As a lifelong fan of college basketball I appreciated a recent ESPN “30 for 30” called “There’s No Place Like Home.” The documentary told the story of a committed Kansas University fan, Josh Swade, who was set on reclaiming the original rules of the game to campus and went through a myriad of obstacles to make his dream for his school a reality. In the process, Josh met with KU coaching greats Larry Brown and Roy Williams, and also spoke with prominent alums, such as David Booth, to raise over $3 million.
I was so captivated by Josh’s dedication to the cause that I decided to give him a shout out on Twitter, and a day later there we were together on the phone.
While speaking with Josh I could immediately tell his devotion to KU. From his time studying on campus, to catching the Jayhawks on the road as he balances his career in entertainment, from Josh’s example it is possible to see that there are many ways one can give back to their school.
When thinking about ways to contribute he highlights that while “of course one of the first things that comes to mind is money, not everyone is always in a positon to give money.” For many, as Josh explains, a great way to give back is to “proudly wear school colors, and at every chance you get to show up in the stands, to be loud, to be passionate and to keep it classy.”
Josh and I also discussed how motivating it can be when a student, alum or fan contributes by really going after what means the most to them. As Josh mentions, “we each have things that we love about our schools, and for each one of us, those are all so different…for me with the rules, that was something I wanted to keep sacred. I saw how that could add to our basketball legacy.”
If you haven’t seen “There’s No Place Like Home” yet check out this trailer below, and make sure to catch the full story on ESPN.
A special thanks to Josh for sharing his time and his remarkable story.
Looking for new ways your alums can contribue?
Check out our recent ebook: “20 Ways Your Alums Can Give Back.”