Member Spotlight Jason Byrne

Jason Byrne is a senior director of corporate and foundation relations in the development office of Texas Christian University (TCU). He represents the Advancement Office to help fulfill the strategic goals of the Chancellor, Provost and Dean’s offices that align with the ideals of corporate and community partners of the school.

 

“A lot of our partners are interested in meeting and learning more about our students for potential job opportunities. We help connect them in different ways and at the end of each semester on campus, there is no shortage of great showcases for the students to highlight their great work to gain additional exposure to different industries and opportunities for employment, our corporate partners constantly rave about the quality of our student’s educational experience,” Byrne said.

 

He added that part of the corporate partner model is to help enhance a student’s educational journey. “My ability to help connect a corporate’s interests, mission and strategic goals to our faculty, Deans and Provost, helps open up doors that can lead to an impact through employment and relationship building within our wonderful network of alumni,” he said.

 

When Byrne was introduced to Rotary, he was transitioning within the TCU community from the athletic department to the corporate relations role he now has. One of his mentors was Mayor Bob Bolen who invited him to have lunch at a Rotary Club meeting, “Many of your readers will know that when he would invite you to lunch, you go, and you have a wonderful experience,” he added.

 

Bolen introduced Byrne to many members of the club and shared with him the values of Rotary and the impact the club had, not only within the community, but in his life. He later nominated Byrne to be a member in September 2012.

 

“It’s a legacy that I try to live up to because, when he passed away, there was so much outpouring of so many members in our community. I was honored to be included in the list of many who have received mentoring from him, and I’m just one of so many who got to work with him,” Byrne said.

Byrne said that his favorite thing about the club is the people. “It's probably not a unique answer within our club,” he adds. “There's just so many pockets of different interests and missions; everyone has this mentality of support, not only for the community, but for each other. It's a nice community to be engaged with.”

 

He notes his efforts in advocating for the wellbeing of women and children, highlighting opportunities and the great work that they're doing in the community as well as those that might “need a hand up.”

“One of the nice things about the Rotary Club of Fort Worth is how the philanthropy surrounds the needs of the community,” Byrne said. “It's an honor to be part of an organization whose role in ‘service above self’ allows me to insert myself into opportunities that help support the community.”

 

Byrne recalled an opportunity to serve in the community outreach committee, where Rotarian Clark Sykes had organized meal preparation opportunities, one of which was with the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth.