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Contact: University Communications & Marketing
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UWG alum "escapes" from Alcatraz
August 9, 2004
CARROLLTON, GA - On the night of June 11, 1962, three inmates incarcerated at Alcatraz Federal Prison in San Francisco Bay escaped, never to be seen again. On July 11, 2004, UWG alum and faculty member Jeff Rooks completed the “Escape from Alcatraz” swim and thankfully, he has been seen again to tell about it!
Rooks,
a lieutenant colonel in the Marine reserves, learned of the 1.5 mile race
from military friends who had participated last year. According to Rooks,
his buddies invited him to join them this year for a tour of historic
San Francisco, a good reunion and an exciting swim from Alcatraz.
Alcatraz, now one of San Francisco’s biggest tourist attractions, was used as a maximum security penitentiary for 34 years from the mid 1930’s until the mid 1960’s. Known as “The Rock,” Alcatraz was the final stop for some of the nation’s most incorrigible inmates.
Rooks swam in the 60-62 degree water from the island to Aquatic Park, San Francisco and praises UWG’s facilities and programs for helping him train for the event.
“I used UWG’s pool, weight rooms and running courses,” he noted. “I am impressed that West Georgia is uniquely designed to aid people in their development, both mentally and physically. I am proud that UWG prepares students to add value to their community.”
Rooks received a BBA in economics from UWG in 1986 and an MBA in 1997. Last year, he served as a logistics officer in Kuwait during Operation Enduring Freedom. His current reserve job is a project known as Marine For Life, a program that assists Marines as they return to civilian life. He is a lecturer in UWG’s Richards College of Business.
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