Alex Dumas '24 didn't join the Siena Pep Band because of his parents, but if not for his parents, the pep band might not exist.
In the late 1980s, the Siena pep band wasn't entirely Siena's. A high school musical director pieced together a band of high school musicians to play at some basketball games. By 1992, a handful of Siena students had joined the ensemble, but it was a ragtag operation. In fact, a decision was made to disband the band in favor of a DJ. That's when Chris Dumas '93, Kim Roberge '93, Michelle Tordoff '93, and Sharon Hunt '93 knocked on John D'Argenio's door.
"My parents, who were dating at the time, my aunt, and Sharon Hunt were all playing in the band when it was decided that it would be axed in favor of a DJ," said Aex. "The way my parents tell the story, the four of them marched into Mr. D'Argenio's office and pleaded with him to save the band."
D'Argenio was the acting athletic director in 1992 and would officially be appointed to the role the following spring. As the story goes, he nixed the DJ idea and blessed the creation of an all-Siena student pep band. Then, he cut the quartet (two saxophonists, a flutist, and a tambourine player) a check for $250 to buy music and tee shirts, and the rest is yearbook history. The next chapter began in Alex's senior year of high school.
Alex grew up in Rhode Island and intended to go south, maybe NC State, for college. Siena was on the list only because it was his parents' alma mater, but it wasn't really on the list. However, as other schools were crossed off, Siena kept rising in his rankings.
"We came to an Accepted Students Day here, and afterwards, my mom basically told me I had to come here. She said I never stopped smiling the entire time. In the end, she was right and I made the right choice."
Alex started taking saxophone lessons in the 5th grade, and played the same instrument as his dad all through high school. At Siena, he's studying biology (like his parents) but never really considered the pep band. That changed over a round of golf. Last fall, just before the school year started, Alex and his dad were playing a round at Orchard Creek in Altamont. They were paired up with a complete stranger, and over four hours of golf, the conversation turned to Siena. Alex mentioned that he's a Siena student; the golfer said he's the father of Chris Farrell, the director of the Siena Pep Band; and Chris Dumas explained that he started the band. After the round, Alex texted the pep band director and then went and bought a saxophone. It was all too much of a coincidence. He was destined to play in the band that his parents founded.
Each of the last two years, Alex – who will be the band manager next year – has played with the pep band in Atlantic City for the MAAC basketball tournaments, and his parents have gone to the games as fans. Last year, they spotted D'Argenio and approached him (30 years later and this time without an agenda).
"They walked up to him before one of the games and asked if he remembered that meeting when he helped them save the band. They thought it was pretty cool that he remembered it."