Alumni Spotlight: Whitney Meyer
As March wraps up, so does our March Madness coverage of Ospreys in sports. Our final feature is close to home as we highlight Whitney Meyer (’10, ’18) who serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A Jacksonville native, Meyer originally attended FSCJ before transferring to the University of North Florida to earn a degree in Public Relations and International Studies. Her goal was to build a local network which made UNF an ideal destination. As a student, she saw a job opening in the Osprey Update and became a reservation assistant, participating in the opening of the UNF Student Union. She also helped create the first UNF Market Days. After graduation, she returned to The Nest as an employee assisting the UNF MVRC and the UNF Alumni Association. She loved the energy surrounding campus and enjoyed the opportunity assisting Ospreys during this pivotal time in their lives.
After spending a few years doing similar work at Georgia State University, she made her return to UNF hosting special events for the University, working her way up to Director of Community Alliance for Student Success and Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer. She couldn’t have ascended the ladder from assistant to VP without an unwavering work ethic and strong relationships and is forever grateful for her decade of experience at UNF.
In 2021, she started her current role with the Jaguars where she oversees the team’s philanthropic and community engagement, which includes the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, the Legends program, the youth football program and social responsibility pillars. “The Jaguars are much more than a football team,” Meyer said. She loves the impact of youth football, watching kids be kids. Her team organizes special events where Jaxson De Ville and Jaguars players will go into the community and pass out shirts. She even embraces the new role of coach as her own children are gearing up for flag football. “The power of sport can be so unifying,” Meyer said. During gamedays in Duval, no matter race, gender or political affiliation, everyone is cheering on our hometown team.
Her goal is to continue learning and growing to be the best person she can be, both professionally and personally, and to be a community champion for Jacksonville. For any current students looking to mirror her success, her advice is to get involved and make meaningful relationships. “Join at least three clubs including one outside your area of study,” she said.