Two degrees and two kids later, Jepson alumni Melissa Collins Cramer and Alex Cramer moved from New York back to Richmond in 2020.

“We always had it in the back of our minds that we’d return,” she said. “There are a surprising number of people who have boomeranged back to Richmond, with the similar understanding that it’s a great place to live.”

In a classic meet-cute story, Cramer met her future husband on her first day at UR. They were in the same orientation group. The following year, they were often paired together for Jepson School group projects because their last names both started with the letter 'C'. Soon after, true love blossomed.

The 2011 graduates even got married on campus and invited Professor Donelson Forsyth, who had personally witnessed the budding romance, to the wedding.

“The university is a huge part of our story, and we’re both really involved on campus,” she said. They are regulars at lacrosse games — Alex was a player — and regularly attend events or simply come on campus to have lunch at the Heilman Dining Center. Alex’s parents also live in Richmond. His father, David Cramer, serves on the Jepson School Executive Board of Advisors. His sister Molly and her husband Ethan Nelson are alumni of the Class of 2014 and 2013, respectively. (Ethan later graduated in 2017 from the law school.) 

Making difficult decisions

In New York, Alex served as a vice president of product at Goldman Sachs, while Melissa worked as a corporate recruiter for jewelry design at Tiffany & Co. She spent nearly a decade hiring talent for their U.S. and Canada stores.

She was 13 years old when she received the iconic brand as a gift. “At the time, I didn’t know about Tiffany, but that silver heart pendant was a prized piece of jewelry for me,” she said.

Now that the couple has two boys, ages 3 and 5, Cramer decided to take a break from her career. Working remotely and balancing family life wasn’t ideal, so she had to reassess her priorities.

“I began to feel like I was spread very thin. I felt like I was not a good employee because I was constantly being pulled back into my personal life while working from home,” she said. Work responsibilities also took her away from being completely present as a mother.

“I decided I’d like to be good at a few things instead of bad at many things,” she said. “Things may change at any time, but this is currently where I am most able to find a fulfilling life not only for myself but for our family.”

She has hardly been idle. For the past seven years, Cramer has participated in the Jepson EDGE Institute, co-leading it in 2025. She uses her recruiting skills to help students learn how to discuss the Jepson School during interviews. Alex works in partner development for Stripe financial services firm.

Choosing Jepson

Born and raised in Southern California, Cramer attended high school in Georgia. “My friends were going to large Georgia schools, but that didn’t appeal to me,” she recalled.

Learning about the Jepson School of Leadership Studies solidified her decision to attend UR. “I also wanted to go abroad, and UR had plenty of programs to do that,” said Cramer. She participated in the Jepson School's eight-week summer program at the University of Cambridge and studied at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

"The Jepson School provided me with a phenomenal foundation to pursue whatever I wanted to do,” she said. “One of the main things that’s been useful in my professional and personal life is the critical thinking course which forces you to look at issues from all sides.”

She also credits the Jepson School for helping to develop her communication skills, which were crucial for her job as a recruiter.

“I remember talking to my career counselor who told me that people will always want to know more about the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, so you have to figure out how to explain that in an elevator pitch,” she said. “The school is so unique, and it does make your resume and experience stand out.”