Jim Nealy ’70 was prepared for any job when he left St. Lawrence. Early on he realized that he wanted to be a humanitarian. He joined the American Cancer Society (ACS) in 1973. He is now chief operating officer of the group's Eastern Division, and is at the forefront of the ACS's campaign to bring a Hope Lodge --free, residential housing for cancer patients undergoing treatment -- to the New York metro region.

Jim uses his position to help teach St. Lawrence students the value of volunteerism. He regularly arranges internships for students with the ACS, earning him a 2001-2 volunteer of the year award from his alma mater, and is planning on integrating student volunteerism into the new Hope Lodge New York. He’s also involved in the University’s “Shadow a Saint” program.  Jim’s life testifies to the career opportunities available to students outside of the corporate world.

A member of St. Lawrence’s Alumni Executive Council, Jim says the highlight of his career is “what the ACS has achieved through our volunteers and staff”: 20,000 cancer survivors every year, significant advances in screening rates that decrease mortality, advocating for clean indoor air and supporting research. 

Jim, an economics major, cites his participation on the soccer and men’s basketball teams and his membership in his fraternity as key factors in shaping his life. He also engaged in volunteer activities as a student. 

One of his best memories of St. Lawrence is that “the dean knew my first name.” He did not appreciate what St. Lawrence had done for him, he says, until he began to notice the attributes of “high achievers” in his field.  “St. Lawrence was a huge influence in my development of those attributes, like team building, verbal and written communication, initiative, decision-making and interpersonal skills,” he observes.