Famous Longhorns – University of Texas Alumni | Alcalde Magazine

Chandra, it was wonderful to interview you – I really appreciate your candor and warmth. The whole time we were talking, I thought, I need to make this powerhouse of an entrepreneur my mentor. Cora Bullock – Editor – Alcalde Magazine

If you only knew what this interview meant to me. First, it was for my alma mater.

HOOK ‘EM HORNS!

Second, this magazine has a subscriber base that is HUGE (if you don’t already know this – the University of Texas has been one of the biggest schools in the country for decades, so it has produced a crapload of college grads since I graduated…uh, years ago.

The university has more than 450,000 living alumni – holy cow!

So, as you might imagine, Alcalde Magazine has plenty of amazing people they can profile. Clearly, with almost half a million people to choose from, I can’t get over that they wanted to do a feature story on me!

Let’s see, here’s another Longhorn Alum…

Okay, well everyone knows about his love for the Longhorns and anyone who lives within a 50 mile radius of Austin probably has a Matthew McConaughey story. But mine is really good…

So, Bob Michaels, back in the day, was in a band that used to bring out every former frat guy in town. That included Matt.

Like any local rock star girlfriend, you gain instant access to everything. Plus, let’s not forget, I was in all the movies made here at that time, so my popularity on the $45 day player circuit was hard to deny. True enough – there are a handful of shows that you can see me in for maybe .0126 seconds, a few, I even say a word or two. STARDOM can be such a rush.

Anyway, with my bit part movie career taking off and a kick ass guitar player by my side, we RULED.

It was my birthday – Summer of ‘96. We were celebrating at Shakespeare’s Pub with all the boys in the band when Matt comes in. He slides up next to me and I welcome him home. I ask him how he’s doing out in Hollywood and he mentions that he just wrapped on a new movie. He said that he was “stoked” about it – it was based on a John Grisham novel and he got to work with Ashley Judd (who is one of my all-time most favorite celebs ever). He tells me a bit about A Time to Kill…it premiers in a few days – and all I could think was…”Oh my GOD!!! You are about to become absolutely mega-famous!”

Pulling my friends in close, I’m like…”seriously, you guys…listen, his life is about to change!” My friend Mark Chandler says…”let’s get drinks and toast to that.” And Matt yells, “I’m buying!”

“Bartender – Shirley Temples for everyone!”

Applause, applause, clink, clink! Hurray! And then a really drunk guy comes up and slurs, “Dude – aren’t you the dude from Dazed and Confused?” I looked at Matt and said, “See? It’s just the beginning…”

Right now, if you are thinking…Oh hurl! She’s just calling him Matt to try and show she’s so freakin’ cool. And then I think, if that’s how you really feel, then wait until you read about my good friend, John. John Corbett. You know, Aidan from Sex in the City. Yeah, that’s right!

I guess a lot can happen in a decade…

I, obviously, chose another path. Acting, although I feel it in me bones (yes, I’m Irish), could not have been a viable career unless I made the full-on move to California. Alas, I decided to make pretty pictures for a living.

Racking my brain to give you an example of another Hollywood Longhorn, I can’t think of anyone else right now but Renee Zellweger. I don’t have a fun Renee story, so never mind her.

I decide to Google for famous longhorn alumni from the University of Texas.

And check this out!

Look what comes up FIRST – number 1 out of 7,390 results – Chandra Michaels! Chandra Michaels and Sugarluxe…No way – take that Renee!

Well, I’ve never won an Oscar and I’m far less squinty, but I am still gracing the pages of the same magazine that touts such all-star alum and that makes me really happy!

So, I’m thrilled. The most perfect part about my interview was that I was able to spend a couple of hours with the editor/journalist – Cora Bullock. Let me tell you, she was divine! The questions she asked, the time she spent…but most importantly, the genuine interest and enthusiasm she showed for what we’re doing at Sugarluxe, made it one of the BEST interviews EVER.

Cora made me feel so comfortable and she has a real gift. She is a truly talented writer, but to get at the core of who someone is takes more. What developed from our experience together was a True Hollywood Story. Except that I am not a Hollywood Star and this wasn’t on E!…but other than that, just like it, sorta.

The magazine was actually out for about 4 weeks before I ever saw it. It was generating a lot of sales, even more so, a ton of resumes and job requests! YIKES – I don’t have any openings right now!!

A month later, when we finally made our way over to the Alumni Center to pick up copies prior to my event at the Blanton Museum of Art, I read through ALL two pages — over and over. I couldn’t believe it! There was my life, the Cliff’s Notes version of it anyway, in print in the highest circulated college alumni magazine in the world.

Maybe I sound profuse. After all, I’ve had coverage in major publications, and features that placed a much coveted spotlight on the brand. But this was different.

I guess it’s because it feels like a fantastic way to say THANK YOU to my parents who sacrificed a lot to put me through school. And for all the times that they wondered what the hell I was going to do with my education and their concern that I had this great degree but I chose to be an entrepreneur over earning a steady paycheck.

I hope this somehow says to them…thank you for believing in me and I am forever grateful for the opportunities you’ve provided.

Education matters! But what you do with it after you get it is totally up to you.

I’m curious, how many of you today actually think college prepares you for the real world?

And I wonder this, how many people are going to pretend to be my new best friend because I might introduce you to Matthew McConaughey?