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When Dana Legere started at Brightpoint, she couldn’t conceive how far her college connections would take her. Before transferring to James Madison University, Brightpoint’s 2018 Trailblazer of the Year amassed a sterling leadership résumé — including Student Government Association president, Governor’s Task Force delegate and General Assembly representative — which led to a niche role with a government consulting firm that merges her passions for science and politics.

When Dana Legere started at Brightpoint, she couldn’t conceive how far her college connections would take her.

Before transferring to James Madison University, Brightpoint’s 2018 Trailblazer of the Year amassed a sterling leadership résumé — including Student Government Association president, Governor’s Task Force delegate and General Assembly representative — which led to a niche role with a government consulting firm that merges her passions for science and politics.

Here’s how she became a mover and shaker at Brightpoint:

Explore all of your interests.

A general studies major, Dana spent her first two years at Brightpoint sampling different subjects and figuring out her life plan. When she took anatomy and physiology, that’s when everything clicked.

“It was amazing,” Dana said. “The class size was really small, so I got to know my professor, which made me more motivated. I now had him rooting for me as a student. And the way he structured the class was so interactive — every Tuesday we would learn about a specific body part and every Thursday, we would have a model of that body part on our desks.”

That same professor also invested time in understanding Dana’s interests and motivation.  “He really wanted to know me and why I wanted to be in that class,” Dana said. “That was really big for me, because even in high school, when the classes were exactly the same size, I never had a teacher who really wanted to get to know me and see me succeed. He gave me a lot of the tools to succeed in that class and beyond.”

Design a course plan that transfers easily.

When Dana learned about Brightpoint’s guaranteed transfer agreements with four-year colleges and universities, she started researching bachelor’s programs immediately.

"When I learned about Brightpoint’s four-year automatic transfer agreement, I looked at colleges and universities and figured out that I really wanted to go to JMU. It was so easy to get from point A to point B, and I’m forever grateful to Brightpoint for that."

Dana Legere

Dana Legere

“I figured out that I really wanted to go to JMU, and it was so easy to get from point A to point B,” Dana said. “I’m forever grateful to Brightpoint for that.”

Dana worked with her adviser to create a checklist of entry requirements for JMU’s health services program and to identify equivalent courses at Brightpoint that would transfer seamlessly.

“I didn’t have to look up all these things I needed to do, how I needed to transfer or what orientations I needed to go to,” Dana said. “Brightpoint helped me with all of that."

Build confidence for long-term success.

Dana’s first leadership role at Brightpoint, as a student ambassador introducing prospective students to the college, led to bigger roles.

“Being a student ambassador really showed me that I could go far at Brightpoint and in life, if I had the confidence and believed in myself,” she said.

It gave her the push to step up as Student Government Association  president, student delegate on Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Millennial Civic Engagement Task Force and student representative to Virginia’s General Assembly.

“All of these leadership experiences at Brightpoint had a hand in what I’m doing now,” Dana said.

Capitalize on your contacts.

Before finishing her last semester at JMU, Dana reached out to her Brightpoint contacts to explore possible job opportunities and was connected with – and hired by – the Broad Street Group.

“All of these leadership experiences at Brightpoint had a hand in what I’m doing now. I never felt like I could be a leader. Being a student ambassador really showed me that I could go far at Brightpoint and in life, if I had the confidence and believed in myself.”

Dana Legere

Dana Legere

As a government relations associate, Dana arranges meetings with legislators and fosters relationships with their chiefs of staff and aides to help clients reach their health and education policy goals, such as lobbying for the Virginia Literacy Act bipartisan bill that passed in January.

“Going into Brightpoint, I thought I was going to take a class or two and was not really looking to make friends. It was the complete opposite,” Dana said. “What surprised me the most about Brightpoint were the connections I made.”

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  • Almost 10 years after her first college attempt, Tiandra Threat returned to Brightpoint with a clear vision to grow her business career and leveraged every possible opportunity to build her network and experience, as a campus leader, mentor and mentee. 

  • Although she had a bachelor’s degree in hand, Clarissa Perry was unsure about her career path. A soul-searching six months of hiking the Appalachian Trail connected her with tradespeople who sparked her next move: learning how to weld.

  • A single dad of two girls, Kenneth Pritchett had accomplished a lot as a medical records technician for nearly 25 years and as a local school board member. But there was one thing he didn’t have: a college degree. Brightpoint helped him change that.

  • During the pandemic, Chrishelle York enrolled at Brightpoint in search of a career change and more stability. She juggled coursework, homeschooling her daughter and managing her salon. Now, she’s transferring to VCU in pursuit of a career in human resources.

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