An Adrenaline Junkie Who Bakes

Name: M. Jonathan "Jai" JacksonPosition: Residence Coordinator of Keohane Quad, Housing, Dining and Residence LifeYears at Duke: 3

What I do at Duke: As residence coordinator for the Keohane Quad, I serve in multiple capacities. I supervise and work with 15 resident assistants and two graduate assistants to help them with any issues they face personally, with their role overseeing students or developing programming. I also serve as an academic advisor, so I have chances to work with first-year and sophomore students.

If I had $5 million, I would: Invest about $3 million with some of that going into an endowed scholarship for my alma mater, Appalachian State University. I'd take another million and pay off my debt and any debt of my family. The last million I'd buy a hybrid car and a house that's fully self-sustaining.

My first ever job: I worked with a summer camp grounds crew at Camp Dorothy Walls in Black Mountain, North Carolina. I was 14 years old, and I cut grass and took care of plants.

My dream job: To own a conglomerate of businesses. I'd like to own my own bakery, catering business, an auto mechanic shop and an adventure travel agency to plan camping trips, whitewater rafting and sky diving. I'm an adrenaline junkie, and I'm very eclectic. You might see me on a Saturday morning changing sprockets on my motorcycle, baking cupcakes in the afternoon and that evening tearing apart a toaster to fix something in it.

If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: Anything. I know a little about a lot of things. If you bring up a topic, I probably know something about it, from medicine to politics to the environment. I like knowing a lot of things because it's easy to strike up a conversation and there's always something to talk about.

The best advice I ever received: No matter how bad you think you have it, there's always going to be someone who has it worse. I like to keep my life in perspective. I need to be grateful for what I have.

What I love about Duke is: The legacy our university has and the opportunities it creates for students, faculty and staff. We all are doing fantastic things and being a part of Duke helps us improve life for so many people.

When I'm not at work, I like to: Get outside to enjoy the weather. I'm a mountain boy, so I enjoy things like throwing a hammock into a tree and just sitting there, swaying in the wind. I have a dog, Karma, that I like to take into the woods or forest, and we'll play fetch and chase each other around. I also love to cook, eat and entertain.

Something most people don't know about me: I'm a twin, which I never bring up. I'm also a die-hard Appalachian State sports fan. I went there for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and in six years, I made 90 percent of the football games.