10 minute read
Unleashed
Opening doors for deserving students
Warden Match kickstarts $2.5 million scholarship movement
The realities of JMU’s scholarship deficit recently hit home for Kathy Warden (’92), a member of the Board of Visitors who has risen from first-generation college graduate to chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman, a Fortune 100 aerospace and defense technology company.
“In the School of Business at JMU, I learned not only what I needed to perform in my career, but also how to work with others, the concept of working as a team, understanding the values one should have in the way they go about engaging in their work,” Warden said. “It was a broad educational experience that prepared me for my career post-graduation.”
A board meeting discussion made Kathy realize that many promising and deserving students were missing out on JMU’s superior education only because they can’t afford to attend.
“I couldn’t help but think about people not having the opportunity to come to JMU purely because of financial reasons—and how much the education at JMU had meant to me,” she said.
Kathy came home from that meeting with an idea: that she and her husband, Eric (’93), could start a scholarship movement to support students who need financial assistance in order to make their Madison dream a reality.
The Wardens decided to make a leadership investment of $1.25 million to help do just that.
Together, they have announced they will match, dollar for dollar, new gifts of any amount designated for immediate, renewable, needbased scholarships pledged during this calendar year. Their investment will double the number of new gifts and help JMU recruit and retain 100 aspiring Dukes.
“We decided this was something we wanted to do together, to give back,” Kathy said. “As a first-generation college graduate, I understand the impact a JMU education can have on a student’s future. This Madison Experience must continue and expand to welcome students from all walks of life.”
As JMU continues to grow in stature, securing this $2.5 million goal for scholarships will help bridge the opportunity gap, open our doors to more students and also improve JMU’s competitiveness in student recruitment.
“Kathy and I really embrace this opportunity to give back to the university,” said Eric, retired senior managing director at Accenture. “We’ve been very fortunate with opportunities we’ve had in our careers, and I think a lot of it is based on the educational experiences we had as students at JMU.
“The more you can do to help a young person who doesn’t have everything they need—from a financial standpoint, family support or other resources—if you can help plug some of those gaps … it just increases the likelihood that they’re going to be on a better path for the rest of their life,” Eric added.
He said he hopes JMU alumni and parents will join in the Warden Match to close some of those gaps for aspiring Dukes.
The match, Eric said, “is a very simple but impactful and powerful way to give back to the university while also making an investment in a young person.”
Kathy said she hopes this scholarship movement helps JMU open doors to an even more diverse student population.
— KATHY WARDEN (’92)
“The Warden’s gift is in perfect alignment with our energies on the financial aid front,” said Nick Langridge, vice president of university advancement. “When combined with our private philanthropy match, Federal Pell grants and/or state aid, their match has the power to make the Madison Experience accessible for 100 future Dukes who could not have afforded to attend otherwise. This is a smart investment with a team approach.”
C-suite execs pay it forward
John Hinshaw (’92) knows firsthand how important scholarships can be. The son of two school teachers, he knew his parents couldn’t afford to pay for his tuition.
Hinshaw juggled multiple jobs while at JMU, including a student position at Carrier Library. But it was a Pell Grant—a federal grant still given today to undergraduate students with great financial need— that helped make his Madison Experience possible.
Hinshaw, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in computer information systems, went on to a successful career at Verizon Wireless, Boeing and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He is now the group chief operating officer and group managing director at HSBC in London, England.
Today, however, Pell grants are not enough. In fact, JMU loses one-third of Pell-eligible students because they can’t afford to John Hinshaw come here without scholarships, (’92) according to Donna Harper, vice president for access and enrollment. “And JMU does not have the scholarships that other schools have,” she said. “Bottom line: Our national reputation as an academic institution has outpaced our resources, and it will take philanthropic funds to change that.”
That’s why Hinshaw has pledged $125,000 toward the Warden Match by starting a Dukes Pay It Forward scholarship. He joins former co-CEO at SAP, Jennifer Morgan (’93), who first told Hinshaw of the opportunity and has started her own DPIF scholarship with a $125,000 investment.
“I think we were given a lot by the education here and can really help the next generation as well,” Hinshaw said. “And so I think as we compete for students on a national basis, the ability to give them a scholarship makes a huge difference.”
Both realize their investments carry double the impact during the Warden Match, and they want to inspire others to make scholarship gifts, of any amount, to reach $1.25 million and ultimately help secure $2.5 million for scholarships.
— Sarah Featherstone (’13, ‘19M)
WARDEN MATCH
• Help recruit 100 new Dukes
• Goal: $2.5 million
For more about this opportunity, visit https://j.mu/warden.
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT NOW
• $25K scholarship can recruit one Pell-eligible student
• Give to the Dukes Pay It Forward scholarship fund. Visit https://j.mu/wardengive.
• Or call 800-296-6162 now to start your own DPIF scholarship
• Pledge by Dec. 31
Donors break annual fundraising record in FY21 despite pandemic
At a time when receptions, events and meetings were either canceled or held virtually because of COVID-19, JMU donors stepped up to support the university more than ever before. JMU finished the fiscal year that ended on June 30 at $23.2 million in private gifts, returning to the year-over-year increases seen since Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University began seven years ago.
Lockdowns triggered by the spread of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 caused many prospective donors to pause and reflect while dealing with the uncertainty, which slowed the year-over-year rise in fundraising totals last fiscal year. But then JMU donors came roaring back. “Such generosity during a time of great need and uncertainty is what you would expect of the JMU community,” said Nick Langridge (‘00, ‘07M, ‘14Ph.D.), vice president for university advancement.
Powerful new initiatives for scholarship giving were a growth area in 2021. After reaching the $200 million goal for Unleashed 18 months ahead of schedule in March, fundraising priorities centered on scholarships, and donors responded. “We put the right investment opportunities in front of our community, and our donors recognized not only the need, but the high return potential on their investment,” Langridge said.
New initiatives include the Warden Match (read more on Page 8), aimed at raising scholarships for students and families who might not otherwise be able to afford access to the exceptional Madison Experience. Initiated by Kathy (‘92) and Eric (‘93) Warden with the goal of inspiring fellow Dukes to match their $1.25 million gift to create a $2.5 million scholarship fund for 100 deserving future Dukes, the Warden Match already is more than halfway toward its goal. Also, the Amethyst Circle initiated by Women for Madison, which is also aimed at funding scholarships to open our doors to more students, set a goal to attract 10 founding members at $15,000 each and zoomed past 50 in no time.
During a year of so many disappointments, JMU donors didn’t disappoint. In 2020’s end-of-year giving report, Langridge was quoted as saying, “As we head into fiscal year 2021, frankly, we are counting on the philanthropy of our faithful to serve as a stabilizing force and bolster our rise above the chaos of this pandemic,” and that’s exactly what is happening. Go Dukes!
— Andy Perrine (‘86)
Scholarship paves Honors student’s path
Corinne Martin’s family history is paving the path for her future. That path hasn’t always been clearly marked, and sometimes it veered into the unknown or unexpected. But as a big believer in fate, she trusted her father when he told her that she would end up where she was meant to be.
Corinne Martin is honoring her family's lineage by exploring her Native American roots.
Martin always knew she wanted to attend college, but with six siblings, she was also aware that her family wouldn’t be able to help her pay for it. With that in mind, she dedicated herself to a strong work ethic and took advantage of her county’s Advance College Academy program, which allowed her to earn college credit for her high-school classes. After picking up an associate’s degree along with her high school diploma— and still worried about how to pay for two years of college without going into debt— she started applying for scholarships.
Her high school guidance counselor urged her to apply to JMU’s Centennial Scholars Program, which provides financial assistance, academic support, and personal and professional development to underrepresented students. During the interview, Martin said, “I felt very seen, and I felt like they were seeing the potential in me. And they were seeing all this hard work I’d put in, and I was talking about all these things I was passionate about. I was like, wow, all the stuff I’ve been doing seems like it’s paying off.”
She was awarded a full scholarship, which immediately allowed her to focus on what Corinne Martin is honoring her family’s lineage by exploring her Native American roots. she wanted to do with her opportunity rather than how she would pay for it. It also brought others into her life who would guide her along a path toward defining her passions and goals. She was able to concentrate on choosing a major and making the most of her Madison Experience.
“I want to be in a college setting, to teach people who might not be familiar with Native people about Native people,” Martin said. “Also, to hope fully be a role model to any Native students who might come to me like, ‘Oh, you have a place here. You can do this, you’re represented here.’”
— Elizabeth Nesselrodt (’84)
To hear Corinne Martin’s story in her own words, visit https://j.mu/martin.
Definitely amazing
Women for Madison launches Amethyst Circle
With more than 300 people in attendance, the “Women Who Amaze” online summit in May featured powerful speakers, serious advice, warm camaraderie and a bold new initiative called the Amethyst Circle.
Announcing a goal of 200 women giving a combined $1 million every two years, Women for Madison launched the Amethyst Circle to encourage women to each give $5,000 and band together to help meet JMU’s urgent need for scholarships.
Research has shown that an annual, renewable $5,000 award can help a future Duke with high financial need make JMU a practical choice for all four years of the Madison Experience.
“Imagine the power of your philanthropy combined with that of everyone here with us today,” Women for Madison Executive Advisory Council member and Amethyst Circle Founder Dawn Smith Barnes (’93) announced at the event. “Imagine the doors you can open for students.”
At press time, 10 women had come aboard as members, joining 55 who signed on as Founders to get the circle going, said Cannie Campbell (’95, ’20M), executive director of Women for Madison.
“I am so moved by their commitment, and I encourage more women to join so we can roll up our sleeves and do this important work together,” Campbell added.
The launch was part of a weekend of online activities and presentations from dozens of JMU alumni and parents who shared their experiences and wisdom about leadership, empowerment, career planning, mental health, self-care and more.
“So many powerful and influential JMU women gave of themselves to inspire personal, professional and philanthropic growth,” Campbell said.
The weekend was designed by the volunteers and donors of the Women for Madison Executive Advisory Council and led by Tiffanie Rosier (’95), Stephanie Forbes (’92, ’93M), Karen Rothenberger (’93) and Mary Margaret Prange (’01).
