The Spider Way: In Print

The following is an interview with Wendy Haynes Eastman B'76, an entrepreneur, fundraising professional, vice president of operations of Kevin Eastman Basketball Camps LLC and a member of the University of Richmond Alumni Association Board of Directors.

What did you study at the University of Richmond and what were your post-graduation plans?

I graduated from the Robins School of Business with a B.S. in business administration and a concentration in marketing.

I graduated a semester early, and for some reason, I decided to attend paralegal school in Philadelphia before coming back to Richmond to graduate in May. (It was a different time in the world of women in business and career services at UR.)

What did you actually do after graduation and what is your current position?

I was a paralegal at a large firm in Richmond. Over the years, I have changed careers several times to fit my changing lifestyle. Being married to a coach means moving often, so I have learned to adapt to different situations.

While at one of our stops, I moved into higher education development and eventually became the director of gift planning at several institutions, including UR. In 2000 (while still working full-time) my husband and I started our own business in Richmond, offering youth basketball camps and clinics.

Since 2004, Kevin has been an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, so I am now in charge of operations for Eastman Basketball and our related venture, Coaching U LIVE. I have been on the Virginia Gift Planning Council board for many years, and am in my fourth year as a member of the URAA Alumni Board. Being involved with URAA has been a great way to stay informed and involved with the university.

What is a typical workday in the life of Wendy Eastman?

I'm still involved a bit in the planned giving world, but I spend most of my time on our basketball business, planning and managing the coaching clinics we will host in July.

What do you know now (career-related) that you wish you knew as an undergraduate student?

I wish I had realized the value of simply talking to people about their own experiences, and having my eyes opened to more opportunities. Today's students are so fortunate to have resources like the Office of Alumni and Career Services on campus to help with this.

Also, I think it would have been helpful to realize that the first few jobs out of college may have nothing to do with what you end up doing professionally in the long term. But you can learn something useful from every job and from everyone you work with, no matter what the position.

What is your most valuable networking technique?

I could be much better in this area, but I think the important thing is to find something that's comfortable for you and doesn't seem "forced." I think that being in touch with people when you have something meaningful to say, or something that person might find interesting is more effective that making the perfunctory phone call when the name comes up on your list.

What is the most played song on your iPod?

This changes often, but recently it has been "City on Down" by O.A.R.

The Spider Way: In Print highlights the career path of UR alumni. For additional career advice and tips, visit spiderway.wordpress.com or call Career Services at (804) 289-8547 to make an appointment.