ALUM-TO-ALUM CAREERCENTER EVENTS STAYCONNECTED ALUMNICOUNCIL NEWS MEMBERBENEFITS

Joel Spicola '95

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Which on campus activities were you involved in as a student? How did those activities assist you in attaining your career goals?

While attending J&W, I have to admit that I was not heavily involved in on campus activities. I had a core group of friends from various backgrounds; some were involved in the Greek system and some part of the general student populations of both schools (Culinary and Business) giving all of us a good taste of the great student body-- and ultimately the diversity-- the university has to offer .

Please detail your career accomplishments. How will your career path help you be successful in the position which you are being nominated for?

I am a Colorado native yet attended J&W in Providence long before a Denver Campus ever existed. After graduating in 1995 I came back to Colorado and have held a wide range of positions in the media business mostly focused in sales. My jobs have allowed me to grow as a professional in the Denver Metro area and when the Denver Campus opened, I was one of the first to welcome it to our community and immediately got involved on every level that I could. For example I developed a unique marketing initiative at that time which the university decided to join to get their brand and unique curriculum message out to this new market. It was a TV and Newspaper adverting campaign called “Table For 2” which involved a weekly newspaper section in two major newspapers and a cable television campaign. The ads that ran in the newspapers highlighted local chefs and their restaurants and the television spots highlighted local celebrities which directed consumers to check out the weekly newspaper section. The campaign
was a way for me to help get the word out about the university that I had come to respect through my own experience.

I presently own my own media ventures company which includes three key focuses. Providing national sales support for a wide variety of new media properties mostly in the TV industry 2) Developing a Denver local lifestyle TV network and 3) Developing a national website that provides a
platform for TV producers to explain their sponsorship opportunities to adverting agency and brand marketer decision makers, thereby generating sponsorship sales for these producers.

I am as involved as time permits me with the Denver campus. Over the past years I have:

• Held a seat for 2 years on the prestigious “President’s Round Table” which includes a select group of Denver’s professional elite who all
  have the same mission; continuing to help the university’s message and campus grow in this new market!
• Have spoken at two J&W graduations here in Denver as a respected alumni
• Have attended numerous job fairs on campus with students
• Have hosted over 15 J&W students from Denver and Providence through the university’s externship programs over multiple years at various
  media companies in which I have worked
• Have helped in the hiring of 2 J&W Denver graduates who got full time positions.
• Have been a guest speaker to a number of classes at the University by invitation.

Please list what skills and/or qualities you will bring to the council to help take the council to the next level.

- Innovative
- Easy to work with
- Motivator
- Wants to see change
- I am a great advocate of marketing the university in unique ways taking my work experience and bringing it to the table with ideas that can
help this university continue to grow in all markets

What are your visions/goals for the council over the next two years?

I simply want the council to do something with enough substance that it is recognized and respected as a useful committee.
- I feel that if there is just one major multi market project that can be implemented and successfully executed each year by this council we are
doing the university and its alumni justice.
- Try to get more involvement from the newer market alumni (like Denver) to give back to the school. I don’t believe a financial donation (big or small) makes you a good alumnus. I believe that if you can give your time back to the university by hosting students, speaking at classes, using your community contacts to spread the word about the school, your support can be just or even more beneficial than that of a
financial donation alone.

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