Relationships mean a lot to Lisa Jacoby — one conversation with her and that becomes clear. 

Jacoby has spent much of her adult life sharing time with her families, her workplace and Carroll College. The '86 alumna felt a calling to give back to the college that provided her higher education and a lifetime of memories. That calling only became louder when current Director of Alumni and Family Relations Renee Wall encouraged her to get involved in the early 2000s. 

And so, Jacoby became heavily involved with the Saints Athletic Association and the Saints' host family programs. 

She spent 2005 through 2014 on the SAA board and served as its president for four years. As the SAA looked to find new, clever ways to fundraise for athletic scholarships over the years, Jacoby volunteered ample amounts of her time to the cause. 

With major events each year — including the Saints Shindig, the SAA Golf Tournament, the Poker Run and the Saints Auction — Jacoby played various roles during her era with the SAA. Even then, it was paramount that Jacoby and the rest of the SAA build relationships with the community and local businesses. With a goal of raising $150,000 every school year, asking for donations was not enough. Relationships had to be nurtured. 

Those relationships were never more important than when the SAA Auction came around.The build up toward the auction starts in the fall and culminates in the spring. 

Running a successful auction, which Jacoby chaired for several years, required a variety of duties. The SAA visited with local businesses, inquiring about donations or reduced costs on items that could fetch interest as either silent or live auction goods. The association sent letters to former alumni to raise awareness about the SAA and coordinate with the auction. If any Saints alumni could be reached, the SAA likely tried. 

As the auction drew near, members of the SAA donated close to 15 hours a week of their freetime — this on top of full-time jobs. Each detail of the event would be scrutinized: the timing of auction items, their placement, the lighting, the ambience, the food options. The SAA pondered everything. 

"It truly boiled down to helping the student-athletes," Jacoby said recently over lunch. "The purpose wasn't for us to get recognition or 'hey look what we did.' It was to help the sports and promote Carroll."

The only reason Jacoby stepped away from the SAA? You guessed it: Family. She wished to see her daughter row for the University of Portland. Being a good mother trumped assisting with the SAA. 

"I am very proud of what I did on SAA," Jacoby said. "It's not me. It was us collectively as a group. I think we felt like we accomplished things."

Of course, Jacoby gave more to Carroll than just her time with the SAA. 

Jacoby spent over a decade as a host family for Carroll College student-athletes. 

When a fellow fiery Butte native took the helm as the Carroll College volleyball head coach, Jacoby felt it was the right time to get back involved with Carroll Athletics in another way, as a host parent. It only helped that coach Moe Boyle was a family friend. 

"She knew me and knew what kind of expectations and standards we have," Boyle said. "To be able to not only be a role model for incoming freshmen, but also be able to have somebody who understands my way ... I think that was important for me."

Jacoby took her role as a host parent seriously. She ensured her students came to dinner once a week, as well as had a place to sleep, hang out and more. She kept contact, helping kids transition into Helena, offering advice on how to live in the Queen City. She loved hosting volleyball girls, but when her late husband Russ pushed to host football players, the Jacobys grew their family a bit more. 

With this extended family at Carroll, the tragic and sudden passing of her husband last winter hit everybody hard. She and Russ built an everlasting relationship, one that reaches from her family, to Carroll, to Helena and much, much farther.

"After losing Russ I think … Carroll is a home for her," Boyle said. "It's welcoming. I think she feels the support here. I hope she feels the support here. For me, it goes back to understanding each other. That relationship building is so important." 

Jacoby currently serves as the host family for Saints senior women's basketball player Cassidy Hashley. She's unsure if she'll continue being a host parent after Hashley graduates, but is sure to be a mainstay at Carroll athletic events for the foreseeable future. 

And that speaks volumes to her continued support of Carroll College.

"We've gone through pretty serious transition here," Boyle said. "We have all these people come and go in every office. She has been through it all. And still continues to support us." 

It is for these reasons Carroll College Athletics recognizes Lisa and Russ Jacoby as the 2018 Warren L. Nelson Award recipients. 

"To me, this whole award is my kids, my host kids," Jacoby said. "I call them all my kids. My Carroll kids."

Thank you, Lisa. We treasure the continued relationship you share with Carroll College. 

About the honor

The Warren L. Nelson Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Carroll College Athletic Department. The Warren L. Nelson Award was established in 1986 to honor Mr. Nelson for his support of Carroll Athletics. The award is intended to recognize individuals who have exemplified the unselfish goodness of Warren Nelson in assisting, promoting and otherwise supporting Carroll Athletics. Nelson was a Reno, Nevada, businessman and longtime Carroll booster. He attended Mount St. Charles High School and college, playing for the 1931 Saints' football team that won the Montana Collegiate Championship.