For the past six years, Jessica "Decky" Alexander has
persuaded students to come to campus on their day off.
As co-chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
Committee, Alexander starts planning each September to
create a series of events in January that will interest
students, staff and faculty from diverse backgrounds.
Alexander, associate professor of communication and theatre
arts, was awarded the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty
Award for Service to the University at the Celebration
of Faculty Excellence Awards March 28. She received a plaque
and a $3,500 honorarium.
 |
SERVICE WITH A SMILE: Jessica "Decky" Alexander,
an associate professor of communication and theatre
arts, is the recent recipient of the Ronald W. Collins
Award for Service to the University. Her activities
include co-chairing
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Celebration Committee and serving as co-director
of
CloseUP Theatre Troupe. |
"Previous winners of this award include Ron Woods, Bill
Miller, Sally McCracken — people I look up to and
have immense respect for. They were trailblazers in creating
a community beyond the classroom," said Alexander. "I am
honored to be placed in the same class as them."
Alexander first came to EMU as a graduate student in the
Drama/Theatre for the Young and Performance Studies program.
During and after her graduate work, Alexander directed
a theatre group at the University of Michigan that was
intended to educate and inform students about relevant
issues. When she returned to EMU as a lecturer, Alexander
brought the idea with her, and the CloseUP Theatre Troupe
was formed.
CloseUP, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary last
November, is well known across campus, performing at numerous
events, including New Student Orientation and the MLK Day
Celebration. Alexander, along with Mary Jo Desprez, associate
director of health education and wellness programs, co-directs
the group.
Alexander's ties to CloseUP led her to involvement with
the MLK Day Celebration. She first worked with the planning
committee in 2000 to develop a MLK-themed show for CloseUP.
The following year, Alexander found herself a co-chair
of the committee. She has served in that position every
year since.
"I am continually amazed at how she is able to attract
students, staff and faculty from all ethnic, racial and
cultural backgrounds to put together a celebration that
is second to none in the country," said Gregory Peoples,
University ombudsman. "Each year, students, faculty and
staff are drawn to work in the MLK Celebration like bees
are drawn to honey, in large part due to the way Decky
engages and responds to people from different backgrounds."
During her time as committee co-chair, Alexander has increased
student involvement, developed the celebration into a weeklong
program and coordinated a committee of 60 members.
"It's amazing to work with students, staff and administrators
on a level playing field," said Alexander. "At first, there
was only one student on the committee. Now, students make
up more than half."
But CloseUP and MLK day aren't Alexander's only service
activities. She has served as co-chair of the University's
United Way campaign; as a member of the General Education
Reform and AQIP committees; faculty coordinator of New
Student Orientation and currently serves as faculty adviser
for the Diversion Dance Troupe and the Poetry Society.
In addition, she serves as an adviser and advocate for
students across campus.
"One of her greatest qualities is that she is a 'connector.'
She has an uncanny ability to connect student-to-student,
student-to-staff, and student-to-faculty and, maybe most
importantly, she has the gift of connecting students to
the idea of service," said Desprez. "She understands that
you cannot just tell students that service is important.
You must walk the talk and reach your hand out and invite
them to join you."
"I'm not the kind of person who likes to sit on the sidelines," said
Alexander. "If I just stay within my own sphere, that's
a lifetime of missed opportunity."
Not only does Alexander's service benefit the EMU community,
it also makes her a better artist and academic. Alexander's
professional emphasis focuses on the relationship between
art and community, and the use of art (theatre) as a means
of fostering reflection and generating dialogue on pertinent
social and health-related issues.
"I would not be as effective an instructor or artist without
interacting with people," said Alexander. "CloseUP, and
theatre in general, is a reflection on the community. How
can I know what the community is unless I entrench myself
within it?"
Though she does so much for the University, Alexander
doesn't see her work as "service." Since she doesn't have
family in the area, the EMU community has become her family.
"When you look for the possibility to create something
to fill a need, not only do you encourage progress and
betterment, you end up discovering new opportunities and
new people."
