Andy Douglas (TPR'08) Returns to Lend His Voice to Athletic Department

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) - After Andy Douglass, a swimming and diving alumnus of Carnegie Mellon University and active board member of the Tartan Athletics Club, graduated in 2008, he felt so positively about his experiences as a student-athlete that he kept coming back to contribute in several ways to enrich Carnegie Mellon's athletic programs.

At the end of his four years at Carnegie Mellon, Douglass graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and a minor in history.  He is currently attending his first year at the University of Virginia (UVA) to get a Master's in Business Administration.

"Carnegie Mellon and UVA are just so different. I was able to learn all of the fundamentals and get a really solid education at Carnegie Mellon.  At UVA I am applying the skills I have already learned to more specific situations.  An education from CMU has allowed me to continue to be successful in the classroom at UVA."

After graduation Douglass stayed extremely close with the athletic community, returning to Carnegie Mellon to announce the swimming and diving meets. 

"Even though I am a few years removed from being close with the current team members, my three best friends were on the team with me in college. Being on a sports team at Carnegie Mellon is like having another family."

Douglass is an active and passionate member of the Tartan Athletic Club, which was founded in 2012. In order to be a member of the club, it is required that a contribution is made to the Tartan Fund.  The contributions go directly towards enhancing the experience for Carnegie Mellon student-athletes.

"I give and encourage other alumni to give back by talking to them about how important my experience as a member of the swim team has been to me, and how important the athletics experience is to most student-athletes," Douglass said.

Douglass is one of a number of very passionate alumni who have helped to create the fundraising sub-committee within the Tartan Athletic Club.  This group is dedicated to raising money to better the experience as a whole for the student-athletes.  Douglass is looking forward to some big changes to the athletic facilities at Carnegie Mellon.

"I would love to see the renovation of the pool and Skibo gym happen," Douglass mentioned. "It would be great for the school and the athletes."

The Carnegie Mellon athletic department has plans drawn out for the development of the pool area. The construction is set to begin in the spring of 2014.  Douglass, as part of the Tartan Athletic Club, reaches out to Alumni to see if they are able to and would be willing to give back to Carnegie Mellon Athletics.

"In many cases, other alumni feel the same way I do about Carnegie Mellon. They give because they want to ensure that CMU athletics continues to be successful and so that current and future athletes also have similar positive experiences," Douglass said.

Douglass' experiences within the athletics programs at Carnegie Mellon are so important to him that he is hoping to return to the pool for the alumni meet the team holds each year.  Another event Douglass said he was really hoping to make it to campus for is the Spring Carnival.

Douglass, like many Carnegie Mellon alumni, plans to continue to give back to Carnegie Mellon as thanks for such an amazing experience as a student-athlete.