JD O’Keane | Alum

Starting Early

JD O’Keane ’23 picked up the phone with a simple strategy: tell the truth. He had recently been connected to a high school student from his hometown considering DePauw in his college selection process. O’Keane gave him a call one evening before he made the final decision, taking time to share about his own experiences and describe the unique set of opportunities potentially awaiting him in Greencastle.

“I'm an honest guy,” says O’Keane. “I'm not going to lie to him. I'm going to tell him to trust his gut. But I outlined pretty clearly there's an obvious winner in this decision.”

O’Keane’s phone call was just one of the many ways he’s stayed engaged with the university since graduation. Even though he’s a relatively fresh alum, O’Keane has already established a regular practice of giving back.

“I view it as my own personal responsibility to give back wherever I can — maybe not monetarily at this stage of my life, but through experience and opportunity,” he says. “My own DePauw experience was made special because alumni were giving back — they were coming to campus, they were meeting with students, they were responding to introductory emails. And I now do the exact same thing.”

O’Keane’s generosity is inspired in large part by the profound impact of his well-rounded DePauw education, which brought together academics, athletics, leadership, activism, internships, networking and mentorship. But he’s also been fortunate enough to have some excellent role models along the way.

A Seat at the Table

Elected by his classmates to serve as a young alumni member of DePauw’s Board of Trustees, O’Keane made a direct jump from his role as a student leader into the high-stakes realm of institutional oversight and strategic decision-making. It was impossible not to feel the pressure of such a responsibility, especially when he found himself surrounded by so many prominent alumni. 

“The intimidation was crazy,” he says. “You come in as a full voting member with all the rights that a regularly elected trustee has. But it can feel extremely intimidating.”

After serving as a Management Fellows ambassador, admissions liaison and student government president, O’Keane began his three-year term with a working knowledge of what it takes to determine policy and sustain university initiatives. But by working alongside his board colleagues and seeing how they guided DePauw toward long-term flourishing, he quickly learned a new perspective on leadership — and what it looks like to support his alma mater.

“Being a graduate trustee was arguably the most meaningful professional experience I've had,” he says. “It taught me to think strategically at a level I had never done so before. It also gave me a perfect example of how I want to act as an alum and how I want to continue to give back.”

Recruiting the Next Generation

As a senior analyst at Bank of America with a portfolio of two dozen clients managing $14 billion in global exposure, O’Keane has plenty to keep him busy in his own blossoming professional life. But that doesn’t stop him from carving out time to serve the DePauw community. He joined the alumni board of his fraternity, he’s a mentor for the Management Fellows Program, he’s part of the regional alumni council in Chicago, and he helps the admission team by recruiting prospective students.

“The power of the DePauw education starts with its people, both on and off campus,” says O’Keane.” I am a firm believer in that. So although I am not on campus all the time, I try to give back where I can.”

As for the student from his hometown he called awhile back? That student ended up choosing DePauw and is now a thriving member of the Class of 2029. O’Keane has stayed in touch with him since that initial point of contact, and he’s impressed by what he’s seen so far. O’Keane has already brought him to Bank of America's office, and he’s even pinned him as a top candidate for the company’s internship program when the time comes. 

“I was pretty involved at DePauw, but he is locked in more so than I ever could be,” says O’Keane. “He's someone to watch. And he was the first person I was able to recruit to DePauw, which was very meaningful. Not that I can take credit for it — but I'll take credit for it.”