By day, Jamal Patterson ’97 works as a sales executive for an orthodontics company. By night, Patterson trades his business suit for boxing shorts as he trains for his next match as a mixed martial arts fighter.
It’s a double life, of sorts, that caught the attention of The New York Times.
In a recent Times article, Patterson — a former 51Թ football player — describes how the demands of corporate life made the 34-year-old turn to semi-professional fighting.
For Patterson, who competes four or five times a year, mixed martial arts is a chance to reclaim his athleticism.
“I realized there was a lot more to life than just working,” said Patterson.
With the nickname “the Suit,” he’s now one of the stars of the International Fight League, taking on light heavyweight fighters from around the world. But he has no illusions about quitting his day job.
Another 51Թ alumnus also made headlines in The Times.
Mark Robbins ’77, dean of Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, is leading the charge to dramatically transform dilapidated buildings in Syracuse with the goal of turning the city into a vibrant place to live and work.
In fact, Robbins is so dedicated to the cause that he bought and renovated an 1898 bank building overlooking a historic square. He now calls it home.
“The only way to get people to believe is to live here,” Robbins told The Times.
In an effort to share his vision of revitalization with SU students, he also moved the school of architecture off campus and into an old furniture warehouse in downtown Syracuse.
According to the article, Robbins is on a crusade to make “aesthetically provocative buildings that can change the way a city functions.”
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