Alumni Donor Spotlight: Jaime Fluker ’03
After graduation, Jaime Fluker ’03 spent 10 years working at the NCAA before transitioning into the nonprofit sector and pursuing her doctorate at the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Ms. Fluker’s on-campus participation included running for women’s track and field, singing in the Gospel Choir, and participating in Student Government, sorority life, and Black Student Union while earning a double major in political science and criminal justice. “If Carthage offered it, I would participate in it!”
Each of these activities outside the classroom gave Ms. Fluker opportunities to form relationships with individuals that she otherwise may not have met. Since graduation, Ms. Fluker has been able to watch her college friends become entrepreneurs, parents, and pastors, both locally and around the world.
Ms. Fluker works as a faith-based organizer and training coordinator for Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, where she develops partnerships with congregations and community groups focused on addressing community issues for marginalized and oppressed communities in the Chicago Southland.
She also serves as a consultant for nonprofits and hosts workshops and seminars related to change management and leadership development, while also working towards her Doctorate in Womanist Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary. While she has transitioned her career outside of the sports industry, she still retains a “coaching” mindset that supports her work as a consultant and even the ability to serve as an ordained elder within the church.
Back when Ms. Fluker was a student-athlete, fundraising was a significant piece of her on-campus experience. “I can see seeds of a fundraising mindset having sprung forth at college. Even as a student, I recognized that there were people donating to make our athletic experience what it was, and I didn’t want to be a broken link in the chain.”
“A portion of what I do is directed towards giving back. I’ve chosen to give however I can.” — Jaime Fluker ’03
Ms. Fluker appreciates Carthage for birthing the reunion gathering in 2019 that led to the Wiggan-Kenniebrew Funds, a set of scholarships that offer experiential learning opportunities for multicultural students. “This gathering inspired my desire to diversify my giving.”
Now Ms. Fluker gives to the Wiggan-Kenniebrew Funds, women’s track and field, and the Alumni Association Scholarship, which awards financial aid to direct relatives of alumni.