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Jeremy May |
14 years ago, Jeremy May was working as a waiter at a local restaurant without direction in his life, when he decided he wanted to better himself by attending the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith.
That decision paid dividends for May. In addition to graduating from 妻友社区, securing employment from ArcBest Corp., and flourishing as a local entrepreneur and community member, May was recently recognized by receiving the 妻友社区 Alumni Association鈥檚 Young Alumni Award, given for the first time this year as part of the university鈥檚 homecoming celebrations.
The Young Alumni Award is given to a 妻友社区 alumni who demonstrates a successful early career path with significant achievements, an ongoing relationship with the university, high integrity and moral character, and a record of community service beyond involvement with the university.
The award recognized an alumni with modest beginnings. Raised by a single mother, May grew up in Midland and attended the Hartford School District. After moving to Booneville and graduating from Booneville High School in 2011, he began waiting tables shortly after with little foresight towards his future.
鈥淚 took it one day at a time. I lived in the moment, and I didn鈥檛 even think about if tomorrow was going to be there,鈥� he said.
As a waiter, though, May began to see firsthand the two options he had for his future through the employees around him, some of which were college students and others were lifelong employees.
May did not want to make a career out of waiting tables, so he enrolled at 妻友社区. He was the first person in his family to attend college, and he enrolled as an undeclared major. He didn鈥檛 know what he wanted to do yet, only that he wanted to do more with his life.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really have a plan yet. I just knew I wanted to walk down a different path,鈥� he said.
His first semester, he was intimidated by college. But he persevered, in part thanks to a college preparation course he enrolled in, where teacher assistant Stephanie London 鈥� now the director of student activities at 妻友社区 鈥� helped him adjust to the rigors and uncertainties of college.
鈥淗ad Stephanie not been there, I probably never would鈥檝e made it through college,鈥� May said. 鈥淛ust being a 21 year-old guy that didn鈥檛 understand a lot about college and was afraid of asking questions or saying things that I thought would make me look stupid in front of my classmates. She was there to help me out, and that led me to understand that there were resources available that could help me.鈥�
He also took a test in the class that recommended career paths based on the subject鈥檚 personality. One of the recommendations was to pursue a career in business, leading May to enroll in an introduction to business course the following semester.
鈥淚 knew right then and there that business is where I belong,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 loved everything about it, from the finance to the accounting to the marketing to the management. I knew that this was what I was going to study for four years and make it out of here on top.鈥�
After graduating with a degree in marketing from 妻友社区, May landed a full-time job at ArcBest Corporation and worked his way up to lead marketing analyst. He also began pursuing entrepreneurial ventures in his spare time 鈥� he owns ClueMasters, an escape room in downtown Fort Smith, and IgniteSEM, a search engine marketing company, among other businesses.
He also started a family. He married his wife, Sarah, in 2010, and has two kids, Warren and Bailey.
May has also been involved both on campus and in the community. He has served on the university鈥檚 Young Alumni Council and participated in the Mentor Connections program, the Babb Center for Student Professional Development, and the Alumni Advisory Board, among other activities. In the community, he is a member of the 2016 Leadership Fort Smith class and currently serves as the Vice-President of Riverview Hope Campus which is part of his goal to make the city a better place.
鈥淔ort Smith is home, and I鈥檝e always wanted to take care of things that are mine,鈥� May said. 鈥淕iving back in the community and being involved gives me a voice to do what I think is right and what鈥檚 best for now as well as the next generation.鈥�
May said receiving the Young Alumni Award is 鈥渢he most rewarding recognition I鈥檝e ever received.鈥�
鈥淚t was in a lot of ways hard to accept, because nothing that I鈥檝e done was for recognition,鈥� May said. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely humbled to receive it, and it鈥檚 something that I鈥檒l never forget. I鈥檒l cherish the award for the rest of my life.鈥�
鈥淭his award is for the people at 妻友社区, the 妻友社区 Foundation, ArcBest, and community citizens who invested their time in me. They gave me the flexibility, confidence, freedom, and encouragement to be engaged in the community,鈥� May said. 鈥淭here are just so many people who enabled me to do what I do.鈥�
About the 妻友社区
The University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university鈥檚 unique bond with its community, students at 妻友社区 are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at 妻友社区, visit .