Stetson alumnus Jason Gilliam-Alexander has certainly proven himself to be an MVP both on the basketball court and off.

On the court at Stetson, he not only became the team captain, but also Hatter basketball’s star player in the mid-1990s. In his own words, “My time on SU basketball was very rewarding because I was a team captain. That aside, I was able to be very productive on the court, translating into several accolades, such as 1st Team All-TAAC in 1994-95, and 1995-96, TAAC Newcomer of the Year 1994-95 and a finalist for the nationally recognized Naismith Award 1995-96.”

Alexander had played basketball for quite some time before coming down to DeLand. After a successful high school basketball career playing for Archbishop Molloy High School in New York, Jason was recruited by several schools, which included Connecticut, Southern Methodist, and James Madison. Ultimately, he picked the University of Rhode Island. He transferred to Stetson after one year, and has been a proud member of the Hatter community ever since.

Off the court, he proved to be just as successful. During his time at Stetson, Alexander became known as an all-around fun, smart person to be around. He liked to play video games and listen to music; he proved to be an active member of the campus community. He graduated in 1996 with a major in sociology and a minor in English. He considers graduation to be his greatest accomplishment at Stetson: “That day brought genuine tears of joy because it represented a triumph of years of academic hard work, the fruit of many mentors who planted seeds into my development and an important milestone for my family as I was one of only two males who graduated from a four year university.” Alexander was inducted into the Stetson University Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

After graduation, Alexander translated the skills he learned at Stetson into charity work, especially in the Miami area, where he moved after he graduated. His main project, Mentoring Valuable Proteges, or MVP, seeks to “use sports as a catalyst for mentoring youth and to provide positive opportunities in discipline, personal development, and health.” He also works as an assistant director for a basketball program, as well as his own personal company, JGA (Jason Gilliam-Alexander) Protégé LLC.

“The time I spent at Stetson was time well spent,” said Alexander. “The opportunity to learn with and from my peers was exciting to me as I considered each of my student colleagues as one of tomorrow’s leaders. It provided self-confidence for me because I knew each was here to excel. Stetson alumni don’t just work for corporations, they lead them,” Alexander continued. “Over 95 percent of Stetson’s faculty possessed doctoral degrees, which said to me, these are some of the best teachers around. Last, our campus is small and forces learning, interaction and accountability. All of these traits are pivotal to success as a business leader.”

Alexander enjoys looking into the future. When asked about his ultimate goal in life, he said, “My ultimate goal in life is to leave a positive legacy behind through my charitable organization similar to that of folks such as Albert Einstein, Dr. Martin Luther King, Babe Ruth, Steve Jobs and Michael Jackson in their respective industries and fields.”

To learn more about Jason Alexander and the MVP Program he founded and leads, watch this YouTube video. 

by David Baker