26 minute read
Alumni for Life
Alumni forLife
JMYOU Serve Day builds momentum for community engagement
BY CONOR WEBB (’15), former alumni relations assistant director
Over the past year, the Office of Alumni Relations has connected with alumni chapter leaders throughout the country to strategize on evolving our alumni-programming opportunities. Many chapter leaders came to the table with positive stories about the Big Event, a student-driven day of service that alumni participate in as well. That program had gone quiet over the last few years, and with an influx of new chapter leadership teams, we wanted to lay the foundation for a culture of community engagement through the chapter program.
Once we set the date for the inaugural JMYOU Serve Day for Sat., April 9, volunteer alumni chapter leaders immediately answered the call and began connecting with local community partners in their regions to set up service opportunities. Eleven chapters from all over the country hosted a wide array of service events that brought together more than 60 JMU alumni and their families, who invested 165 hours of service in their local communities. According to the Independent Sector, an organization that values the national dollar amount per hour of volunteer service, JMU volunteers contributed almost $5,000 worth of revenue to their communities!
In addition, Josh Shulruff, assistant director for Alternative Break Programs, contributed to the success of the first JMYOU Serve Day.
Dukes cleaned up the shore in Hampton Roads.
(Clockwise from top left): The Harrisonburg Chapter, MetroDukes, North Carolina Triangle Dukes, Philadelphia Chapter, Tampa Bay Dukes and Atlanta Dukes participated in JMYOU Serve Day.
He led a pre-service orientation for chapter leaders that educated alumni about the importance of creating mutually beneficial relationships with community partners.
The Office of Alumni Relations looks forward to building upon the momentum of the 2022 JMYOU Serve Day by encouraging service-related programming year-round, not just once a year. The relationships between community partners and alumni chapters have the opportunity to become interwoven into the fabric of how we engage alumni at JMU. Oftentimes, our chapters have established fantastic relationships with local bars and restaurants to host watch parties and happy hours. We would love to see their relationships with community partners grow as well.
Alumni networking opens door to Caribbean trip, impactful internship
BY ALLIE SELZNICK, JMU Alumni Association Student Committee president
This past year, I had the pleasure of serving on the JMU Alumni Association Student Committee, first as a member and then as president of the organization. While studying in the Hart School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management, I have had many industry volunteer opportunities: the BMW championship, a conference for Torchy’s Tacos and our big fundraiser, Le Gourmet. A professor of mine had a connection to the JMUAASC and thought I would be a good fit, so I applied to the organization and was accepted.
I dove into every opportunity I could get my hands on in the JMUAASC. I volunteered at campus events, networked with a diverse group of people and worked hard to help improve the campus climate. I learned how important it is to put yourself out there and search for opportunities inside as well as outside of the classroom. I strongly believe in going the extra mile to achieve my goals.
Through the JMUAASC, I met many wonderful people and made some life-changing connections. One of the best was meeting Bill Luth (’89), executive vice president of global store operations for Signet Jewelers and a member of the JMU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Bill got his start at Valley Mall in Harrisonburg when he was in college and worked his way up through the company — the world’s largest retail jeweler — which is truly impressive.
In September, the Alumni Association held a networking event for the JMUAASC and the JMUAA Board of Directors. We had five minutes to speak with two directors at a time, and within those five minutes of speaking to Bill, my career began. I shared with him that I want to be a corporate event planner, and he connected me with Signet’s director of business support services, Amy Faber, who plans business meetings and incentive trips. Little did I know that this meeting with Bill would open up such an amazing door.
Over the course of the next few months, Amy introduced me to the team. After a few informational interview sessions, they invited me to Puerto Rico for 10 days. The trip is part of the incentive program that Signet offers its top-performing employees. I enthusiastically agreed! The company asked me to apply for its newly created internship position for the business support services team, and
Allie Selznick poses for her Signet’s Best portrait. (Inset): Photobooth keepsake shot from her time in Puerto Rico. (Opposite): Selznick with Bill Luth (’89), JMU Alumni Association Board of Directors member I did. After a few interviews, I was offered the position of meetings and incentive business support intern. I immediately accepted!
With about 400 attendees in Puerto Rico, I assisted with arrivals/departures, registration, VIPs, event setup/execution/breakdown, customer service at the hospitality desk, and anything else the attendees or my team needed. I got to dip into every aspect of an event of that size, which was the hands-on experience I was searching for. I spoke with a few travel directors (professional event coordinators who plan and execute these types of events) about their experiences in the industry. The team was warm and welcoming from the moment I arrived. They wanted me to learn while I was there and appreciated all the questions I threw their way.
When I returned from Puerto Rico, Signet immediately brought me into other ongoing projects. Specifically, I helped with its district managers meeting in June and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital incentive trip in August. For more than 20 years, Signet has helped raise nearly $100 million for the children of St. Jude. For the
June meeting, I helped contract a DJ, developed networking activities, designed infographics, created the registration site for the St. Jude incentive trip, proofed rooming/ grounds lists, and attended every meeting to listen to my leaders and their partners. Signet included me at every step along the way.
Some of my other responsibilities included processing voucher checks from the incentive trip, survey compilation, setting up meetings with others in the company to learn more and expand my network, and incorporating Pride Month into our meetings. Signet gave me many opportunities to show my creative side and bring new insights to the team. It helped me see every aspect of the planning process, including standard operating procedures and best practices. Every week, Signet brought me into new roles with more responsibilities.
This internship was a key turning point in my life, because it showed me that I can successfully work with a leading company and be an asset. I learned that I love every aspect of what it takes to put on meetings and trips. I never felt so truly appreciated in a job before. I am beyond thankful to the JMUAA for the opportunities. The association gave me the chance to stay involved in many different projects, like being on the search committee for a new hire, planning the Spirit Rock event, volunteering and pioneering the new student committee. The Alumni Association helped me establish new connections with people who want me to succeed. Because of my relationship with Signet, I know what I want to do with my career and have the toolbox to do so.
New JMUAA president ushers in autumn with call for engagement
The fall semester is once again upon us and, as it usually is this time of year, it’s an exciting time to be a Duke! Our university is celebrating the successful conclusion of Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University, which exceeded fundraising expectations to support students and university initiatives across campus. Our studentathletes continue achieving academic and athletic success at remarkable rates, and JMU Athletics is now officially part of the Sun Belt Conference.
As the new president of the JMU Alumni Association Board of Directors, I am very excited about the launch of the JMUAA’s new 2022-26 Strategic Plan, which should guide us to better serve our 150,000-plus global alumni in the coming years.
One of the best aspects of the Madison Experience is that it reaches far beyond our years as students. For me, my Madison network and passion for JMU have grown exponentially since graduation day. The JMUAA’s mission is to foster a lifelong connection to your Madison Experience by cultivating sustained engagement and investment in JMU. Its vision is “to be the leading connector and primary resource to meaningfully engage alumni, and build exceptional relationships with and among students, alumni and the university to keep Madison traditions alive for future generations.”
My goal, as your JMUAA president for the next two years, is to engage you and the alumni in your community to help further that mission and vision. Whether you live in Virginia, across the United States or internationally, we want to connect with you and inspire you to engage with JMU. It’s an honor and privilege to serve you, but this is our alumni association. I want to know what you want to see from the JMUAA, as well as how we can best engage you and keep you informed about what’s One of the going on at JMU and with the association. There are many different ways you can stay best aspects of the Madison connected to the exciting things happening at JMU. The first is to take two minutes and visit alumni.jmu.edu to update your contact Experience is that it reaches information with the JMUAA. This will help us keep in touch with you and let you know about alumni events in your area. From there, I far beyond our years as students. also encourage you to follow the JMUAA social media accounts. You will find a lot of great information and stories on those channels. Another way to stay connected is to attend local JMU events like watch parties, networking opportunities, happy hours and speaking events. But connections don’t have to happen in formal settings. I love getting a “Go Dukes!” shoutout when I’m traveling.
Finally, make plans to return to campus this fall for the annual Homecoming weekend (Oct. 21-23). If you haven’t been back in a few years, Homecoming is filled with Purple Pride and opportunities to celebrate our alma mater with your JMU friends and family. The JMUAA also hosts some outstanding events in the spring, so I encourage you to save the dates for the Alumni Awards (March 10, 2023) and Reunion Weekend (April 20-22, 2023) as well.
I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as president and continue building upon the strong foundation established by previous JMUAA presidents. I have been fortunate to not only serve with many of them but befriend them as well. I want to send a sincere thank you to Jamie Jones Miller (’99), Larry Caudle (’82), Heather Hedrick (’00), Eric Bowlin (’02) and, most recently, Dave Urso (’03, ’05M) for their support, friendship and inspiration as I begin my term and continue their hard work.
I look forward to meeting you at an alumni event soon, working with you to grow the JMUAA and supporting the institution we love so much! Go Dukes!
Tripp Hughes (’09)
Reflections on my class’ 50th anniversary
Madison College alumna celebrates Bluestone Reunion weekend
BY LINDA LOUGHREY (’72)
After 10 months of planning our Bluestone Reunion with 12 of my fellow 1972 classmates, the reunion was becoming a reality. However, I felt anxious about traveling across the country since
COVID-19 pandemic mandates were lifting. I even considered canceling and not attending. That would have been a huge mistake.
After having lunch with a classmate on Thursday, April 21, we received our registration packages for the weekend — complete with my nametag and a picture of someone I used to know (in my younger years!) as well as a schedule of activities. We met some classmates as we perused the Great Room in the Leeolou Alumni Center, which houses many Madison memories. It really gave testimony to the history and growth of Madison College, now James Madison University.
Thursday was set aside for checking in, but our committee members were treated to a delicious dinner at the home of one of our co-chairs. This was followed by a get-together in the Hotel Madison lobby with our classmates and others who were already inducted into the Bluestone Society. It was a marvelous time to reconnect.
Friday arrived as a sunny day. (Whoever was in charge of weather for the weekend should always be in charge — the weather was primo springtime in the Shenandoah Valley.) We were treated to a panel discussion by JMU students and their experiences as we ate lunch at D-Hall. Now, this was not the Madison College-kind of D-Hall. This was all-you-can-eat (no mystery meals!), with variety as well as tasty delicacies. Separated dining rooms allowed us to sit and chat with classmates while enjoying the cuisine. After lunch, a virtual tour of the university’s academic programs was quite interesting, since the majority of our classmates graduated with education degrees. The options today are endless.
The pinning of the Class of 2022, welcoming them as alumni, capped off the day on the grounds of East Campus with the sun slowly setting. At our dinner, Charlie Wymer (’72, ’85M) and Jim Sheldrake (’72) proudly presented a check totaling more than $1 million in our class donations since 1972, with more than $80,000 for 2022.
On Saturday, classmates gathered on the Wilson Hall steps for our class picture. In the distance, we saw soon-to-be-graduates being photographed on the Quad — on the grass, no less, with no possibility of a call down for cutting campus! A tour of Wilson Hall and the buildings around the Quad followed our picture. During lunch, we were treated to a performance by The JMU Chorale. The most inspiring songs were “Shenandoah” and the JMU Alma Mater. By the time they finished, we were standing and realized how much the singing touched us. A tour of the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum followed lunch, although I decided to go rogue and attend the women’s lacrosse game. Six of the original teammates from ’69 were ’72 graduates. Five of us were fortunate to have a picture taken and agreed to make an effort to return each year to
Our life experiences attend a home game. varied, but the foundations initially laid at The weekend culminated in the Bluestone Induction Dinner. So many of our classmates, in person or virtually
Madison College on YouTube, were recognized for the were still strong. Friendships never 50th anniversary of our graduation. An “In Memoriam” table and video presentation were especially go out of style. moving, as we remembered roommates, teammates and classmates who were there in spirit. Knowing that we were the first class in three years to attend this ceremony felt special but emotional. Because of circumstances beyond their control, the classes of ’70 and ’71 never had the opportunity to experience this unique moment. It was probably the only time during the reunion weekend where I felt a pang of sadness. I was honored to light the candle at the front of the ballroom to begin the Induction Ceremony. Every classmate, escorted to the front of the room, was transfixed as their name was called with a photo of them projected on a large screen. As they received their medallions, some from President Jonathan R. Alger, there was a special meaning to reaching this milestone. My main observation was all the reconnecting among classmates. Fifty years may have transpired since we last saw them or spoke, but commitments to stay connected were evident. Our life experiences varied, but the foundations initially laid at Madison College were still strong. Friendships never go out of style. As I left JMU on Sunday and drove up Interstate 81, some of the same emotions that I felt 50 years earlier when I left Madison after graduating crept back in my mind. Would I ever see these people again? Would I lose touch with them? This time I knew the answer would be different.
(Top): Class of 1972 group photo; (Insets, LR): Linda Loughrey (’72) pins a 2022 graduate, acknowledging him as an alumnus; during the Induction Ceremony, Loughrey receives her 50year medallion from President Alger; Loughrey at the women’s lacrosse game with Nancy Derringer, Margaret “P.A.” Aderton, coach Klaes, Linda Hern Eubanks and Vickie Foster; (Right): Bluestone Reunion weekend participants and Alumni Relations staff
Finishing touches
Alumna helps bring animated Disney characters to life
BY SHAYLA BROWN (’20), alumni relations graduate assistant
During her time at JMU, Ashley Grisham (’14) was a Media Arts and Design major, with a concentration in Converged Media and a minor in Theatre. She was a photographer for The Breeze, worked at the costume shop and participated in theatre productions, experiencing both sides of the artistic aisle — creator and observer.
Grisham, originally from Arlington, Texas, also took part in the JMU in LA program. “That was so helpful for me,” she said. “I came out [to Los Angeles] with the program and stayed. I’ve been out here ever since.”
She did not have a clear path forward and thus took part in many different projects, expanding her skill set. “I was all over the place, but that ended up being really helpful in the end,” Grisham said.
Now Grisham works for a household name — Walt Disney Animation Studios. Her title is production coordinator, which means she works with multiple departments on visual story animated development of their projects.
“For [the animated film] Encanto, I worked in the character department — specifically I was in charge of all the models,” Grisham said. She also works in rigging, which entails sculpting out and applying authentic features to the characters. “If you think of a puppet, and there are different pulls and bends and things like that, that’s what rigging is — how they make an ‘O’ shape with their mouth or how their fingers bend.”
“Overall, it’s an amazing process, and it’s kind of like having your little baby go out into the world,” she said. “I still get emotional when I see somebody dressed up as Pepa or Mirabel at the park.”
Grisham also contributed to Zootopia+ — the upcoming animated television series based on the 2016 Disney animated film — taking charge of the movement of the hair and clothing of all the characters. She currently works in the lighting department for Strange World, a film directed by Don Hall and
“Any tool in your toolbelt co-directed by Qui Nguyen releasing in November. is always helpful. Don’t shy Some Disney hits were released away from something you want to try, because it just [might] be during the COVID-19 pandemic, which created new challenges for the creative process. another arrow in your quiver.” “We have a cultural trust that is essential to be able to do this job, — ASHLEY GRISHAM (’14) especially in a work-from-home environment,” Grisham said. “[The crew] was so helpful in finding real examples of embroidery that were from Colombia and real examples of hair textures, and all these other really important things that we wanted to make sure were included in [Encanto].” Creatively, the animation process is a team effort, and Ashley Grisham (’14) is a production coordinator at Walt Disney Animation Stu Grisham does her part by guiding her dios. (Insets): Illustrations from the film team members and putting the story and Encanto show costume designs for the characters first. characters Luisa (left) and Isabela (right). “I look at what the demands of the department are and say, ‘OK, this shot and sequence need to get done. Who’s available to work on it? What are the resources needed?’ It comes down to the director’s vision of each individual scene. The mood is defined by the settings, the colors, the music and more.” Grisham has advice for JMU students who have their hands in many pots. “Any tool in your toolbelt is always helpful,” she said. “Don’t shy away from something you want to try, because it just [might] be another arrow in your quiver. The little bit of information that you learn or take away might just be useful to you later on.”
Under the radar
Environmentalist addresses deforestation, biodiversity loss and climate change
BY AMY CROCKETT (’10)
When Jill Harris (’08) arrived at JMU, she was undecided on a major and a career. During a first-year Sociology class, she discovered a passion for global issues thanks to the late Philip Luck. The inspiring professor enlightened her about the interconnectivity of the world’s biggest challenges, revealing how social institutions perpetuate cycles of poverty, racism and war — all affected by climate change.
“I knew these issues existed, but I didn’t realize the scale at which they all intersect and the scale at which government and society enforce it. And that directly impacts the work I do at the Environmental Investigation Agency,” she said.
Harris has worked at EIA for eight years, currently as its operations and administration manager. For more than 30 years, EIA has developed and implemented systemic solutions to protect the environment by focusing on three campaigns: forest, wildlife and climate.
The international organization achieves its goals, in part, by conducting undercover investigations to reveal crimes against the environment and increase transparency, particularly as it relates to corporate activities harming the environment. Some EIA staff members remain anonymous for their safety.
Every 15 minutes, an elephant is killed for its ivory. EIA’s U.S. office in Washington, D.C., where Harris was hired, was founded as a result of its groundbreaking investigations into the illegal ivory trade, flowing from Africa through the Middle East to supply markets in Asia. EIA provided key evidence that helped secure an international elephant ivory ban in 1989.
More recently, EIA conducted an investigation into the largest, planned open-pit mine in North America — Alaska’s “Pebble Mine” — that threatened the world’s biggest salmon-spawning grounds and the beluga whale habitat. Through recorded conversations in 2020, true intentions of the Pebble Mine project were revealed: The copper mine was designed to be a significantly larger, 180-plus-year endeavor.
“Pebble originally said the mine was only going to be a 20-year mine, and it was going to be fairly small,” said Harris, now based in San Diego, California.
The recent documentary Wood depicts how EIA’s forest team operates in the field. The events in the film, and the subsequent report produced by EIA, led to citizen protests in Romania, resulting in the government releasing Forest Inspector — a transparent traceability system that allows citizens to check the legality of timber in real time on their smartphones. “Huge, intact rainforests, old-growth pine forests and the forests around the equator are the lungs of the earth,” Harris said. “Keeping them standing is a very important piece of combating climate change.” For Dukes seeking a successful career in environmental activism, Harris — a Sociology major and Criminal Justice minor — emphasized that choosing the right major doesn’t matter as much as the ability to write well and creatively. “The most important course work is actually communications. Often you need to be writing a press release or putting together a proposal as a way to sustain the work, and that takes a ton of writing,” she said. “We try to make it exciting and inspire people to donate.” Follow EIA on Instagram and Twitter: @eiaenvironment.
“The thing that I’ve learned at nonprofits, especially small nonprofits, is that almost everyone wears multiple hats,” Harris said. (Below): EIA staff take part in the 2019 Washington, D.C., climate strike.
MixedMedia
BOOKS, MUSIC FILM
twelvemonth and a day
BY CHRISTOPHER WALTON (’11, ’13M) Wolf & Clover
Wolf & Clover’s long-awaited second album, twelvemonth and a day, builds on the band’s innovative, passionate sound. The new album is sure to extend the group’s reach beyond the hundreds of thousands of Spotify listens, radio play in eight countries and praise the band garnered with its self-titled album in 2018 and the 2020 follow-up Live at the Silvan Sessions.
Twelvemonth and a day focuses on new compositions combined with the influence of the centuries-old traditions of Celtic music. W&C’s interpretations of recently composed material by Niall Vallely, Simon Ager, Patrick Ourceau, Michael Dugger, PJ Monserrat and other globally-recognized composers of Celtic music are sure to solidify the band’s contribution to the repertoire. The album is available on major digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music and YouTube Music.
Love to be Loved
BY EMMA MAIORANA (’14) Braughler Books ISBN-13: 978-1955791229
Love to be Loved follows two brother cats, Bruce and Obie, on an adventure to the nearby rescue ranch. When they arrive — and much to their surprise — they meet a cow who likes to dance, a sunbathing chicken and sheep who play hide-and-seek! Their new friends might not be pets or sleep on a couch and such, but they love to be loved, just as much. Maiorana was inspired to write this feel-good children’s book by the way farm animals respond to love — the same way our pets do. The story teaches kids that everyone wants to be loved, no matter who you are or where you come from.
DivorcedasF*in7SpiritualSteps
BY BERNADETTE PURCELL (’01) Self-published ISBN-13: 978-1737811114
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the bookstore with your kids, along comes a book with a naughty word in the title, Divorced as F* in 7 Spiritual Steps. If any subject is worthy of profanity, surely it is divorce. As a therapist who specializes in couples therapy, Purcell found the roles reversed when her marriage fell apart.
Divorced as F* is a book that only a funny and insightful therapist could write. Purcell, a Psychology major, was so committed to getting her message about divorce recovery to market, she sold her engagement ring to fund the book’s production. Rest assured, she has taken everything she knows from therapy and turned it on herself. Divorced as F* is an insider’s look at divorce that does not let readers get away with lingering on the past and remaining unhappy.
Alas, the poor asterisk in the book’s title is doing the yeoman’s job of standing in for all those emotions — anger, disgust, fear, sadness. Purcell writes beautifully and thoughtfully on the topic. In the years following her divorce, she reflected and put together the book she wished she had when she was going through a tough time. In this work, she calls her process and progress seven spiritual steps that eventually journey to a place of healing. Experiential Learning: A Treatise on Education
BY BRIAN FACEMIRE (’03) Koehler Books ISBN-13: 978-1646637126
The modern education system is in dire need of reform. In Experiential Learning, Facemire provides key insights into how to change and break down the old systems and instill new ways of experiencing the educational process through student engagement.
The benefits cannot be measured: the greater sense of global awareness, the lifelong memories and the spiritual awakening. And these benefits should not be measured. Experiential learning can be a journey of intense personal worth, and this realm of benefit does not fall within the purview of ethical educational research. As one student put it, “You can’t get the experience any other way.”
Based on Facemire’s own research and experience, Experiential Learning provides a path forward for improving students’ lives.
Gather: The Business of Coming Together
BY DOUG BINDER (’87) Independently published ISBN-13: 979-8787863451
The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed events of all kinds. Now that business and private gatherings are back, a new book inspires readers to make them even more impactful and meaningful. Gather: The Business of Coming Together transports readers behind the scenes of an industry that is constantly changing, as audiences and technologies transform.
A 30-year corporate event producer and creative director, Binder aims for the empathic and provocative — experiences that touch audiences’ hearts and souls. His book reminds readers that attendees are emotional, empathic, complicated and evolving — not simply data points, homogenous or predictable.
In equal parts how-to, manifesto and memoir, and punctuated by “laugh out loud” anecdotes and stories, Gather: The Business of Coming Together provides inspiration and techniques to make events more engaging, effective and memorable through experiential design, storytelling, collaboration and management. Whether producing events centered around community, celebration, selling or personal growth, planners will learn to do more to captivate and thrill their audiences by getting back to the basics of what it means to gather. Any reader can gain wisdom to make the time attending gatherings more fruitful and memorable.
My Life According to Rock Band: Or Fifty-Eight Short Stories About Life, Love, and the Greatest Video Game Ever Made
BY CADE WIBERG (’15) Belle Isle Books ISBN-13: 978-1953021694
When 15-year-old Wiberg first laid eyes on the box that held the video game Rock Band under his family’s Christmas tree, he could see his whole future: the face-melting guitar solos he’d play to stadiums of screaming fans, the fame and glory that would follow him like an entourage …
But that’s not exactly how it went.
Instead of a packed stadium, it was a packed college apartment. He didn’t get to play to thousands of screaming fans, either, but the few, real friends he found along the way, well … that part turned out to be just as epic.
With a story for each of the 58 songs available on the original Rock Band, Wiberg dives headfirst into the brutal and beautiful years that shape us into the people we become, and the music that gets us through it all.
SAVE THE DATE: OCT. 21-23, 2022
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