Vince Russell (TPR’94) Reflects on Own Athletic Experience While Advising

As an established business professional and member of the Tartan Athletics Club Board of Directors, Vince Russell (TPR'94) does as much as he can to promote Carnegie Mellon University and college athletics to as many people as he can.

A small-town product of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Russell didn’t know much about Carnegie Mellon before he started his college search. But for someone who originally wanted to leave home for college, he found everything he could have imagined just 25 miles north on the rural campus in the middle of Pittsburgh.

“My intent was to go away for college and I had applied to larger schools like Notre Dame, Duke and Penn State,” said Russell. “But soccer was very important to me and the majority of the coaches at those Division I programs told me I probably wouldn’t play for at least a few years.”

Around that time, a student-athlete at Carnegie Mellon and brother of one of Russell’s club soccer teammates saw Vince on the field, and thus started Russell’s path to wearing the Cardinal and Gray.

“I remember it distinctly and I will always be indebted to J.R., who was a junior at the time,” said Russell. “He came to a game and simply said, ‘have you ever thought about attending Carnegie Mellon and potentially playing soccer; I think you can play.’”

Russell soon had a decision to make as he was introduced to the university and the soccer program and was told by the coach he’d have a good opportunity to play as a freshman, which is music to the ears of every young player.

In the end, the decision wasn’t too difficult as Russell came to believe Carnegie Mellon was the right fit.

“I still say it was one of the more important things to happen in my life,” Russell explains. “The stature of the university and the soccer experience I had was second-to-none.”

When Russell, a portfolio manager for Johnson Investment Counsel in Dayton, Ohio, has the opportunity to talk about collegiate athletics, he doesn’t stop short of sharing his own experience.

“When people ask me what it was like playing for a Division III school and specifically at Carnegie Mellon, I tell them that the UAA [University Athletic Association] is a top-tier conference, both athletically and academically, that the competition was absolutely terrific and that we played against the best players in the country, even at a Division III level. I will always feel good about that,” said Russell.

Russell believes in the athletic experience, as evidenced by his community support coaching youth soccer, and what it can do for you.

“I can’t advocate enough that if there is a student-athlete who has the ability to play for a Division III, Division II, Division I program, go do it,” Russell said. “Don’t be afraid to try. If it doesn’t work out, that’s fine, but don’t disregard the opportunity as I don’t think I can do it or I don’t think I can make it.”

If you are blessed enough to have the skills and talents to play, as well as get into a wonderful university, go do it,” Russell continued.

Russell is also a big advocate for those he feels have the academic background to get into Carnegie Mellon. He believes that Carnegie Mellon is somewhat of a secret in Dayton, a city just four hours away. When given the chance to promote the awareness of the world-renowned university and competitive athletic programs, he does.

“I view what the university did for me, in terms of providing an opportunity, it provided a structure around my four years that developed me as a human being, as a person, as a player. What took place was very valuable,” says Russell. “I feel it’s important to recognize that and to help promote that it is a wonderful place. Promote it is a place that can develop people. The buzz words of multi-disciplinary approach – it is real. Carnegie Mellon develops people that are smart, that are diverse. It’s an important place. It is so real-world. It is what this world is made up of. Carnegie Mellon has always been about a diverse experience, not only culturally but academically, without question, as you look at all the coursework you can take.”

Of course not forgotten is Russell’s experience as a soccer player and as an athlete in general. The structure that athletics provided was something Russell enjoyed the most, along with the relationships with the people who were on the team and being part of an NCAA program.

Russell started his Tartan career in the fall of 1991 when the men’s soccer program was on the rise. He, along with three other freshmen, earned starting rolls which they kept throughout their four years, leading the program to its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance as seniors.

“There were great, great players there before us,” said Russell. “I do feel the early 90s period started a trend. I think we solidified the fact that Carnegie Mellon and the soccer program were for real. We blazed that trail and I feel good about that.”

In the years since Russell’s graduation, the Tartans have had 18 winning seasons, won the UAA seven times and participated in the NCAA tournament on 10 occasions, including a stretch of six straight.

But athletics at Carnegie Mellon was more than the success on the field for Russell. It was about the opportunity to do something he didn’t do growing up, it was about hard work and support, and it was about the relationships.

“The ability for us as student-athletes to travel to St. Louis, to Chicago, to New York – on an airplane – many of us for the first time in our lives, as an 18-year old, was pretty cool,” said Russell. “Academically we were challenged and we all worked really hard. We were treated well and were respected by the university and certainly by the coaches and assistant coaches. We got to know the athletics director and other coaches. You felt as if you were in a fraternity, yet you weren’t Greek.”

One of the reasons Russell became a board member of the Tartan Athletics Club is to help foster the sense of community for alums like him.

“My closest contacts outside those in my own neighborhood are the folks I played soccer with. I will never forget those individuals,” said Russell. “And even those you lose contact with, you still know, ‘we played ball together,’ and to be able to say that is really cool.

We’re trying to create that connection back to the university, back to the experience you had, why it was important, why it was relevant,” Russell continued. “I think there is an opportunity for people to make that connection back to what was very important and have it be important again. If I can reconnect in a way and even attempt to rally some of the individuals who are important to me as friends and colleagues who went through the same experience, I think it’s worth doing.”

Another relationship Russell was able to build was with Dr. Robert Mehrabian, then president of the university, who he met on the sideline during practice and who even helped him seek out his first job.

Because of this, he is quick to advise current athletes to work hard and do your best to connect and make relationships with players, coaches and constituents of the program.

“Yes, your studies and doing well in your sport is important,” says Russell. “But an overriding theme is how can you make relationships that may last a lifetime? That’s not just with your teammate on the field; it might be with a professor. I think that’s really important and will keep you connected in various ways that are meaningful.”

Athletics played a significant role in Russell’s childhood, much like many student-athletes, but his experience at Carnegie Mellon, from his introduction to the university to his day of graduation, has resonated and keeps him thankful to his parents for the opportunity they made available to him.

“I had a wonderful support structure of parents who came to every game,” said Russell. “It was really special being away from home, yet close enough to have wonderful support from my family. My parents did everything they could so that I could go to Carnegie Mellon. They made the opportunity available and for me to say it’s one of the most important things to happen to me, they made it happen, and that’s pretty special.”

Family has always been paramount to Russell, and he is grateful to have met wife Maria at Carnegie Mellon while he was a student. The Russells and their three children – Vito, Josie and Vivian – are avid fans of the Tartans.

“Maria had her own standout career on the women’s soccer team,” said Russell. “Following and supporting the programs is something important to us. We often return to Carnegie Mellon and our children know the importance of the university and why it’s important to us.”