Oriflamme, from where the group takes its name to what it represents on campus today, and learn more about the group’s longtime advisor, Mary Bruemmer. Get a glimpse at what student organizations exist on campus today, as well as what alumni clubs offer in St. Louis and beyond. Plus, don’t forget to see which signature alumni events are coming up next.
Creators and Guests
Host
Meg Connolly
Meg Connolly (A&S ‘90, GRAD ‘92) is a two-time Saint Louis University graduate who has been a member of the alumni and development teams for over 30 years. Her favorite Billiken memories include SLU’s 200th celebration under the Gateway Arch, men’s basketball and women’s soccer NCAA tournament pregames, and getting married in the St. Francis Xavier College Church. Connolly is fortunate to have engaged with so many wonderful graduates and friends of the University from across the country — alumni who literally change the world in ways only Billikens can. She is thrilled to share more SLU conversations and stories through the 1818 podcast.
Host
Tony Minor
Tony Minor (A&S ‘03) is a longtime leader in alumni and donor engagement at Saint Louis University, where he currently serves as an assistant vice president. During his 20-plus years in higher ed advancement, he’s led teams across alumni engagement, annual giving, stewardship, marketing and events — all with the goal of building stronger connections between SLU and its community of graduates and supporters. Minor got his start in the Office of the President and has grown his career entirely at SLU. He’s a proud Billiken, holding degrees in English and communications, and is passionate about ensuring SLU’s alumni feel connected.
Guest
Amy Fehlig Kendall
Amy Fehlig Kendall joined Marsh McLennan Agency in April 2022 as Executive Vice President of Business Insurance for the Upper Midwest Region. Ms. Kendall collaborates with regional and local leadership across nine states to develop and implement MMA Upper Midwest’s short and long-term strategy for Business Insurance. Responsible for Business Insurance revenue growth for the region, she works closely with company leaders to support development of Business Insurance through organic growth and acquisition. She consults with clients and carriers to develop initial and on-going business relationships. Prior to joining MMA, Ms. Kendall was Regional Branch Manager for Chubb Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her insurance career at Chubb Corporation in 1991 and held positions from underwriting to field leadership. Ms. Kendall graduated from Saint Louis University with a BS degree in Marketing and an Executive Masters in International Business degree.
Guest
Aric W. Hamilton
Aric Hamilton serves as the Director of Student Services and Alumni Relations at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) College of Optometry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History, American Studies, and Education, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from Saint Louis University. A dynamic, student-centered practitioner, Aric brings a holistic and equity-minded approach to student affairs, rooted in the belief that every student deserves a sense of belonging, purpose, and possibility. Grounded in principles of inclusive excellence, he plays a critical role in cultivating affirming environments and developmental experiences for applicants, students, and alumni at UMSL College of Optometry—bridging access, support, and lifelong engagement. Aric’s professional foundation includes prior service in student affairs and academic affairs roles at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and School of Law. As an undergraduate student, he was deeply involved in campus leadership and advocacy, ultimately making institutional history as the first Black male elected student government president at Saint Louis University. His contributions were honored with induction into the Saint Louis University Student Hall of Fame and the 2025 Emerging Leader Award from the Saint Louis University Black Alumni Association. Aric’s work is animated by a deep commitment to social justice, student development, and relational leadership. He remains passionate about empowering students to thrive academically, develop their identities, and become agents of change in their communities and professions.
Guest
Producer
Megan Favignano Mansouri
Megan Favignano-Mansouri is the digital content specialist for Saint Louis University's development communications team. Her passion is storytelling and uplifting the voices of the community. Megan is an award-winning storyteller with a decade of experience working in journalism, public relations, and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with certificates in Environmental Journalism and Leadership from Webster University. In her free time, Megan enjoys watercolor, family game nights, walks with her two dogs and exploring St. Louis with her husband.
What is 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast?
Shaping the Future Since 1818
As the oldest institution of its kind west of the Mississippi River, Saint Louis University has stood at the forefront for more than two centuries. From revolutionizing football with the forward pass to performing the Midwest's first heart transplant, SLU is where history is made.
Some traditions endure: our proud Jesuit, Catholic foundation, a deep commitment to academic excellence and a calling to pursue social justice. Other stories have been lost to history — until now.
In the debut season of 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast, we dive into SLU's rich and often surprising legacy. Each episode features an unexpected conversation about SLU's background, a dynamic roundtable with alumni, thought leaders and changemakers shaping the University's next chapter, and a spotlight on distinctive alumni events and services.
Whether you're a Billiken from yesterday, today or tomorrow, join us as we showcase the people and moments that define us.
Once a Billiken, Always a Billiken.
INTRODUCTION
Tony Minor:
Welcome to 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast. Along with my colleague and fellow graduate Meg Connolly, I'm your cohost Tony Minor. Each episode features an unexpected conversation about SLU’s background followed by a dynamic roundtable with alumni, thought leaders, and changemakers shaping the University’s next chapter. Each episode concludes with a spotlight on distinctive alumni events and services — so make sure to stay with us.
Whether you’re a Billiken from yesterday, today, or tomorrow, join us as we showcase the people and moments that define Saint Louis University. Let’s get started.
CONVERSATION WITH AMY FEHLIG KENDALL
**Meg Connolly**:
Welcome to 1818, St. Louis University's alumni podcast. I'm Meg Connolly. Today's episode is focused on student leadership at SLU. In a little while, my co-host Tony and I will chat with a couple of alums about their involvement on campus. But first, we're gonna talk about a student leadership opportunity that has been an integral part of move-in weekend for decades, and that is Oriflamme.
And it isn't just, I think, a part of that weekend, but it's really a part of, I think, kind of the heart and soul of St. Louis University in one student organization. SLU's Oriflamme takes its name from a storied symbol. The original Oriflamme was a holy banner carried by French kings into battle. Oriflamme's current mission is to help SLU's newest students feel at home, moving them into their dorm room and becoming available as a sounding board as students begin their new lives here.
Joining me today is Amy Fehlig Kendall from the class of '91 to share a bit about her experience with Oriflamme. Welcome, Amy.
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Thank you, Meg. Glad to be here.
**Meg Connolly**:
Obviously, I've now given the CliffsNotes version of where the name came from, which I have to say, even though I was involved, it was a learning experience for me. What do you know about sort of the history of Oriflamme on campus, particularly, you know, Mary Bruemmer and her involvement?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Well, Mary is so inspiring to men and women alike, but especially women as one of the original pioneer students on campus and living in the dorm, and then the ensuing leadership roles that she assumed following declining a few leadership roles in her early days and then coming back to campus. So her influence really transcends, I think, so many organizations across the SLU campus, but in particular, I'm grateful for the role that she had with Oriflamme.
And what Oriflamme really meant to me in terms of leaving home from a great distance and really what Oriflamme meant in terms of relationships and confidence that I built because of that experience.
**Meg Connolly**:
How did you get involved with Oriflamme? How many years were you involved, and what was that path like?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Yeah, I think it was people like you, Meg, right, that pulled me in. No, actually, I very clearly remember my first experience. Like so many of us, you drive up to campus nervous about going away to college. I grew up in Georgia, so I was 650 miles from home. I was the only student from my graduating class of 42 in a small town in Georgia who left the state.
So I went multiple states away. And as we're driving—and my mom and dad both planned to take me to college, but because of all of the things that I brought, only my dad fit in the car—as we were driving from Georgia to Missouri, I was thinking about everything that I left behind.
I lived in Georgia for 14 years, and obviously the sadness and kind of all the things. So as we approached SLU, kind of the first morning after spending the night in a hotel, it's just like this sea of orange shirts surrounded our car. And I was already dreading trying to move up multiple floors in Griesedieck at the time.
But the team just really took over—and not only from a physical standpoint, but also emotionally. There's just something intuitive about Oriflamme leaders. I think it's great training, and then obviously just who these leaders really are and their character. They quickly picked up on how this freshman was nervous about leaving home and being so far away.
I just felt this warmth and support and a "we got you" mentality, and that certainly gave me this great sense of confidence. So after moving in, there were activities where there was no time to think about home or my dad leaving the next morning—none of those things. It was all about, "Come meet SLU, meet these people, and see all that this great SLU community has to offer."
So fast-forward to the next morning, which I thought would be dreaded to say goodbye to my father, who I was extremely close with and who is also an alum of SLU. I was worried about that moment, and instead it was a bit like a pat on the back: "Thanks, Dad, for coming and dropping me off, and I'll see you in a few months."
And that's truly how I felt. And then on I went to more Oriflamme activities, and it was just amazing. It's so imprinted in my mind, those moments. I'm grateful to SLU for creating such an opportunity with this orientation group, and how SLU and Mary's vision really transcended in how we populate that leadership group and what that programming looks like.
I never looked back twice and never moved back home to Georgia after that.
**Meg Connolly**:
How did that experience of being that scared freshman, feeling overwhelmed and surrounded by nothing but change, inspire you to join the organization or to want to continue that as you moved up the SLU ladder?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Yes. Well, I think as humans, we all generally want to help other people, right? And I saw no better opportunity as a sophomore to pay it back and pay it forward. So I was clear after that very first weekend that I wanted to be part of this cool kids club. And cool kids in terms of just being great, well-rounded folks who have diversified backgrounds and diversified interests from across the globe.
I thought, "I want to be part of a group who can come together and help freshmen and even transfer students feel so good and confident about this next stage in life." And I did that sophomore through senior year.
**Meg Connolly**:
Of the people that you met through those three years of involvement, are you still close to people? Do you see that sort of Oriflamme bond continuing post-graduation?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Oh my gosh, you know the answer to that. I'm still so close with many, not only my contemporaries as Oriflamme leaders, but my Oriflamme leader. So I'm still in touch with so many. And then the tentacles from that, right? Friends of the friends of the friends who are now like godparents to my children, who—I hate to say how many years later, 35 years later—we're still in touch and seeing each other, like going to the Muny with a group once a month.
I share Billiken basketball tickets with a group. I mean, it's just everywhere you go. And then here's the thing: even if I'm running into a SLU alum who I knew maybe distantly, there is this sense of that shared community, shared experience, and there's something special about SLU that just really connects us all.
It's a super special place, and I think that experience and that opportunity... there's no other part of my life that fulfills that feeling of being with SLU alums and SLU friends.
**Meg Connolly**:
I think some of the most amazing parts of it are that when you think about student organizations you might be involved with, it really is year-long. But with Oriflamme, it is such a compact timeline: there's the getting together of the group, the solidifying, and then the move-in, and it's all in a very short window, but it has such long-term impact.
Now, obviously, you talked about your father being an alum, you're an alum, and you had a son who also attended Saint Louis University. So what was that like as a former Oriflamme member moving your son to campus, viewing it from that perspective?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Yes, yes. Well, actually, I had two sons go through—two very different individual sons in terms of their interests and passions.
It was just so exciting to move them in. Will is our oldest, and he went on to get a marketing degree through the business school. And then Andrew, three years later, joined as a freshman and went through the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. So again, very different degrees, and they both equally had a blast. You know, they have the SLU twinkle in their eye as well.
**Meg Connolly**:
What did it feel like pulling up and seeing those orange shirts years later, ready to carry the boxes?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
I mean, they loved that. It was neat. Of course, I'm snapping pictures away on my phone, just reliving it. And then for them—and I really tried not to share too much about that experience because I think it's just like this super special surprise, right?
If you start to tell somebody what it's going to be like, it kind of ruins it. So I really kept it to myself and really fought to not bring my own Oriflamme shirt and throw it on for Will. But anyway, it was phenomenal. He loved it, especially because he knew with Mom he was going to be doing the heavy lifting.
My husband's a high school football coach, so he could not join us on that trip, so it was going to be just the two of us. So there was a lot of relief there, and Will loved it. Andrew was so inspired by his experience that he too became an Oriflamme leader the following year.
**Meg Connolly**:
It is nice knowing that it isn't just a spiritual connection, but also that they're going to do the physical labor. That is something we shouldn't undersell. In August in St. Louis, to have extra hands is never a bad thing!
Obviously, Oriflamme was a central experience for you, but what about other organizations that you were involved in that you really think were central to your SLU experience?
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Yeah, so just through the relationship development of this new community, I got to learn about what everyone was involved in. That's what makes Oriflamme so special, as I mentioned earlier: just the diversified interests and backgrounds. As I was getting to know these new friends, I was hearing about what they were doing.
Coming from a small town in Georgia, I wasn't necessarily exposed to some of these unique opportunities and interests on campus. So I was like, "Oh, that sounds good," and "I'll try that." I mean, I had to eventually rein myself back, like, "I am here for college." But there were so many opportunities to get involved and such a welcoming atmosphere that, you know, Katie, bar the door—there was no hurdle whatsoever to lean in and be engaged.
I think what has really transcended my life since then is that confidence that, as I mentioned earlier, "we got you" mentality. Give it a try. We know you've never done this, but go try that and see what you think.
I was an ambassador on campus, so I gave tours because I remember my tour when I visited campus for the first time, how impressionable I was, and how important I felt it was to share my experience—especially coming from far away. I could relate to future prospective students, so that was something I got really involved in.
I got involved with Greek life, and I liked that so much I was also involved with the Panhellenic Council, the governing body. Actually, Andrew, my middle son, was on IFC and was president of that during his time.
So there are some similar interests there. But I loved Greek life, and intramurals—oh my gosh, every intramural! I played sports in high school, but I didn't try all the sports. At SLU, you get to try all the sports, so that was a lot of fun as well. The list kind of goes on, but it was just an incredible experience.
**Meg Connolly**:
Well, Amy, I cannot thank you enough for making the time to be with us today and to share your stories. Obviously, we've known each other a long time in a very good way. Being able to hear my story and your story a little bit, watching you bring your sons to campus (which was incredible, too), and seeing you continue your involvement with SLU has been a wonderful experience.
So thank you so much for joining us today.
**Amy Fehlig Kendall**:
Thank you, Meg. I enjoyed it.
ROUND TABLE
**Tony Minor**:
Thanks again for joining us on 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast. I'm your co-host Tony Minor, a 2003 alum.
**Meg Connolly**:
And I'm Meg Connolly, a 1990 and 1992 alum.
**Tony Minor**:
You know, hearing Amy share about her involvement on campus makes me think about my own time at SLU. Campus life was interesting for me.
I jumped into Greek life right away. I joined Sigma Chi, the Theta Iota chapter, so *In Hoc* to all those Sigs out there. We had the fraternity house. We were the only house on campus, so we'd kind of chide some of the other fraternities about that—particularly the Phi Caps who, at the time, had taken over the Vandeventer Apartments, or Vandy, as we called them back in the day.
They thought they could compete with the Sigma Chi house. It really didn't work out that way. But you know, one of the more interesting parts of my student life was immediately after deciding to go to SLU, I got hired by the president's office to be a student worker there. That gave me an opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people and do a lot of interesting things. It also gave me unfettered access to a golf cart, which was pretty cool.
So I'd be the freshman on campus driving the golf cart around. But my passenger was always a golden retriever. It was the president's dog, and his name was Gancia—named after a kind of dessert wine that was a favorite of the president at the time.
**Meg Connolly**:
It's funny, when we were talking about doing this episode, you go through so many stories in your head of what campus life was like. Obviously, classes were important, but your social circles and your student involvement really form who you are and shape your whole experience.
I had probably two primary areas of experience. One was I joined an organization called SLU CAP, which was Saint Louis University Community Action Program, which at the time was one of the big service organizations on campus. Secretly, I think I first joined it because there was this really cute guy who was sort of the leader of it, and I thought, "Well, I'd like to get to know him more."
So I joined. My motives weren't pure there, though I will say we got married and we've been married 31 years, so I think my choice was a correct one! But also, I was exposed to so much with not just SLU CAP, but so many other service organizations that really shaped my SLU experience, how I interacted with the community, and what Saint Louis University meant in a broader sense. It was such a gift.
My other main opportunity on campus was that I was an editor for several years—features editor and entertainment editor—on *The University News*, which I joined as a freshman and became an editor my sophomore year. The opportunities it provided... they just gave a bunch of kids the keys to this car to put out a paper once a week and stay up all night making sure it was hitting the newsstands on Friday.
You create this community of students. I didn't know most of them before I joined the paper, and I will say to this day, that is still my closest group of SLU friends. In fact, I'm going to a birthday dinner tomorrow night with about six of them. Again, it was a social circle, but it also provided me opportunities. It was like SLU had trust in me that I didn't know I warranted as a freshman or sophomore to really take that opportunity and run with it.
So again, classes were amazing, but those opportunities are really what shaped me in the years ahead.
**Tony Minor**:
I know we could certainly reminisce more, but first let's welcome our two guests here today to share a little bit about their involvement on campus as students. Could you introduce yourselves?
**Jeff Jarrett**:
Hi, my name is Jeff Jarrett, and I am a SLU graduate from 2003. I currently am a senior partner and booking agent at Contemporary Productions here in St. Louis, which is an event and concert-based firm. I am also an artist manager, managing a number of UK artists.
**Aric Hamilton**:
Hi, everyone. My name is Aric Hamilton. I am a 2023 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences at SLU, as well as a 2025 graduate of the School of Education at SLU. I currently serve as the Director of Student Services and Alumni Relations at the UMSL College of Optometry, and I am passionate about all things college access.
**Meg Connolly**:
Thank you both for joining us today and being here to share your experiences. Can you talk a little bit about—Aric, we'll start with you—what you were involved with on campus?
**Aric Hamilton**:
Yeah, wow! Coming to campus, I was one of those people in high school where I did everything. I got the "most involved" superlative, all of that fun stuff. And I was like, "Oh, I'm going to go to campus and keep it low-key. I'm going to be chill. I'm going to be the dude that is behind the scenes." I went to school thinking, "I want to be a teacher. That's what I want to do."
Not my persona, I found out! So coming to campus, being involved, and getting immersed in the new student experience, I really found myself driven to do something more beyond myself.
Student government piqued my interest, and I threw my hat in the ring, got involved freshman year, did student government all four years, and ultimately was elected student government president for the 2022–2023 academic year.
**Jeff Jarrett**:
And I was kind of thrust into KSLU and then, by default, *The University News*. I had tunnel vision for music. I would argue that I came to school to get away from the town in Iowa that I grew up in, which didn't have too many concerts, and I was happy to just go to as many shows as I wanted to.
KSLU was a great vehicle for that. So I got involved in the radio station as the chief engineer. I didn't know anything about engineering. I didn't know anything technical, but it was a way to get involved. And then *The University News* asked me to start reviewing shows, so I did album and concert reviews for *The University News* for, I think, the last three years I was there.
**Tony Minor**:
Jeff, that's extremely interesting. We crossed paths in our undergrad years—both were there at the same time. But how did you find KSLU? What did that look like for you?
**Jeff Jarrett**:
I made some friends that either had a radio show or were involved in it in some regard. I think the guy in charge of the radio station was Jason Sengheiser, who I kind of knew through some friends.
I knew Steve Smith, who's an alum of SLU and was somehow involved—I think he was out of college at that point—and Tom Cavanaugh, Matt White, and a few other people. Those were kind of the people I would go to shows and hang out with, and they said, "We need you to be the engineer."
I said, "I don't know anything about it." They said, "Don't worry about it. Just put yourself up for this."
And then that became a goldmine to do a radio show, get a bunch of free CDs, get tickets to concerts... it was really impactful because it helped me meet bands and other people in the local music industry, like venue owners. Now I'm producing shows all over the world, but that was a great foundation to learn how to interact with people.
**Tony Minor**:
And Aric, I'd ask you the same question. You said SGA, or student government, piqued your interest. What did that look like, though? What was it exactly that piqued your interest as you got here on campus?
**Aric Hamilton**:
Honestly, coming in and being among the student body, I found myself being that person who always wanted to come up with a solution and problem-solve—whether it was, "Oh, there's not enough food in the dining hall," to some of the bigger things, like, "Wow, tuition may be a little bit too much money." Not saying I agree with that!
But nonetheless, I found myself drawn to those conversations and being an advocate—unappointed, very much so early on—and someone who spoke my mind and spoke truth to power. I was pushed by several of my mentors who were some years above me, and they were like, "Well, why don't you just go for it?"
I really found myself inspired by the mission and what that looks like in shaping the student experience. I saw the premise and the promise of our mission and what that could look like in translating to the student experience, so I started feeling that fire. It was not the St. Ignatius fire yet, but I was feeling that fire under my feet, and I was like, "If I'm going to be diving into this collegiate experience, if I'm going to do something about this undergraduate experience, I'm going to go full force forward. I don't know how this is going to pan out, but I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and see where it goes."
And man, was it the journey of a lifetime that I am still so grateful for.
**Meg Connolly**:
You talk about these early involvements for you and how you jumped in. Did you make friendships or connections through these involvements that you may not have otherwise made on a fairly large campus with a lot of people? What pathways did it lead you down?
**Aric Hamilton**:
Man, just the mere fact of being able to meet people from so many schools and colleges on campus! I've developed some lifelong friendships, even now a few years out of undergrad and past grad school—folks who I still talk to on the daily.
Very funny: we don't talk much about that SLU experience anymore, but sometimes things will come up in our work or personal lives, and I'm like, "Yeah, that moment there really prepared me to roll up my sleeves and deal with X, Y, and Z."
I did not imagine that this little involvement my freshman year would be so transformative in shaping me personally and professionally in the sense of feeling stronger and feeling more convicted to speak my mind, but also what that would do for me interpersonally in understanding how people show up in space from all walks of life, how people show up and express their opinions, and how you create unity, build belonging, and build connection across difference.
I thought I had a concept of it, but seeing that in practice and working through the messy process of "humaning" through that was a lesson that I never expected to receive, but one that I'm oh so grateful for.
**Jeff Jarrett**:
Same way. I spoke to someone this morning that I met through the radio station at SLU just because they've been a lifelong friend.
In music and in concerts, you're forced to meet a lot of people that are not like you. They have different roles and responsibilities when putting on a show. I was always the one that booked the bands or had the discerning taste for music. There are people that put up the stages, the labor, the sound guys, the runners... all kinds of different components to putting on a show, which is what we did through KSLU and working with the Student Activities Board.
In entertainment and music, you're forced to work with people that are completely different from you, and that's a great thing. They turn you on to music you've never heard of. They have different skill sets that can help complement your vision to put on a show or do a radio show. So yeah, I think it was very valuable. It was a great gateway drug into what I'm doing now.
**Tony Minor**:
What was that moment in your involvement in KSLU—and Aric, in SGA—that quintessential moment where you knew, "Okay, this is what I'm going to pursue in life"?
**Jeff Jarrett**:
Well, I always knew that I wanted to be in music. I think it helped me realize things were possible, because it gave me access to booking a show and then getting to interact with the bands.
Previously, I was just going to a concert as a fan. But then having to work and learn what's involved when you book a band—from getting the hospitality to figuring out the technical side of things... I remember booking four or five shows, and you're responsible for it, right? You're under the gun. It's like, "Okay, I've booked it. Now we've got to make the show happen. We've got to worry about ticketing; we've got to worry about all these kinds of things."
It's a good feeling. What I do now for work is essentially what people do for fun, right? I can book a show and fill Chaifetz Arena or fill a club, and it transforms people. It makes them happy. So I realized I can book this show, and there are 300 people at the Firehouse, the Billiken Club, or Scottish Rite Auditorium. To see people having fun and knowing that the idea to book that band came from in here was a pretty powerful thing.
And so that's when I was like, "I should do this and figure out a way to make money." That's the important thing, because it's very easy to lose money or go broke in the entertainment industry, and I had to figure out a way to do it on a bigger scale.
**Aric Hamilton**:
Along those lines career-wise, one of the tall tasks that I faced—and I couldn't do this alone—was: How do you re-engage campus and re-engage the vibrancy of campus post-COVID? People had been distanced, people had been home, those relationships had been disrupted, and that physical connection to campus was disrupted.
If you would have talked to anyone who knew me in my years preceding college and when I first entered undergrad, it was, "I'm going to go back and serve in K–12. That's going to be my thing. I'm going to educate the future of America."
But I realized in that moment that I enjoy college so much, I'm never going to leave! Not in the sense of trying to hang onto my undergrad days and hang onto that experience, but I want to be that educator who supports and shapes the student experience outside of the classroom. How can I help young adults find connection, purpose, and a sense of belonging so they find what that burning bush is for them?
I found out mine was being that magic behind the scenes to figure out how we can make all of this stuff work in a way that everyone's collegiate experience is purposeful and meaningful, so they can have those experiences like Jeff and I when they're thinking 5, 10, 15 years later, "Wow, I had this transformative experience." It wasn't just a place I went to receive a degree or a piece of paper, but something that built into them far beyond any of the prerequisites that they took or the papers that they wrote—those undefined, uninhibited connections that they developed.
**Meg Connolly**:
In the beginning of this episode, Tony and I shared our slightly less high-minded moments: Tony driving a golf cart with a golden retriever, and me joining a group so I could get a date! Were there any crazy stories or times when it felt kind of awesome to be doing the work you were doing, or something that really stuck out to you as just a great experience or having so much fun with your classmates?
**Jeff Jarrett**:
Yeah, I always liked being involved in music; that was always important to me. As long as I was doing something like that, there were always crazy stories, funny things that happened, or memorable moments.
I remember doing Rock the Quad. The radio station would bring a portable system out to the quad—and probably Tony and all of his Greek friends were hanging out on one side—and we just tried to play music that annoyed everyone, which was always really fun to do!
The resources were great. I couldn't believe it because when I moved in—I think I stayed in Reinert my first year—I came to SLU with a couple hundred CDs. I was never the one that had them in the binder envelope; I had the jewel cases, and I had my dresser drawers filled with CDs in my dorm. When I had to drive back home to my parents' house, I think I left with 1,000 of them, because I could go to the radio station, look up the contact information for the record company, and say, "Hey, send me these records. I'm interested in playing them."
Whether I was or not, I just collected free music, which was great! Putting on shows and getting to bring bands around campus, there were always stories like that. The interaction with musicians I admired made me think, "Wow, I have this at my fingertips." So that really excited me.
**Aric Hamilton**:
Oh, you have a nice one, Jeff! Mine is wild.
There was a meeting—we were about to have an SGA meeting one time, and I thought I was fly! You couldn't tell me anything. I had the little suit on, had the little tie on, thought I was doing the thing. I went to walk into our room, and I tripped over the jamb right at the door and fell. My coffee launched and squirted all across the room, and I ripped my pants!
I couldn't do anything but laugh at myself with everybody in the room—there were 100 people in the room! But I just had to take it in the moment and digest it. I was like, "Well, two L's make a dub."
If you can't laugh at yourself and laugh at the hardships of it, what's the point? That's actually a story I tell all the time to the students I work with in my current role. I'm like, "Hey, if you don't have an embarrassing moment like that, it wasn't worth it!" If you can make it through those two failures in front of everyone, you'll be fine. The world will not end.
I reflect on that moment all the time. People will bring it up to me years later, and I'm like, "Yep, I sure did! I spilled my coffee and I ripped my pants right there. But here I am. I made it. We did it. We're good!"
**Tony Minor**:
You know, one of the things I love about being involved at St. Louis University and making my career here at St. Louis University is I get to work with so many dedicated alums, and I'm fortunate that both Aric and Jeff are two of those individuals.
Aric, we get to work together through the Black Alumni Association. Obviously, I knew you a little bit as a student, and it was great to get to know you there. But the fact that you still come back and work with our Black Alumni Association is a huge deal.
And Jeff, we've worked together on countless events and different things that you've helped produce for the university. My question is: What is it about your SLU experience that keeps bringing you back and contributing to our community?
**Jeff Jarrett**:
Most of where I work is in the music world, but it's also in events. At Contemporary Productions, the company I'm a partner in, we produce special events.
Tony, I think that's how we really connected—besides going to school at the same time—was that we could help translate SLU's vision for whatever event they wanted to do, be it a concert, a gala, Christmas in the Quad, or any of those kinds of events. We have the resources as a company to make that vision come to life, right?
So it's fun to go to school and then come back on the administrative side of things and do events for students and faculty. It was pretty rewarding to be able to prove myself that I'm a good alum and valuable to the university. It's fun to use the skills of what you learned at school combined with the passion of what you're doing and bring it back home to the place you went to school.
**Aric Hamilton**:
Along those same lines, Jeff... really by the motto, "To whom much is given, much is required," I think SLU poured so much into me—more than I ever expected.
It's also not lost on me that there has not historically been a significant population of Black students at SLU, and when we think about the history and legacy of our institution, it has been an ongoing journey for us to progress in fulfilling that social justice mission and in fulfilling that inclusive promise that we've worked to live up to.
So when I think about all that has been poured into me and how I've been shaped by this institution, at the bare minimum, I can lend my time, my talent, and my treasure back to the institution. If that means I need to roll up my sleeves and take trash out with you, Tony, at a BAA Holiday Bash, show up early in the morning for the Ernest A. Calloway Prayer Breakfast, or take a late-night call connecting with a student to see how I can support them in their journey, it's all worth it because so many folks did that for me and then some.
I know the power of a SLU education. I know the power of this institution, and I believe in the mission of this institution. If that's the little bit of contribution that I can give back to support its vitality and support others in accessing it, that's my mission. That's why I'm here.
**Meg Connolly**:
Well, Tony and I—I think I speak for both of us—cannot thank you enough for your time today, and for your continued time and commitment to the institution. We couldn't be more proud of the kind of success that you've brought and that you were able to articulate today regarding SLU's role in that, and what being involved in these student organizations has meant.
So thank you again, both of you, for joining us, and thank you again for your continued support.