Madison Magazine: Winter 2019

James Madison University UNLEASHED

PAGE 12

M A D I S O N

THE MAGAZINE OF JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

WINTER 2019

ART WITH AN IMPACT

ART WITH AN IMPACT

Students’ online gallery is earning rave reviews for its charitable business model PAGE 28

W I N T E R 2 0 1 9

F U L L

F R A M E

It’s time to unleash JMU On Oct. 26, JMU publicly launched its $200 million comprehensive fundraising campaign. Fireworks and a laser show in the sky punctuated the announcement

by President Jonathan R. Alger, as the Unleashed campaign will help JMU rise to greater prominence.

To be part of the campaign, go to j.mu/unleashed.

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

D O U B LE E X POS U R E PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO (’09 M )

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

Contents ART WITH AN IMPACT

Students’ online gallery is earning rave reviews for its charitable business model. PAGE 28

BY JIM HEFFERNAN (’96, ’17M)

U P

F E AT U R E S

32 Welcome to the Honors College

BY SARAH CHASE (’17)

Freshman retreat at Montpelier is no walk in the park

40 Documenting the achievement gap

BY TOM KERTSCHER

BY STEPHEN ABRAMOWITZ

Summer Venture Accelerator strenghthens student startups

2

NASA’s Jennifer Eigenbrode (’94) seeks organic materials to unlock Mars’ secrets

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Fireworks and a laser show punctuate the public launch of JMU’s fundraising campaign

4 Letters

Readers on United’s jet service at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, tuition increases at Virginia colleges

6 Contributors 7 Directions

36 Exploring the planet B Y JANET SMITH (’81)

F R O N T

1 Full Frame

Steve James’ (’77) latest project exposes racial disparities in a Chicago high school

44 Gaining traction

WINTER 201 9

Why the Madison Experience is superior in higher education

C O N T E N T S

8

News & Notes

Officials break ground on the future College of Business Learning Complex; CoB alumnae make Fortune list; Rubenstein accepts inaugural public good award; JMU No. 1 in overall student satisfaction; social media engagement tops in nation; John Grisham Writers Hour makes debut; JMU chosen for collaborative online international learning initiative; MRDs march in Macy’s parade

12 Unleashed

JMU publicly launches $200 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, announces three major gifts designed to elevate the university to national prominence

Teaching the intangibles

For Shenandoah County Teacher of the Year, passion triumphs over tragedy PAGE 26

Largest-ever commitment to JMU

20 JMU Nation

Lefty Driesell inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; new training facility at Sentara Park; NHL great Theo Fleury headlines mental health event on campus; Union Bank & Trust Center update

25 Faculty Voices

JMU professors offer their perspectives on topics in the news

26 Bright Lights

Shenandoah County Teacher of the Year uses tragic event to impart life lessons to her students

Gilliam family’s commitment honors late alumna’s legacy PAGE 12

New arena on the horizon

Ground broken on 8,500-seat Union Bank & Trust Center PAGE 24

Hall of Famer

Former JMU men’s hoops coach joins immortals of the sport PAGE 20

Gaining traction

Students work toward more viable ventures PAGE 44

36 Exploring the planet

NASA scientist helping answer the question, “Is there life on Mars?”

40 America to me

Documentarian Steve James (’77) talks about his latest project, which chronicles a year in the life of students at Chicago’s Oak Park and River Forest High School

48 Alumni News

Homecoming 2018 was Unleashed; get to know your Alumni Association Board of Directors; alumnus Peter Denbigh’s (’02, ’11M) success worth the wait

57 Class Notes

Updates from JMU alumni, Future Dukes, Celebrations

Honors College freshman retreat

First-year trip to James Madison’s Montpelier challenges and inspires PAGE 32

I M PAC T G A LLE RY PH OTO G R A PH BY J U LI A N T H O M A S; C U R I OS I T Y R OV E R CO U RT E SY O F N A SA /J PL- C A L T EC H/M S S S; T U S I N G , G I LLI A M A N D M O N T PE LI E R BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M ); S U M M E R V E N T U R E ACC E LE R ATO R BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; U N I O N BA N K & T R U ST R E N D E R I N G A N D BA S K E T BA LL CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

3

Madison W I N T E R 2 0 1 9 VO L . 4 2 , N O . 1 BOARD OF VIS ITORS 201 8 –19

Maribeth D. Herod (’82), Rector Lara P. Major (’92), Vice Rector Michael B. Battle (’81, ’83M) Vanessa M. Evans-Grevious (’93, ’97M) Frank T. Gadams (’93) Jeffrey E. Grass (’92) Matthew A. Gray-Keeling (’05) Lucy Hutchinson (’06) Maria D. Jankowski Deborah T. Johnson (’78) Maggie A. Ragon (’82) John C. Rothenberger (’88) Michael M. Thomas (’76, ’77M) Kathy J. Warden (’92) Craig B. Welburn (’96) Desiree Edemba, Student Member Donna L. Harper (’77, ’81M, ’86Ed.S.), Secretary PRESIDENT

Jonathan R. Alger S E N I O R A D M I N I S T R AT O R S

Brian Charette

Special Assistant to the President, Strategic Planning and Engagement

Heather Coltman

Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs

Mike Davis

Executive Advisor to the President

Arthur T. Dean II (’93, ’99M) Executive Director, Campus & Community Programs for Access and Inclusion Donna L. Harper (’77, ’81M, ’86Ed.S.)

Vice President, Access and Enrollment Management

Charles W. King Jr.

Senior Vice President, Administration and Finance

Nick L. Langridge (’00, ’07M, ’14Ph.D.) Vice President, University Advancement

Tim Miller (’96, ’00M)

Vice President, Student Affairs

Susan L. Wheeler

University Counsel and Special Assistant Attorney General VICE PROVOSTS

Linda Cabe Halpern

L E T T E R S

Our Fall issue (“Aiming higher”) generated interest in United Airlines’ new jet service at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport. Plus, concern for tuition increases at Virginia institutions of higher learning.

Aiming higher together SHD is proud to be part of the cover story for Madison magazine’s “Aiming Higher” edition. For those of us who call the Shenandoah Valley home, JMU is one of the cornerstones of our community. However, JMU’s reach extends beyond the Valley toward a vision of being both a nationally and internationally engaged university.

For students, staff, faculty and visitors to JMU, easy and reliable travel access has been a barrier to the engaged university mission.

Today, we’re proud to say this is no longer the case. United’s jet service powered by SkyWest at SHD is opening national and international gateways for JMU travelers like never before.

Support from the community is vital for SHD to sustain and expand our services. A special thank you to everyone with JMU who has made SHD their go-to airport—Go Dukes!

Aiming Higher together, — Heather Ream Director of Marketing and Communications, Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport

Tuition increases “A bird’s eye view of issues facing higher education” misses the main issue, the one that matters, the horrible increases in tuition and room and board since the late 1980s. This headline would have been spot on in the early 1990s, when tuition was increasing greater than double the rate of inflation for decades, seemingly to make professors millionaires on the backs of young, impressionable and notoriously irresponsible credit managers who would mortgage their lives for a college degree, and a lot of the powers of academe knew that.

At the same time, the General Assembly in Richmond reduced the commonwealth’s contribution from 50 percent to the current 5 percent for UVA, but they want 95 percent control. Boards are especially at fault here.

Have been preaching about this problem since around 1990, but we lost.

— Glenn Showalter, M.Ed.

University Programs

Keith Holland (’00) and Anthony Tongen Research and Scholarship (interim)

ABOUT THE COVER:

Marilou Johnson (’80)

Academic Development DEANS

Robert Aguirre Arts and Letters

Cynthia M. Bauerle Science and Mathematics

Michael E. Busing Business (interim)

Jie Chen

The Graduate School

Marilou Johnson (’80)

Libraries and Educational Technologies (interim)

Robert A. Kolvoord

Integrated Science and Engineering Sharon E. Lovell (’85) Health and Behavioral Studies

Bradley R. Newcomer Honors

George E. Sparks Visual and Performing Arts

Phillip M. Wishon Education

A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N O F F I C E R

Eric Bowlin (’02), President PA R E N T S CO U N C I L C H A I R S

Steve (’90) and Christie (’89) Cornwell (’17P, ’18P, ’21P)

4

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Our own Elise Trissel reproduced Vladimir Nazarov’s “The Cure to Growing Older,” which is on display at Impact Art Gallery. The mural took her 36 hours over a period of three weeks. She used a 6-foot ladder and meticulous attention to detail to compare her creation to the original piece. To watch a video of the making of the mural, go to j.mu/cover.

CONNECT WITH US

For a complete list of all university social media links, please visit www.jmu.edu/identity/channels/social-media/directory.shtml

JamesMadisonUniversity @JamesMadisonUniversity James Madison University JamesMadisonU @JMU Madison magazine

PHOTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

Nothing is more important at Madison than producing educated and enlightened citizens, and nothing means more in the world than to see their talents, skills and passion for Being the Change fully Unleashed.

IT’S TIME TO GO BIG. IT’S TIME TO BREAK THROUGH. IT’S TIME TO UNLEASH JMU! Success will take all of us.

JMU Unleashed near you: Dec 5, 2018

| Richmond, Virginia

Jan 24, 2019

| Johns Creek, Georgia

Feb 11, 2019

| Washington, D.C.

Feb 12, 2019

| Baltimore, Maryland

Feb 13, 2019

| Alexandria, Virginia

March 19, 2019 | New York, New York March 21, 2019 | Harrisonburg, Virginia JMU Giving Day

JOIN THE EXCITEMENT AND GIVE ONLINE TODAY: j.mu/unleashed | #DukesUnleashed

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

5

Madison W I N T E R 2 0 1 9 VO L . 4 2 , N O . 1 EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Khalil Garriott (’04)

S E N I O R E D I T O R - AT- L A R G E

Pam Brock

C O N T R I BU T O R S

Staff Snippets What type of charity work that you've done has resonated with you the most?

MANAG I NG E DITOR

Jim Heffernan (’96, ’17M) C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R

Bill Thompson EDITOR

Janet Smith (’81)

Now in his third stint at JMU, Stephen Briggs is the content manager and copywriter for the College of Business. He first came to campus as a freshman philosophy major, and later returned to teach in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication.

Though a Duke at heart, he is actually a double Husky, having earned his B.A. in humanities from the University of Washington and his M.F.A. in creative nonfiction writing from the University of Southern Maine. His profile of alumnus Peter Denbigh (’02, ’11M) appears on Page 59.

ART DIRECTOR

Carolyn Windmiller (’81) S T U D E N T E D I T O R I A L A S S I S TA N T S

Stephen Abramowitz Hannah Long

S T U D E N T D E S I G N A S S I S TA N T S

Lauren Davis (’18) Aereen Lapuz

C R E AT I V E M E D I A T E A M

Mike Miriello (’09M) Justin Roth Elise Trissel Cody Troyer

AT H L E T I C S P H O T O G R A P H Y

Cathy Kushner (’87)

CAMPUS CONTRIBUTORS

Alumni Relations, Athletics, Donor Relations, Parent Relations, University Communications and Marketing

‘When I was in high school, our youth group went to Kentucky to help build homes for people in need. Traveling with a group of peers and experiencing a lifestyle that was different than mine helped grow my world's perspective and hopefully served the people we were working for.’

F O R A D D R E S S U P D AT E S , E M A I L :

advancementgr@jmu.edu or call 1-855-568-4483 C O N TA C T T H E M A D I S O N S TA F F :

Email: madisonmag@jmu.edu or call 540-568-2664 Madison magazine, JMU, 127 W. Bruce St., MSC 3610, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 For Class Notes, go to jmu.edu/alumni Madison is an official publication of James Madison University and is produced by the Division of University Advancement for alumni, parents of JMU students, faculty, staff and friends of JMU. Editorial office: JMU, 127 W. Bruce St., MSC 3610, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: James Madison University does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, race or color, height or weight, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation or belief, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, parental status (including pregnancy), marital status, family medical or genetic information, in its employment, educational programs, activities and admissions. JMU complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination, affirmative action, and anti-harassment. JMU prohibits sexual and gender-based harassment, including sexual assault, and other forms of inter-personal violence.

The responsibility for overall coordination, monitoring and information dissemination about JMU’s program of equal opportunity, non-discrimination, Title IX, and affirmative action is assigned to the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX. Inquiries or complaints may be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX: James Robinson, Director and Title IX Coordinator 540-568-6991, www.jmu.edu/oeo, oeo@jmu.edu. (REVISED DECEMBER 2015)

6

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

‘Joining with a team of volunteers to serve lunches to people who need a little help makes me appreciate all I have. I can’t solve the global hunger problem, but I can help serve a simple meal to my neighbors.’

‘Creating promotional materials for YogaFest – an annual event benefiting the Harrisonburg Boys & Girls Club.

It feels good to serve my community and help more kids have positive influences and meaningful activities in their lives.’

Sarah Chase (’17) is the communications and marketing coordinator for the Office of Alumni Relations as well as a content creator for the Honors College. Chase majored in writing, rhetoric and technical communication at JMU and is passionate about using language to create a space for all voices and stories to be heard. A Shenandoah Valley native, she gleans inspiration from mountains, rivers, coffee and the smell of old books.

Her account of the inaugural freshman Honors College retreat begins on Page 32.

Lauren Davis (’18) is a design assistant in University Communications and Marketing whose work has appeared in Madison. A graphic design major, she also enjoys working with her hands, whether it’s in the woodshop, metalshop or ceramics studio. After graduating in December, she hopes to find a career that allows her to put those skills to use in the design world.

Khalil Garriott (’04) is JMU’s new director of branded content and executive editor of Madison. He majored in media arts and design at JMU, then spent 14 years working in digital sports media in the D.C. area and greater Los Angeles. He covered three events for this issue: the Unleashed launch (Page 14), Lefty Driesell’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Page 21) and a conversation on campus about mental health featuring NHL great Theo Fleury (Page 23).

Tom Kertscher is a PolitiFact Wisconsin reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He’s also the author of sports books on Brett Favre and Al McGuire. His interview with Chicago-based documentary filmmaker Steve James (’77) begins on Page 40.

C H A S E A N D G A R R I OT T PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; DAV I S BY J U ST I N R OT H

D I R E C T I O NS

The Madison Experience is superior in American higher education

T

he Wall Street Journal in cooperation with Times Higher Education conducts an annual college ranking that is unique in that current student voices are its basis. About 200,000 college students at almost 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities are asked questions that matter to them and to their families, questions about whether they feel engaged in the classroom, have decent access to their professors, believe they will graduate on time, etc. This methodology is in stark contrast to college rankings such as U.S. News & World Report, which surveys university presidents, provosts and deans of admissions on their perceptions of their fellow institutions.

In The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education U.S. College Rankings 2019, published in mid-October, students were asked, “If a friend or family member were considering going to a university, based on your experience, how likely are you to recommend your college or university to them?” Students gave their schools a score between 0 and 10 with 0 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely.” At a time when the value of higher education is increasingly questioned by some, one might expect a broad decline in the number of students recommending their institution, which there was. But a few campuses buck that trend in the 2019 report, ‘Taken together, and I am proud to say that the No. 1 most recommended university in The Wall Street the United States is James Madison Journal/Times University. Stanford University is Higher Educasecond. Let that sink in.

That Madison is the most highly tion ranking recommended university in the and the Gallup nation ought to be wonderfully research speak affirming for everyone in our comwith resounding munity. It says that the qualities of the Madison Experience are indeed eloquence that superior in American higher educawe get it right tion. When considered in the context of other research, one can begin at JMU.’ to assemble a theory of how real and solid value can be rendered in the lives of learners. Recent Gallup research revealed that JMU alumni lead lives with a sense of well-being, purpose and meaning at a much higher degree than the average of their peers who graduated from other institutions, including the top 100 universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Gallup research also concluded that having a professor or mentor take personal interest in a student is the top college experience leading to a life of purpose and meaning, which we all know is a hallmark of the Madison Experience. Taken together, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranking and the Gallup

research speak with resounding eloquence that we get it right at JMU. Such distinctions come at an interesting time. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently issued a report titled “Sustaining the College Business Model: How to shore up institutions now and reinvent them for the future.” The report offers solutions to institutions finding it challenging to remain viable in an era of declining state support and declining student populations now that the millennial generation has graduated.

The report states, “Small private colleges and regional public universities especially are scrambling to cover costs while seeking to improve their market positions.” Should it be worrisome to the community that JMU is technically classified as a regional public university? The report goes on to say, “Whether they limp along or manage to prosper is largely a matter of the vision and will of campus leaders.” This is important.

Homecoming Weekend 2018 ought to give you confidence that the vision and will of campus leaders is clear and strong. Despite bad weather scaling back the profile of some events, you likely heard that the university launched the public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign designed at elevating private support for JMU and raising our public profile. Many in the audience at launch events remarked with great enthusiasm that the campaign name is incredibly apt. Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University suggests that we are on the cusp of even greater times for the institution. Our ranking as the nation’s No. 1 most recommended university by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education suggests that this is so.

What you might not have heard is that many of the campus leaders supplying the vision and will are our alumni, parents and friends. These volunteers who make up the Unleashed Campaign Steering Committee guided the planning of the campaign launch all along the way. They are the ones telling us that it’s time to take JMU to the next level, and Unleashed is the vehicle designed to take us there. But it will require everyone in the JMU community to step forward and say, “I’m in!” The campaign case statement says it best: Together we proclaim that nothing is more important at Madison than producing educated and enlightened citizens, and nothing means more in the world than to see their talents, skills and passion for Being the Change fully Unleashed. With everyone’s commitment, we can fulfill the spirit of Founding Father James Madison’s call for a national university dedicated to the public good. It’s time.

It’s time, indeed!

Jonathan R. Alger

president, James Madison University

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

7

News&Notes WINTER 201 9

Groundbreaking for new CoB

T

he ceremonial groundbreaking for the new College of Business Learning Complex helped kick off Homecoming Weekend in October. The ceremony included remarks from Eric (’91) and Lara Parker (’92) Major, whose gift establishes The Major Laboratory for Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity and Entrepreneurship within the new learning complex. Attendees were given the opportunity to sign a steel beam to be used in the building’s construction. The former Chandler Hall near Newman Lake was razed over the summer to make room for the new facility, which will open in Fall 2020. For more on the ceremony, go to j.mu/ground.

Alumnae among Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business

T

wo College of Business alumnae made Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business list for 2018.

Kathy Warden (’92), who will take over as president and chief executive officer of defense contractor Northrup Grum-

8

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

man in January, was No. 22 on the magazine’s list. Jennifer Morgan (’93), president of the Americas and Asia Pacific for SAP, a market leader in enterprise software, was No. 43.

The list is compiled annually by Fortune’s editors, who consider four criteria: the size and importance of the woman’s business in the global economy, the health and direction of the business, the arc of the woman’s career, and social and cultural influence.

The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education college rankings data confirm that JMU students are more likely to recommend their school than students at any other school in the country.

G R O U N D B R E A K I N G A N D R U B E N ST E I N PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

N E W S

JMU ranks No. 1 in social media engagement

J

ames Madison University has the best engagement on social media among 338 Division I institutions in the U.S., according to the Higher Ed 2018 Social Media Engagement Report from Up&Up and Rival IQ. JMU’s top ranking is up from No. 3 in last year’s report.

The two marketing companies collaborate to determine the top university-level social media account interactions across three primary platforms: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Overall ranking is determined by using a weighted ‘We strive score of audito offer an ence activity authentic and engageexperience ment. Engageinto the ment is calcuunique and lated based on special cullikes, comments, ture at JMU.’ favorites, retweets, shares — NANFEI LIU and reactions (‘17), social media manager divided by total follower count.

Up&Up and Rival IQ monitored 338 D-I institutions from June 2017 to May 2018. In addition to its overall No. 1 ranking, JMU ranked first in the category of consistency. Broken down by platforms, JMU ranked second on Twitter, sixth on Instagram and eighth on Facebook.

“We strive to offer an authentic experience into the unique and special culture at JMU and cultivate a network that connects the university community with the outside world,” social media manager Nanfei Liu (‘17) said.

&

N O T E S

Recognizing civic leaders David Rubenstein accepts inaugural James Madison Award for the Public Good

A

s part of the university’s Constitution Day celebrations on Sept. 17, JMU President Jonathan R. Alger presented the inaugural James Madison Award for the Public Good to David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group and self-styled patriotic philanthropist.

The award recognizes distinguished individuals for their selfless contribuRubenstein discussed the importance of tions to American civic life.

James Madison and the Constitution durRubenstein supports important ing a lecture on campus on Sept. 17. historical sites and icons symbolic of liberty, democracy and our nation’s founding. Among his many contributions, he has generously supported renovations and improvements to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, Montpelier and Mount Vernon. He has also purchased original private copies of the Declaration of Independence and Magna Carta to put them on permanent public display for the edification of all.

The James Madison Award for the Public Good will be given annually based on the following criteria: extraordinary contributions to American civic life; a distinguished record of engaged citizenship and serving the public good; acknowledgment and encouragement of the unique role of education in protecting freedom and sustaining democracy; and personification of Madisonian ideals.

Over time, the goal is to recognize individuals from many walks of life and personal and professional backgrounds.

Rubenstein delivered the first Madison Vision Series lecture of the 2018-19 academic year on the topic of James Madison’s importance and why we ought to celebrate Constitution Day. For more on the lecture, go to j.mu/case.

Collaborative online international learning initiative

J

ames Madison University is one of six U.S. colleges and universities chosen for the U.S.-Japan COIL Initiative, which aims to expand higher-education ties between the two nations through collaborative online international learning.

JMU, DePaul University, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Ohio’s Sinclair Community College, City University of New York College of Staten Island and Northern Arizona University will each partner with a Japanese higher-education institution

to develop, deliver and assess COIL courses to be offered in 2019.

JMU faculty will collaborate with professors from Kansai University in Osaka, Japan, to develop joint syllabuses, and students from the two schools will work together to complete assignments that meet shared learning objectives.

“The COIL Initiative is a direct result of connections made with Kansai University through the Summit Series on the globally sustainable self, and it adds to our expanding portfolio of partnerships in Japan, including with Hiroshima and Ristumeikan universities, among others,” JMU President Jonathan R. Alger said.

More at j.mu/coil .

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

9

N E W S

&

N O T E S

John Grisham Writers Hour

ing is hard work. “Writing is not joyful,” McBride said. They concurred that writing nonfiction is harder than fiction. “It’s too much work,” elebrated novelists James said Grisham, who has written one McBride and John Grisham nonfiction book, The Innocent Man. chatted about books, family, The John Grisham Writers Hour religion and race at JMU on Oct. 17— builds on the novelist’s practice of and they let about 450 people listen in interviewing local writers while to learn about their creative processes. on a recent book tour. Grisham’s The inaugural John Grisham Writers friend, JMU English professor and Hour spotlighted McBride, a New York novelist Inman Majors, encouraged Times best-selling writer and musician, the Albemarle County, Virginia, and showcased Grisham’s acumen resident to base the new series at for interviewing. While the writers McBride and Grisham swap stories about their craft.

JMU. “We got John on the cool discussed several of McBride’s novels, side of the mountain, where he McBride’s research into his mother’s life in including the 2013 National Book belongs,” Majors said.

1930s Suffolk, Virginia, and later in New Award for Fiction-winning The Good Lord Grisham will host award-winning author York and Pennsylvania.

Bird, Miracle at St. Anna and Song Yet Sung, Alice McDermott on March 20, 2019.

McBride recalled his mother as a strong they delved deepest into The Color of Water: For more on the entire conversation woman who did not trust outsiders and who A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother. between McBride and Grisham, go to valued education and religion.

With its themes of race, tolerance and McBride and Grisham agreed that writsurvival, The Color of Water developed from j.mu/grisham.

C

10

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

M c B R I D E A N D G R I S H A M PH OTO G R A PH BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

N E W S

MRDs perform in Macy’s parade

T

he Marching Royal Dukes represented Virginia and JMU in the 92nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, marking the band’s fourth appearance in the American holiday classic.

The Marching Royal Dukes performed in previous Macy’s parades in 2001, 2008 and 2013. The band, directed by Scott Rikkers (’03M) and Amy Birdsong (’01), was one of more than 100 applicants for 10 band spaces in the parade. Their appearance adds to the band’s extensive résumé, which includes performances at NFL games, presidential and gubernatorial inauguration ceremonies, numerous exhibitions, recruiting trips and goodwill tours.

&

N O T E S

“As one of the largest and most visible student organizations at JMU, we have the opportunity and responsibility to positively represent our university and the community of which we are part,” Rikkers said. “We are proud to appear in the Macy’s Parade, an American tradition that most of us watch growing up and with our families each November.

For the members, it is an exciting opportunity to get to experience the inner-workings of the parade production. For the university, our alumni and the entire JMU community, we are proud to represent them in such an important and public event, and make them proud representing the Dukes in front of an audience of millions on Thanksgiving Day.” This year’s band has 535 members— the largest roster in the ensemble’s 46-year history.

Partners in education A JMU delegation traveled to Kosovo in October to help officials understand how technology can be used to improve the higher education experience.

You are:

Bold. Passionate. Collaborative.

Madison Trust needs you!

03.01.19

Invest in the future and leave your philanthropic legacy at Madison. Become a Madison Trust investor-judge. Bring your enterprising spirit and foresight to the table to explore visionary, innovative ideas from JMU faculty and staff.

Solving real-world problems with life-changing innovations.

Ready to be our next investor-judge?

Call 800.296.6162 or email madisontrust@jmu.edu Learn more and watch the video: j.mu/mtrust

KOS OVO PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

11

It’s time “After a breathtaking rise in recent decades, James Madison University is ready to take the national stage as a leading voice in a new era.

Our alumni, donors and friends have long known that we share something remarkable at Madison, and today we stand poised on the verge of something great.”

12

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

— PRESIDENT JONATHAN R. ALGER

L A S E R S H OW PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M ); R E V E A L BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; S U N S E T BY H O LLY V E E N I S

Featured speakers (L to R) Patrice Ludwig (‘96), Deborah Tompkins Johnson (‘78), President Alger, JMU senior Alexandra Wilson and Abe Goldberg announce the five campaign goals during the unveiling of Unleashed.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

13

Centennial Scholar Katrina Shelton shares the stage with President Jonathan R. Alger. Shelton became homeless at 15, but a high-school teacher, Theresa Steele (‘85), took her under her wing. “She was the first person to believe in me. In one email, my entire life changed.”

JMU set to realize its vision as the national model for the engaged university

It’s time to go big and

break through

O

BY KHALIL GARRIOTT (’04)

On Oct. 26, James Madison University announced the public launch of its second-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, including the largest commitment in the university’s history.

With goals of $200 million in total funds raised and 65,000 donors engaged by June 2022, Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University will help set the course for the university’s future. After three seven-figure gifts, the campaign now stands at $125.3 million, with contributions from nearly 45,000 members of the JMU community.

The campaign announcement by President Jonathan R. Alger marked a pivotal moment in JMU’s history, and came amid tremendous donor momentum and alumni happenings during Homecoming Week.

“Not all of us here tonight share the same political views,” Alger said at a VIP dinner at the Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center. “Not all of us here tonight are from the same cultural backgrounds or ascribe to the same religion. But we feel connected by the spirit of possibility that is so alive at JMU. Coming together and supporting this place so that this feeling can spread — that’s Unleashed.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

14

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

‘I’m excited about this campaign and about the idea that it will encourage more alumni to give to JMU so that more students can receive a JMU education that will change their lives too.’

— KATRINA SHELTON, Centennial Scholar, biology and pre-med

PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Damicos endow faculty chair for Exceptional Education

J

‘It is our hope that showing our support for the faculty is a vote of confidence in their abilities, but even more so in their mission — their calling.’

oseph (’76, ’77M) and Pamela Craun (’77) Damico of Libertyville, Illinois, have announced a $1 million gift from the Damico Family Foundation to endow a faculty chair for Exceptional Education in the JMU College of Education. Their gift was one of three unveiled Oct. 26 as part of the public launch of Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University.

— PAM DAMICO (’77) Faculty support is a priority of the university’s $200 million comprehensive campaign, which calls for doubling the number of faculty members holding fellowships, chairs and professorships in order to recruit, retain and recognize outstanding JMU professors.

Pam Damico made the $1 million gift announcement via video at the dinner celebrating the public launch of JMU’s Unleashed campaign.

“It is our hope that showing our support for the faculty is a vote of confidence in their abilities, but even more so in their mission — their calling,” she said. “To us, nothing is more important.”

The Damicos’ gift supports the College of Education faculty in Pam’s field of study at JMU, exceptional education.

“Pam and I know just how critical it is to the future of our society that a great school like JMU turns out top teachers who go out into schools everywhere and inspire their students every day,” said her husband, Joe. “This is no easy feat. To do so requires brilliant and dedicated faculty.”

“All of our faculty members who aspire to make a difference in the lives of exceptional children and who dedicate themselves to that cause owe Pam and Joe a great debt,” says College of Education Dean Phil Wishon, “a debt that, in years to come, our faculty and students will repay over and over The Damicos’ investment will help support For more, with each young mind they inspire, and with faculty and future graduates dedicated to go to j.mu/ each young heart they warm.” unleashedstories. educating students with special needs.

D U K E D O G , W I L S O N H A LL BA N N E RS A N D T H E DA M I COS BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

15

‘We feel connected by the spirit of possibility that is so alive at JMU. Coming together and supporting this place so that this feeling can spread — that’s Unleashed.’ — JONATHAN R. ALGER, president, James Madison University FROM PAGE 14

Five campuswide, nationally relevant goals: 1. RENEWING OUR CIVIL SOCIETY 2. OPENING OUR DOORS 3. ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING 4. BUILDING OUR SUCCESS 5. REALIZING OUR VISION

The fundraising campaign includes five campuswide, nationally relevant goals: Renewing Our Civil Society, with a $15 million target (priorities: community service-learning, Ethical Reasoning in Action, study abroad, the Honors College, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement); Opening Our Doors, an $80 million target (priorities: academic scholarships, athletic scholarships, Valley Scholars); Advancing Our Understanding, a $65 million target (priorities: entrepreneurship, faculty success, student research); Building Our Success, a $32 million target (priorities: College of Business Learning Complex, makerspaces, Union Bank & Trust Center); and Realizing Our Vision, an $8 million target (priority: the whole university).

The $200 million goal is within reach because of the commitment and generosity of donors who want to shape the ways in which JMU will change after this campaign, said Vice President for University Advancement Nick Langridge (’00, ’07M, ’14Ph.D.).

“I am in utter awe of the spirit of those in this room,” Langridge said at Hotel Madison. “It’s you who have helped elevate JMU to this point.”

Alger pointed out that philanthropy at JMU has doubled in the last three years under Langridge’s leadership. Three months ago, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education recognized JMU’s endowment as among the fastest-growing in higher education.

Joe (’76, ’77M) and Pamela Craun (’77) Damico announced a $1 million donation from the Damico Family Foundation to endow a faculty chair for Exceptional Education in the College of Education. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Coltman called it “a wonderful and generous gift.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

16

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

H O M ECO M I N G E V E N T PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L A N D M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Majors’ gift to create solutions, foster entrepreneurship

E

‘We like the fact that the lab will promote entrepreneurial thinking among students and faculty from every college.’

ric (’91) and Lara Parker (’92) Major of Purcellville, Virginia, have announced a seven-figure gift from the Major Family Foundation to name the Major Laboratory for Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity and Entrepreneurship in the future College of Busi— LARA P. MAJOR (’92) ness Learning Complex. They announced their gift Oct. 26 during the groundbreaking of the new College of Business Learning Complex, which was part of the public launch of Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University.

The College of Business Learning Complex is one of three capital priorities of the university’s $200 million comprehensive campaign. The Majors’ gift is part of the private-public partnership to fund the $78.3 million business facility. JMU donors are privately funding more than $15 million of the total, and the balance will be funded by an appropriation by the General Assembly.

“Our donors are helping to build the very foundation for how business will be taught and how it will be practiced in a world where the stakes and the complexities are enormous,” College of Business Interim Dean Mike Busing said.

The Majors’ naming of the laboratory highlights a focus of the business college as well as a campuswide culture of innovation, collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship.

“The Major Laboratory will be a place for students of any discipline to come together and roll up their sleeves to create solutions to problems and The Majors’ gift is part of the private-pubhatch entrepreneurial ideas,” lic partnership to fund the $78.3 million For more, go to College of Business Learning Complex. j.mu/unleashedstories.

Busing said.

M A J O RS PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

17

‘When you think about your experience at JMU, the component that most often stands out as memorably positive is the professor who took interest in us as students.’ — MIKE THOMAS (’76, ’77M), former rector of the JMU Board of Visitors FROM PAGE 16

“Since Madison started out as a teacher’s college, the Damico gift gets right to our essence,” Coltman said.

Julia Gilliam Sterling, daughter of the late Leslie Gilliam (’82), who was a tireless supporter of her alma mater, announced a $5.2 million commitment—the largest in JMU’s history—naming The Leslie Flanary Gilliam (’82) Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business. JMU recently introduced a minor in entrepreneurship that is open to all students.

Eric (’91) and Lara Parker (’92) Major announced a seven-figure gift from the Major Family Foundation to name the Major Laboratory for Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity and Entrepreneurship in the future College of Business Learning Complex. “It’s important to us that our support go to an endeavor that encourages entrepreneurial thinking in students from all disciplines, not just those studying business,” Lara Major said.

Philanthropy research shows that the largest gift in most university capital campaigns is all the smaller gifts in the aggregate, said Chiquita King (’09, ’11M). Every gift matters. “It’s folks like me giving what we can afford, no matter how much, every year, who together will be the biggest donors to the Unleashed campaign,” King said. “That makes me so proud.”

One of King’s fellow Centennial Scholars, Katrina Shelton, will graduate in May 2019 and has endured many hardships in life.

After attending 18 different schools before JMU and being homeless at age 15, Shelton’s life changed when she earned the Centennial Scholars Scholarship.

18

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Shelton said, “I’m excited about this Unleashed campaign and about the idea that it will encourage more alumni and donors to give to JMU so that more students like me can receive a JMU education that will change their lives, too.”

Alger told Shelton on stage, “As president of James Madison University, I could not be prouder of you, and that you chose JMU to bring your strength of spirit and your resolve. All of us are better because of your determination.”

JMU’s uniqueness in higher education extends beyond its immaculate campus and the positive attitude of those who live, work and study here, said Mike Thomas (’76, ’77M), former rector of the JMU Board of Visitors.

“A facet that might be most important is that JMU is especially effective at attracting top scholars who also are drawn to teach,” Thomas told the crowd. “When you think about your experience at JMU, the component that most often stands out as memorably positive is the professor who took interest in us as students. That doesn’t happen to undergraduates at other top schools.”

Unleashed had a presence during Homecoming Week, including an on-field introduction of the campaign steering committee at halftime of Saturday’s football game and T-shirts being handed out.

The campaign will hit the road at several regional events in the coming months. To learn more and be a part of the campaign, visit jmu.edu/unleashed.

Watch the university launch the public phase of its comprehensive campaign at j.mu/launch.

B E A M S I G N I N G A N D U N LE AS H ED E V E N T PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L A N D M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Gilliam family names center in honor of late matriarch

J

‘I love JMU. Julia, those are my people.’

ulia Gilliam Sterling of West Palm Beach, Florida, announced a $5.2 mil— LESLIE GILLIAM (’82) lion commitment from her family to name the Leslie Flanary Gilliam (’82) Center for Entrepreneurship in the JMU College of Business. The net commitment is the largest in JMU’s history and was unveiled Oct. 26 as part of the public launch of Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University.

Entrepreneurship is a priority of the university’s $200 million comprehensive campaign and includes the center, the academic minor and a campus culture that supports a variety of entrepreneurial initiatives.

“Many, many people are involved in this pan-university movement,” JMU Provost and Senior Vice President Heather Coltman said at the dinner celebrating the public launch of the campaign. “But one family in the JMU community [the Gilliam family] has been … encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit at JMU for years.”

The Gilliams’ investment in JMU is a passion gift, combining their passion for promoting free enterprise and honoring their late mother’s passion for JMU. “We chose to make this gift as a way to honor our mother and continue her legacy,” Gilliam said.

“What my mom loved most about JMU was the sense of community,” Gilliam Sterling said. “She was so enthusiastic about her work on the board and with Women for Madison. I remember asking her, ‘What is it about JMU that’s so exciting?’ She said, ‘I love JMU. Julia, those are my people.’”

Leslie Gilliam was a 1982 JMU management graduate, philanHoused in the JMU College of Business, thropist and leader who served as a member of the JMU Board the Leslie Flanary Gilliam (‘82) Center for of Visitors and was a co-founder Entrepreneurship includes the center, the academic minor and a campus culture in of Women for Madison. She died For more, go to support of future business leaders. j.mu/unleashedstories. in 2016.

G I LLI A M PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

19

NATION Driesell takes his place among basketball immortals

Former JMU men’s coach enshrined into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

A

BY KHALIL GARRIOTT (‘04)

James Madison University living legend earned his rightful place among the immortals in his industry Sept. 7, as Charles “Lefty” Driesell was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The first NCAA coach with 100 wins at four different schools, Driesell coached the Dukes from 1988 to 1997. His coaching résumé lacks little—arguably just an appearance in the Final Four—and among the top bullet points is making the NCAA Tournament at all four schools he coached.

His mood was poignant and reflective at the birthplace of basketball as he looked back on his remarkable career.

“Anybody who’s ever coached basketball has a dream of being up here,” he said. “I had some great players, and they’re the ones who put me here. I love them all like brothers and sons of mine.”

At a Sept. 6 press conference, the longtime coach emphasized the impact his players had on him. He credited them for shaping his career. Though he never coached fellow 2018 enshrinee Grant Hill, Hill said he was drawn to Driesell’s personality and grew up admiring the larger-than-life coach.

“He was fun. He always had a great quote and a presence about him, and his teams were fun to watch,” Hill told Madison. “I remember watching him and watching his teams. As a little kid … I always thought the world of Lefty. I’m just happy for him; it’s long overdue. I’m proud that I get a chance to be in his class here in 2018.”

One of 13 Hall of Fame enshrinees this year, Driesell also lays claim to being the only coach in NCAA history to win conference Coach of the Year in four different conferences. A gym rat since age 10, he cited hard work and loving the game as keys to his longevity and success.

“My philosophy is the harder you work, the luckier you get,” Driesell said. “I enjoyed coaching but I worked my players hard. One thing about coaching I always liked was, you know if you’re doing any good. You play the game, and if you win, you feel good. If you lose, what can we correct so we don’t lose anymore? You can’t always do that with other jobs.”

20

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

(Above): Charles “Lefty” Driesell autographs a basketball. (Below): Driesell with the Nai­smith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

The Norfolk, Virginia, native said he regrets his teams did not always fill the stands at the JMU Convocation Center.

“I think we didn’t do enough advertising and promotion to get more students to the games,” Driesell said of his days at Madison.

“We had really good teams. We won the league five straight years.”

D R I E S E L L A N D C L A S S P H OTO G R A P H S BY J O N LO P E Z / N A I ­S M I T H M E M O R I A L B A S K E T B A L L H A L L O F FA M E ; B A S K E T B A L L BY K H A L I L G A R R I OT T ( ‘ 0 4)

J M U

NAT I O N

“Lefty” Driesell takes the crowd down memory lane during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

‘Anybody who’s ever coached basketball has a dream of being up here.’

—CHARLES “LEFTY” DRIESELL, former men’s basketball head coach

The college basketball world owes the “Midnight Madness” phenomenon to Driesell. It is attributed as his creation, and nowadays takes the form of a fun tradition all the top programs use to tip off the new season. Its popularity is a testament to the coach’s vision and creativity.

“I didn’t have it for the old people,” he said of Midnight Madness. “I had it for the students. The students, at midnight, are out partying or drinking beer or whatever they’re doing. That’s the reason I had it. So we used to fill [the arena] up.”

Over 40-plus years, the 86-year-old Driesell coached 1,180 games and won two-thirds of them. That consistency and success rate is far from the norm in today’s college hoops landscape.

“If we hadn’t won, I would’ve probably quit,” said Driesell, known for his unconventional motivating techniques. “Winning is fun.”

You couldn’t blame Driesell, who had four teams end the season ranked in the AP Top 10, if he got tired of waiting around for his P H OTO G R A P H BY M A D D I E M E Y E R /G E T T Y I M AG E S

chance to enter the hall. Eleven years passed between his induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is hoops heaven for fans of the sport. He was a three-time finalist before being elected earlier this year.

Despite the long wait, he said it is water under the bridge now that he has his “Naismith Orange” blazer.

“I was disappointed I didn’t get in, but now that I’m in, I think it was God’s will,” he told Madison. “That’s the way I looked at it.”

At JMU, Driesell is credited with building a winning program and taking it to the next level. His Dukes won five CAA regularseason titles and the conference tournament championship in 1994. Twice he was named CAA Coach of the Year, and he posted a 159111 overall record at Madison.

Work ethic was one of his calling cards.

Driesell was a tireless worker, an attribute that rubbed off on—among others—his son,

Chuck, who was an assistant coach on his staff at JMU. “Anybody who is successful works hard,” Driesell said. “And that’s what I’ve tried to impart on all my players. If you work hard, you’re going to be successful in whatever it is. I hope that the players who played for me took that away from me—because they knew I worked hard.”

Driesell said he’s ecstatic to be officially considered among the game’s all-time greats. “I’m overjoyed to be in the Hall of Fame,” he said.

Driesell chose Hall of Famers Mike Krzyzewski, John Thompson and George Raveling as his presenters. Driesell ranks 12th among Division I coaches in all-time wins with an overall coaching record of 786-394 (.666). His teams appeared in 21 postseason tournaments (13 NCAA, 8 NIT).

For more on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement, visit HoopHall.com and NBA.com/halloffame.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

21

New indoor training center to serve all JMU sports programs

J

MU Athletics has worked extensively to provide each of its programs with a first-class competition venue. Within the last decade, JMU has expanded Bridgeforth Stadium (football), renovated Sinclair Gymnasium (volleyball) and the JMU Field Hockey Complex, constructed Veterans Memorial Park (baseball, softball) and Sentara Park (soccer, lacrosse, track and field), and broken ground on the Union Bank & Trust Center (basketball).

JMU teams have followed with tremendous success across all sports, particularly over the last few years. However, success on the field follows successful preparation. JMU has also invested in elite training and performance-enhancement space in the Plecker Athletics Performance Center, the golf short-game and indoor practice areas, the East Campus Tennis Courts and the indoor batting cages and turf in Memorial Hall.

With each of those enhancements in place, JMU took the next step in maximizing the training opportunities for its student-ath-

22

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

letes during the summer and early fall with construction of the JMU Athletics Training Center at Sentara Park. Located on the upper tier of the Sentara Park Complex, the Training Center provides an all-weather performance space to be used by all 18 sport programs.

It fills a void in offering a training location for teams that have previously been displaced by adverse weather conditions.

The training facility measures 180 feet by 180 feet and features a Shaw Turf synthetic surface, padded interior walls, LED lighting and ventilation with two large ceiling fans. The facility rises to a height of 60 feet in the middle, tapering to 20 feet on each side.

I

Shining a light

BY KHALIL GARRIOTT (’04)

n certain parts of society, mental health can be a subject that’s considered taboo.

But we are all going through something in life that bothers us, and we all have our individual struggles.

With that in mind, JMU hosted an event in September in conjunction with the “We’re All a Little Crazy” global mental health alliance that featured NHL great Theo Fleury and ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell, among others. The event helped shine a light on issues of trauma, mental health and vulnerability.

Fleury shared stories and anecdotes that resonated with student-athletes in attendance, and his willingness to be open and transparent about his life’s journey helped show JMU students that it’s acceptable and beneficial for them to do the same.

Theo Fleury, Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist: n “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t find hockey.” n “Fourteen years ago, I had a fully loaded pistol in my mouth and I was ready to end my life.” n “I am in awe every day of people’s courage.” n His father was an alcoholic and his mother

was a prescription pill addict.

n As a child, he was raped 150 times over a two-

and-a-half-year period by a former coach.

n He had anxiety, depression and panic attacks

The JMU Athletics Training Center at Sentara Park fills a training void when adverse weather conditions hit.

that led to his exit from the NHL.

n He battled a cocaine habit, was hardly sleep-

ing and had suicidal thoughts.

Fleury shares his struggles in order to help others with trauma and mental health issues.

n He made $50 million in his hockey career—it’s all gone now. n He said he has discovered the purpose of his life: to help people heal from trauma. n “Helping is healing. The more people I’ve helped, the more I’ve helped myself.” n “I want to be better today than I was yesterday. So I do something every day for

my recovery.”

n “I’m in therapy for the rest of my life, and I’m OK with that.” n “What separates the great athletes from the ones who don’t necessarily make it is

mental health.”

n “I feel incredibly blessed and honored to be here at James Madison University to

share my story. I just want to acknowledge James Madison for taking on this really important subject.”

Darren Rovell, ESPN sports business reporter and event emcee: n “We’ve just started out, but what’s amazing is there is momentum building inside of us.” n “People tend to talk about mental health when there’s suicide. We’re trying to change that.” n “It seems like there is a groundswell of more prominent people talking about mental

health” (cited public figures Kevin Love, DeMar DeRozan and Carson Daly).

To read more about the event, go to j.mu/samehere.

‘We’re All a Little Crazy has built a network of international athletes from the four major sports, as well as actors, media members, musicians, DJs and everyday people.’

—DARREN ROVELL, ESPN sports business reporter and event emcee T R A I N I N G C E N T E R P H OTO G R A P H S BY J M U AT H L E T I C S ; F L E U RY BY B E R N A R D W E I L / TO R O N TO S TA R

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

23

J M U

NAT I O N

Union Bank & Trust Center construction

Officials broke ground on the Union Bank & Trust Center in April. General contractor S.B. Ballard Construction turned the page in the fall from site excavation to construction. A 1,500-vehicle parking deck will accompany the 8,500-seat arena, which will house the men’s and women’s basketball programs as well as other campus and community events.

Learn how you can support the project at j.mu/ubt.

FRESH FACES

Several new head coaches are in place for JMU Athletics for the 2018-19 year:

Tommy Baker—Women’s Golf

Baker served as assistant coach at Colorado State University, helping the program register its most successful season in a decade. He also served as head coach at the Division II level at Coker College and Saint Leo University.

Shelley Jaudon—Women’s Tennis

Jaudon was named JMU head coach after previously serving as assistant coach at the University of Alabama for the previous three seasons. She also served as head coach at Division I Middle Tennessee State University, registering four consecutive winning campaigns following six straight losing seasons prior to her arrival.

Best in state … again

For the third consecutive year, James Madison Athletics posted the best departmentwide winning percentage among all 14 Division I institutions in the commonwealth. JMU teams won head-to-head competition at a .669 winning percentage, the Dukes‘ best mark since 1982. In addition to best in state, it was also the best overall winning mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. The year was highlighted by two national championship game appearances (football, lacrosse), five CAA championships and seven teams qualifying for NCAA postseason competition.

Ron McCown—Track and Field

McCown comes to JMU following 17 seasons as assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he guided student-athletes to 37 individual conference titles. His tenure at SFA overlapped with current JMU Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Ta’ Frias.

Joshua Walters Sr.—Women’s Soccer

Walters came to JMU after serving as associate head coach at UCLA, where he orchestrated the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation. In his first JMU campaign, he led the Dukes to the CAA regular-season championship and was named the league’s Coach of the Year.

Paul Zazenski—Men’s Soccer Zazenski was named JMU head coach just days before preseason practice after serving as assistant coach in 2017 and being elevated to associate head coach in the spring. He responded by leading JMU to its best season in recent years, capturing the regular-season championship and being named CAA Coach of the Year.

24

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame formally recognizes JMU Athletics for the best winning percentage in the state.

PH OTO G R A PH S BY C AT H Y K U S H N E R ( ’ 87 ) A N D CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S

Faculty Voices

May I quote you?

We looked to see if we could design an experience that could connect them with some content and technology that they hadn’t seen before. It allowed them to take ownership of the problem, to see how technologies could play a role.

‘It’s designed to expose them to lightweight drones and the opportunity to take the full drone class where they learn how to use drones to solve realworld problems. We will also have small model rockets available for students to try. These rockets are used extensively by our geology department to increase student interest in atmospheric studies.’

Nick Swayne,

instructor of learning, technology and leadership education

Bob Kolvoord,

dean of the College of Integrated Science and Engineering On the Geospatial Semester, launched at JMU, expanding to Chicago Public Schools, EdScoop.com

‘It’s policy and communications and business where we’re finding land, acquiring land. We’re financing projects, we’re siting projects.’

Remy Pangle,

associate director of the Center for Wind Energy On wind energy fueling good jobs, The Hechinger Report

If we have a shortage of nurses in the United States, that will have a direct impact on the quality of care a patient will get if that nurse is possibly overworked, or caring for too many patients.

On a drones and rockets pop-up class, The New York Times

… I think women need to support each other. The model of competition is a lonely one.

I try to support others whose careers I hope to see blooming alongside my own for as long as we’re blessed to do this work. There’s room for all of our voices—room and need.

Lauren K. Alleyne,

professor of English and assistant director, Furious Flower Poetry Center On the impact of feminist poetry, Ms. Muse

Joe Tacy,

professor of nursing On the persistent nationwide shortage of nurses, WHSV-TV

‘There may also be some “structural hurdles” that impede learning from audio material. For one thing, you can’t underline or highlight something you hear. And many of the “This is important!” cues that show up in textbooks—things like bolded words or boxed bits of criti­cal info—aren’t easily empha­sized in audio-based media.’

David Daniel,

professor of psychology On varying learning and comprehension rates between readers and listeners, Time

‘I think that we can improve the quality of disclosure with­ out restricting free speech.’

Timothy M. LaPira,

professor of political science On the murkiness in laws regulating lobbying, which is protected by the First Amendment, CBC News W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

25

Bright Lights Teaching the intangibles

A Teacher of the Year turns a life-changing accident into learning opportunities

K

atie Tusing (’09, ’10M) loves working with young children, especially her second-graders at AshbyLee Elementary School in Quicksburg, Virginia, the same school the Mount Jackson native attended.

“Second-graders are a great age to teach because they have a little bit more independence, but they still want to please,” she says. “They are enthusiastic and want to come to school.”

Seven- and 8-year-old students often learn by doing—arranging numbers cards in ascending order, trying out new vocabulary words with

26

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

BY JANET SMITH (’81)

the aid of pictures, creating art with many fun supplies. Intangible concepts are trickier by their very definition—they cannot be easily defined.

But Tusing enjoys the challenges of teaching, a career she began after earning a bachelor’s degree in health sciences at JMU. Intending to focus on physical therapy, she recognized that path was not for her.

After her physical therapy clinic supervisor encouraged her to consider teaching, saying, “I see you teach patients every day in here,” Tusing returned to JMU to complete a Master of Arts in Teaching degree.

Tusing’s talents as an educator were recognized by her colleagues

PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

when she was named the Shenandoah County Public Schools Teacher of the Year for 2017-18. It was the teaching year that almost wasn’t for Tusing.

In January 2017, Tusing’s life turned upside down in an instant.

Hearing a “crunching sound outside,” she and her boyfriend, Dillon Frazier, ran toward a wrecked vehicle in a ditch near their house to offer help. “At that point in time, a car came down the road. I pulled Dillon back and said, ‘Let’s wait for this car to pass.’ That’s when I blacked out and where my memory stops for a bit.”

Police investigators surmised that the first vehicle hit and damaged two utility poles, while the second vehicle hit a guy-wire, causing it to snap. “That wire kind of bullwhipped around and it hit me in the leg and it flipped Dillon,” Tusing says.

As helpers arrived, Tusing called her mother. “I said, ‘Mom, there’s been an accident outside of Dillon’s house. I’m OK, but I’m probably going to lose my leg.’”

Her assessment, based on pain level and seeing the damage to her leg (both the tibia and fibula were broken) proved accurate.

After several surgeries and the onset of infection, the decision was made to amputate Tusing’s right leg below the knee.

During 21 days in the hospital and at a rehabilitation center, Tusing had to “figure out how life was going to go on after that,” she recalls. She missed her second-graders and was worried that her teaching career might be over.

Although the injuries kept her from returning to full-time teaching in the second semester, Tusing visited her children “because I felt like it would be good for them and for me. They just had a lot of questions that they needed answered,” she recalls.

That honest exchange cemented Tusing’s decision to return to the classroom. After a slow healing process delayed Tusing’s fitting for a prosthetic leg, it was August 2017 before she was able to return.

With the new school year and a new class of students, the previously active and mobile teacher began adjusting. “For a while I was going through a mental struggle with what this meant for my life, for me as a person,”

Tusing and her Ashby-Lee second-graders depend on each other as they teach and learn academic skills and life lessons.

Tusing says. “I wasn’t sure that this was going to be the place for me. It took a good while to see the positive that could come out of a notso-positive situation.”

She finally determined that her situation offered learning opportunities for her students.

“I felt in my heart that there are a lot of kids here in this school who probably haven’t had a lot of exposure or experience with people who have an obvious physical disability. I use my situation as a gateway to help my children understand we all struggle with different things, some that we cannot see.

‘I use my situation as a gateway to help my children understand we all struggle with different things, some that we cannot see.’

— KATIE TUSING (’09,’10M)

“We talk about how it’s important to be kind to everybody because you don’t know what they’re dealing with. We talk about how I got frustrated when I was learning how to walk again because it wasn’t easy, how I had to keep coming back to it and keep trying and keep working until I got stronger and better.

I explain that’s the same thing as something you’re learning that’s hard for you, whether it’s reading, math, whatever. You’ve got to be persistent and you can’t give up.

“Other lessons I’ve learned and try to impart to my students are the value of being adaptable

and empathetic. I certainly have real, tangible examples to share with my kids,” she says.

When some of her students were confused by the realistic appearance of her prosthetic foot in comparison to the mechanical look of her lower leg, Tusing invited her prosthetist to the classroom to explain how the artificial limb worked.

Tusing has had to rely on her students to help with her adjustment to the classroom.

“That actually turned out well because they felt like they could be of great assistance to someone who needed help, someone who happened to be their teacher.”

From keeping the classroom floor clear of clutter to fetching “Candy,” Tusing’s cane, the children helped. “The son of one of my co-workers carried a chair outside every day for me at recess so I could sit. He took that upon himself.”

Accepting help was one of her life lessons, Tusing says. The Ashby-Lee community has helped in countless ways. “Our school’s reading specialists, who don’t have students assigned as a classroom teacher does, have helped by walking my kids to the bus lines after school. People really want to help.”

The 2018-19 school year has begun with a new class of second-graders and their awardwinning teacher who is enduring less physical pain than a year ago.

“I feel like my core principles and values are still the same,” Tusing says. “I still believe we need to be working toward the development of the whole child. It would be a shame to give that up just because I’ve been dealt a kind of crummy hand.”

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

27

BY JIM HEFFERNAN (’96, ’17M)

ART WITH AN IMPACT 28

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH BY J U LI A N T H O M A S

P U R P O S E F U L

L I V E S

Students’ online gallery is earning rave reviews for its charitable business model

art and charity make good business partners. Some artists produce works specifically for a cause. Others choose to gift the proceeds from a sale to an organization. Still others agree to have their works exhibited, with the host donating a portion of the ticket sales from the event.

Impact Art Gallery, an online gallery launched in October 2016, is taking the charitable business model one step further. For every piece it sells, the gallery donates 30 percent of the proceeds to a nonprofit of the buyer’s choice. The artist receives 50 percent and Impact pockets the remaining 20 percent.

“Impact Art Gallery brings artistic creation and our sense of humanity together to change the Impact Art Gallery director Jerry Reese II at a show in Washington, D.C. The company stages exhibitions virtually on its website and occasionally at brickand-mortar galleries.

world for the better,” says founder and president Nick Delgado, a JMU senior double majoring in media arts and design and marketing. “We all see things in the world that we feel strongly about improving. Impact gives both art buyers and artists the power to make a real difference.”

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

29

P U R P O S E F U L

L I V E S

gridiron. Reese was a star quarterGenerating money for nonprofback at Jefferson Township High its is the primary motivation for School in Oak Ridge, New Jersey, Delgado and his business partners, while Delgado was an all-state JMU senior Jerry Reese II and Holpunter and place-kicker at Oakton land Corbett of the University of High School in Vienna, Virginia.

Virginia. To date, Impact’s patrons The teammates played only one have raised approximately $60,000 year together at JMU, but they for their favorite charities, includwalked away as friends. ing the American Red Cross, the Delgado has always been interWorld Wildlife Fund and St. Jude ested in the visual arts. The summer Children’s Research Hospital. after his freshman year, he spent sevReese, the gallery’s direceral weeks visiting galleries in Paris, tor, believes its business model is For every piece Impact sells, the gallery donates 30 percent of the proceeds to a nonprofit of the buyer's choice. where the prospect of launching an unique in the art world. “There online business began to take shape. “I had a are plenty of galleries that give to charity, Miami, Los Angeles and London.

“The online platform doesn’t limit the few conversations with gallery owners there, but none to the extent that we are,” he says.

“There’s no one out there who is giving back imagination,” Delgado says. “A lot of sales and they inspired me to go for it. I felt like it are generated that way. But we’ll keep doing wouldn’t cost much of anything to purchase more than they receive.” a website domain and start designing and see Impact’s online gallery showcases hun- physical exhibitions when we can.”

The business has attracted outside inves- where it went. And the people I was talking to dreds of works by more than 30 international artists, including blue-chip names like tors and last year was valued at $1.5 million. thought the charitable aspect was a great idea.”

Reese, a sociology major with a minor For Delgado and Reese, both of whom Picasso, Warhol and Van Gogh. The company partners with online art publications were recruited by former Dukes head foot- in nonprofit studies, approached Delgado and stages exhibitions, both virtually on its ball coach Everett Withers as nonscholarship about getting involved in the venture. “My website and occasionally at brick-and-mortar players, the art world is a long way from the big thing is charity,” he says. “I’ve always galleries. Impact has hosted ticketed events in New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Additional shows are planned in

(Above): Reese and Delgado met at JMU as football players. (Left): Delgado talks with a collector. (Right): Reese with his sister, Jasmyne, and mother, Gwen.

30

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

R E E S E A N D D E LG A D O PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ' 09 M ); E V E N T BY J U LI A N T H O M A S

P U R P O S E F U L

wanted to be involved with helping people.”

One of Reese’s sociology professors, Lisa Porter, had noticed the same qualities in him and encouraged him to pursue his passion.

“I knew right away that he really cared about social issues and the possibilities for change,” she says. “It was really tugging at his heart.”

Impact built its inventory by seeking out up-and-coming artists—in person, online and via social media—who have a similar social consciousness. “There are a lot of artists who want to help nonprofits,” Delgado says. “They have a voice. That’s why they’re doing what they’re doing. And they want to make a difference.”

These artists are given the option of having Impact represent them exclusively or nonexclusively. “Artists really like having that flexibility,” Delgado says. “It has allowed us to work with higher-caliber artists who maybe only have a few pieces to sell.”

Impact also partners with private collectors to sell paintings by famous artists offline.

“These people may have a Picasso or a couple of Warhols in their collection for however

L I V E S

‘We all see things in the world that we feel strongly about improving. Impact gives both art buyers and artists the power to make a real difference.’

— NICK DELGADO, founder and president of Impact Art Gallery

many years, and they’re doing it for investment purposes, mainly,” Delgado says. “It’s all very discreet. But they’re motivated by the same thing—selling the paintings for charity.”

Although the works are displayed online, Impact cultivates personal relationships with potential patrons. “It’s very much person-to-person,” Delgado says. “That’s how the sale happens.”

Some buyers are surprised to learn that college students are behind such a successful venture. “It’s funny; a lot of the time people don’t know our age until we meet them for

the first time,” Delgado says, “but by then it’s past the point where they would care.”

So how do Delgado and Reese balance work and school responsibilities?

“It’s basic time management,” Delgado says. “After football ended, I felt like I had more time than I could possibly need. I think my biggest fear is wasted time. I love lists and checklists, stuff like that. … It’s usually pretty manageable.”

Reese, who is set to graduate in December, says his studies have prepared him to help continue to grow the business.

“I’ve learned the ins and outs of how nonprofits really work,” he says. “And that’s been helpful when I talk to people and they ask about the charitable aspect, how we came up with it and why we’re doing it. It has also helped with negotiations and making those personal connections. It makes [the transaction] feel more real to them and they want to support it that much more.”

Porter says the connections she makes with students like Reese are equally rewarding. “When you have the opportunity to work with students and help steer them into something they’re passionate about, you become the beneficiary of that relationship,” she says. “It has inspired me to dream.”

For more on Impact Art Gallery, go to impactartgallery.org.

Impact Art Gallery hosted an exhibition in New York City in the winter of 2017.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

31

R E N E W I N G

OU R

C I V I L

S O C I E T Y

Welcome to the

HONORS COLLEGE Freshman retreat at Montpelier is no walk in the park

BY SARAH CHASE (’17)

I

t’s 6:45 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 20, and first-year Honors College students are boarding buses to make the hourlong trek from JMU to Montpelier, the home of James Madison. Having met briefly during JMU move-in the night before, these 201 students don’t really know each other yet. Not only is this their first significant Honors College

activity together; it’s also their first week as JMU freshmen.

As 8 a.m. approaches, a sudden incline on the gravel drive

startles some of them awake. They open their eyes to the sight of lush green pastures along either side of the road and the historic mansion before them. It looks cool and refreshing outside, but once the buses stop and the students step out onto the grounds, they are greeted by high heat and humidity.

32

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Honors College Dean Bradley Newcomer welcomes the freshmen to Montpelier and outlines the plans for the day.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

33

A white tent stands alone in a large field to the left of the house, offering refuge. Bradley Newcomer, dean of the Honors College, and Raquel Suarez, program director at the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution, introduce the students—who, just a few short months ago, were the top-performing seniors in their high schools—to the order and purpose of the day.

Each group of students will rotate through activity stations, so all will have much the same experience. Some start one of many service projects for the day: weeding, spreading gravel, laying mulch, shoveling dirt and moving old fence posts. As a National Historic Landmark, Montpelier is a living museum, and these Honors students are here to learn and to lend their muscle to the work that must be done to advance its history.

Their activity does not seem so noble in the moment as they trek across the grounds, their shoes and socks getting soggier with every step through the wet grass. They don work gloves, pick up shovels, grab buckets—and the work continues. Before long, perspiration slides down their foreheads and they start muttering.

“What are we even doing here?”

“I didn’t know we’d have to work.”

“I feel so disgusting right now.”

“My feet are soaked through.”

Somber clouds hang low in the sky as their energy begins to dwindle. When 11:30 a.m. rolls around, it’s time for lunch. The mere mention of food has rarely been met with so much enthusiasm.

Sustenance and rest revive tired bodies as conversations perk up and laughter reverberates inside the tent. Although the morning has been challenging, it’s clear that everyone now

34

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

A team spreads gravel in the garden area while another group learns about the estate in Orange County, Virginia.

feels more comfortable with each other. When the meal ends, students filter out of the tent as a second wave of students enters for lunch. It’s time for a tour of the grounds and house.

Tour guides expertly impart details of the estate.

Students have prepped for the tour by reading Richard Brookhiser’s biography of James Madison and a guide contributed by the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement.

As students connect their reading to the scenery before them, an uneasiness disrupts their awe of the house. The beautifully refurbished and elaborate building shows clear evidence of the more than 300 people who were enslaved

there by Madison and his family. Along with the Founding Father’s admirable achievements and enduring contributions to democracy— like drafting the Constitution and serving as the fourth president of the nation and secretary of state—the tour guides’ stories reveal some disturbing facts. In particular, students’ eyes widen as they learn that Madison never freed his slaves, not even on his deathbed.

PH OTO G R A PH S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

R E N E W I N G

The day has been long.

It has been unsettling, unpredictable and upsetting, but equally thought-provoking and enlightening.

The inside of the house begins to feel as oppressive as the weather outside. Challenging questions hang in the air. Madison was a champion of liberty, but never freed his slaves … how do we make sense of that? Is it possible to believe in the equality of men yet not treat all men equally? Do you believe Madison was a good man, despite having owned slaves? Is it fair to both respect and criticize him?

OU R

C I V I L

S O C I E T Y

Difficulties earlier in the day had prompted vocal complaints, but here, the reaction is thoughtful silence.

As the tour continues, the students proceed to the basement to The Mere Distinction of Colour exhibit. Beneath the house, the air is cooler and the rooms are brightened only by low lighting and the pattern of surrounding brick. Students watch a movie featuring descendants of the people enslaved at Montpelier, to whom the exhibit is dedicated.

When the video stops, students are free to visit the other rooms and exhibits featuring dramatic readings of slaves’ letters, their personal belongings, and infographics and interactive screens with facts about slavery in the United States.

Students scratch bug bites from earlier in the day, tenting and airing out shirts still sweaty from before, as they sit down to read letters and look through artifacts. Everyone is taking it in separately, but one feeling is shared: They’re all uncomfortable.

The last part of the day features smallgroup discussions. A quick break for water and restrooms relieves the intensity. And soon, guides and leaders are sitting down in small circles to help students process the day.

What motivated Madison? What duties and responsibilities were most important to him?

What was Madison’s legacy? What does it mean to be Madisonian in the 21st century?

Students now begin to engage, acknowledging that they didn’t know much about Madison prior to this retreat. Maybe it’s the water break and being in an air-conditioned room, or maybe it’s that these students operate best in small groups, but they have a lot

of opinions. There is now a sense of knowing Madison, the man. Students recall walking through his library and hearing how overprepared he was for every encounter he had.

“He was a model citizen who acted for change and liberty when others wouldn’t,” one student offers.

“He led from behind,” says another.

“Being Madisonian means being a different kind of leader, being able to change things when we see something wrong,” a freshman observes.

“Madison did his homework. He was informed, and I think we could do more of that,” says another.

As the discussion wraps up, it’s time for dinner. Evening is settling in. The weather has cooled and students sink deep into their chairs as they listen to an actor portraying Mr. Madison, the sage of Montpelier. After the dramatic presentation, Kat Imhoff, president and CEO of Montpelier, makes closing remarks.

Now it’s time to board the buses and make the drive back to campus. The day has been long. It has been unsettling, unpredictable and upsetting, but equally thoughtprovoking and enlightening. And students won’t be stepping into their residence halls until close to 9 p.m. Not even 24 hours after having moved onto campus, Honors College students have been asked to engage, to work, to participate, to contribute and to challenge themselves.

The reality is that these students are asked to give more from day one, because the responsibility of being an Honors student requires more. It won’t be easy, but it will be life-changing. Welcome to the Honors College.

A reconstructed slave quarters receives the attention of an Honors College group during the August retreat.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

35

A D VA N C I N G

OU R

U N D E R STA N D I N G

N A S A’ S J E N N I F E R E I G E N B R O D E ( ’ 9 4) S E E K S O R G A N I C M AT E R I A L S T O U N L O C K M A R S ’ S E C R E T S

EXPLORING THE PLANET

BY JANET SMITH (’81)

he lure of one day traveling to Mars, Earth’s closest neighbor, has captured the imagination of billionaire entrepreneurs, at least one former U.S. astronaut and untold numbers of forwardlooking individuals.

But before any of their plans launch from the drawing board, they would do well to heed the research going on today by hundreds of NASA scientists, including JMU alumna Jennifer Eigenbrode (’94), about the planet’s composition and atmosphere. A planetary science astrobiologist based at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, Eigenbrode joined NASA in 2007 as a member of the Sample Analysis at Mars team for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

36

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

(Above): Jennifer Eigenbrode and another NASA scientist drill into the ice in the Kverkjokull Glacier in Iceland to retrieve samples for analysis.

(Right): A self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity rover taken June 15 when a Martian dust storm had reduced sunlight and visibility in Gale Crater.

I C E L A N D PH OTO G R A PH BY A A R O N R EG B E R G ( N A SA J O H N S O N S PAC E C E N T E R); S E LF - PO RT R A I T BY N A SA /J PL- C A LT EC H/M S S S

A D VA N C I N G

OU R

U N D E R STA N D I N G

‘I am at NASA because I want to know if life has existed or exists now beyond Earth. It’s not an easy one to answer. I don’t even know if we’re going to get an answer in my lifetime.’

— JENNIFER EIGENBRODE (’94), planetary science astrobiologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

37

A D VA N C I N G

“SAM is an instrumental laboratory in the belly of the rover,” Eigenbrode says of the devices housed within Curiosity, a carsized rover with a big mission: to determine if Mars was ever able to support microbial life.

Since landing in 2012, Curiosity’s robotic arm has gathered rock and dust from the Martian landscape, delivered the samples to the instruments and heated them to produce gases. “One of my jobs is to study the data that is transmitted from that instrument so we can analyze their composition,” Eigenbrode says. “I want to know if there are organics in the rock samples.”

In June, Eigenbrode’s team published exciting news in Science. After engaging in rigorous analysis and reanalysis, scientists announced they had found organic molecules preserved in 3-billion-year-old sedimentary rocks at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. “Finding organics doesn’t tell us there was life there,” Eigenbrode cautions, “but it’s

OU R

U N D E R STA N D I N G

‘Finding organics doesn’t tell us there was life there, but it’s an important clue to where we should look for evidence of life.’ an important clue to where we should look for evidence of life, in this case, a past life.”

NASA scientists on Earth receive information at least twice a day from the rover via satellite transmissions. The information is distributed to the scientists, depending on their expertise. “We are constantly reviewing data,” Eigenbrode says. “It never stops.”

Transmissions flow in reverse to tell Curiosity where to go and what samples to gather.

“It’s a unique experience to do field geology and laboratory chemistry through a rover that is millions of miles away.”

While the Science paper reported on a key mission finding, Eigenbrode, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology at JMU, points to several other mission highlights as favorite moments of discovery. Early in the mission, the team discovered a conglomerate rock, one filled with small and large rounded pebbles. “That told us that those individual pebbles had to have been bounced along a stream channel by a fluid for a very long time in order to get rounded off,” Eigenbrode says.

“So there is a process there that we identify as being one associated with river flow. We didn’t know that when we landed.”

It gets even better. Multiple layers of soft, fine-grain materials were discovered. “It was laid down in these really, really thin layers,” Eigenbrode explains “The quiet water of lakes is good at depositing layers like these.

The river flowed into a lake!”

From these findings, the team deduced that there was an environment on Mars billions of years ago—3 to 3.5 billion years— that could have supported life. “That doesn’t mean that life was there,” she cautions. “It means that if life had been there, everything that life needed to survive was there.”

Another moment of discovery involved the planet’s color. “Mars glows red in the sky. We have always observed it as a rusty red planet. But when we drilled 5 centimeters into our first rock, dark gray sediment came out of the hole. The planet’s not red; it’s gray, covered in red dust.”

Eigenbrode (left) in Chilé’s Atacama Desert. The rocks there share many features with those seen by the rover on Mars.

(Above): Evidence of Mars’ true color, gray, as drilled by Curiosity.

38

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

D R I LL H O LE A N D LOW E R M O U N T S H A R P PH OTO G R A PH S BY N A SA /J PL- C A LT EC H/M S S S

A D VA N C I N G

All of these findings convince Eigenbrode and her fellow scientists that they have scratched the surface of a rich research base, especially if humans are one day to travel to Mars. The Curiosity mission has revealed several obstacles that must be addressed for astronaut safety, such as the presence of perchlorates, compounds toxic to humans at the levels found on Mars. Dust storms could also prove disastrous to humans and equipment. “It’s so fine, it gets everywhere and it sticks,” Eigenbrode says. Then there’s the radiation coming down and the wide temperature swings. “It gets really cold there,” she says, “and anywhere between 60 to 80 degrees Celsius temperature swings occur on a daily basis.”

These obstacles will need solutions, Eigenbrode believes, because “humans on the ground might be our best means of studying Mars.”

Until that day, Eigenbrode is excited to be part of the Curiosity mission. “I am a geologist on the surface of Mars; I’m just not physically there. All the fundamental geology that I learned at James Madison, I apply on a regular basis on the Mars mission. But geology is only one discipline of the science necessary to address the bigger questions that we seek to answer.”

Eigenbrode, who earned a master’s degree in geological sciences at Indiana University, a doctoral degree in geosciences at Pennsylvania State University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Geophysical Laboratory at

OU R

U N D E R STA N D I N G

Eigenbrode testing water quality and helping fellow scientist Dina Bower of the University of Maryland collect rock samples for analysis.

Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C., brings her experience to the mix of interdisciplinary scientists with expertise in geology, chemistry, biology, physics and atmospheric science, who all come together to answer questions posed by the “Red Planet.”

“I am at NASA because I want to know if

life has existed or exists now beyond Earth,” Eigenbrode says. “It’s not an easy one to answer. I don’t even know if we’re going to get an answer in my lifetime.”

But for now, she says, “There’s no experience on Earth that compares to working on another planet.”

The foreground of this scene from the Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows purple-hued rocks near the rover's late-2016 location on lower Mount Sharp. The scene's middle distance includes higher layers that are future destinations for the mission. Variations in color of the rocks hint at the diversity of their composition.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

39

H E A D E R

H E R E

gap

BY TOM KERTSCHER

Documenting the achievement

Steve James’ (’77) latest project exposes racial disparities in a Chicago high school

40

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

FI LM C LI PS CO U RT E SY O F K A RT E M Q U I N FI LM S .CO M

p

I

R E F O R M I N G

E D UC AT I O N

n America to me (2018), a documentary about inequality in education by filmmaker Steve James (’77), an exasperated black student at Oak Park and River Forest High School in suburban Chicago blurts out: “Everything is made for white kids, because this school was made for white kids, because this ‘How much more country was made for white kids.” difficult would The 10-part television series, which it be for our premiered in August on the Starz cable struggling kid if network, offers a yearlong look inside one of Chicago’s most progressive public high schools. he were black?’

The project was inspired, in part, by James’ chil— STEVE JAMES (’77) dren’s experience in the school system. “One of our kids was a high-performing student and another, despite being bright, was struggling with a learning disability,” he says. “My wife and I saw what a different experience it was for one kid versus the other.”

At the time, the Oak Park community was wringing its collective hands over the disparities in achievement between white and black students, James says, and it dawned on him, “How much more difficult would it be for our struggling kid if he were black?”

To James, director of the Oscar-nominated Hoop Dreams (1994), at least two characteristics of the K-12 public education system contribute to the achievement gap: expectations and tracking.

The 10-part television documentary series America to me offers a yearlong look inside Oak Park and River Forest High School in suburban Chicago.

James, a resident of Oak Park, was inspired to take on the project, in part, because of his son's experience in the school system.

JA M E S PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F TO M K E RTS C H E R

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

41

R E F O R M I N G

E D UC AT I O N

James believes ACT scores and other traditional assessment methods are not always indicative of student achievement, nor are they a fair measure of intelligence.

42

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

James advocates for raising expectations, particularly among teachers, of students of color. And he supports alternatives to tracking, the practice of grouping what tend to be overwhelmingly white students in honors and advancedplacement classes while keeping children of color on lesser tracks.

“For all the good intentions, students of different races find themselves on different tracks, in different classes, with different outcomes, in a school that one teacher says ‘functions as two schools in one,’” the New York Times said in its review of America to me. The documentary, it said, “is ample evidence that, in fact, what happened keeps happening— even if it happens in more subtle ways, with coded language and among people who talk the talk of inclusion. It’s an invaluable look at where inequity begins, as well as the difficulty of getting to the place where it ends.”

While making America to me, James says he learned that reduced expectations based on race are pervasive in education.

“It really does start early for black kids, in particular, and I think black boys even more so—that teachers just have lower expectations of achievement,” he says.

When an African-American student scores a C on a test or in a class, “the parents may be unhappy with it, but the teacher seems OK with it,” James says.

“The teacher has made this determination that that’s a good grade for that kid.”

Some black families might be inclined to keep their children in lower tracks because they’re performing well there, James adds. Such encouragement from teachers “may come from a place of concern and wanting to be supportive,” he says, “but what it’s communicating is, ‘You are not capable of doing better. This is where you belong.’”

James also sees only putting certain kids in high-achievement tracks—where they take classes that can earn them college credit and grade-point averages above 4.0—as harmful.

‘It's an invaluable look at where inequity begins, as well as the difficulty of getting to the place where it ends.’ — New York Times review “The way in which we define achievement is fraught with race and privilege,” James says. “ACT scores and GPAs are a foundation for how we define whether someone is a good student or not, or a smart student or not. And it’s an incredibly limiting way to define someone’s intelligence.”

James believes the responsibility for effecting change falls on white parents—even if they perceive tracking as beneficial to their own kids. “Real change to the educational system can’t really happen until white people—for whom the system has worked remarkably well over the years—decide that they want to see it differently,” he says.

“I think there’s this feeling that if you do away with tracking, then high-performing kids will be in classes with lower-performing kids, and they won’t get challenged because the curriculum will be built to serve the

lower-performing kids, and that will be bad for the higher-performing kids,” James says.

But that doesn’t have to be the case, he says. Research shows that mixing kids raises the expectations and the performance of lower-performing students without hurting the higher-performing ones.

FROM JMU TO THE WINDY CITY

James’ passion for filmmaking was sparked at JMU, where, as a communication arts major, he took a film appreciation class in the English department. “I liked movies, and students said that the class was fun and thought-provoking. We watched and discussed the works of great filmmakers— Ernst Lubitsch, Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Renoir and Arthur Penn. I was hooked.”

JMU is also where James met his future

wife, Judy Roth (’77). After graduation, he followed her to Southern Illinois University, where he studied film and earned a master’s degree.

His breakthrough film, Hoop Dreams, which follows two inner-city Chicago boys’ struggle to become professional basketball players, won nearly every major critical award and established James as a major player on the documentary scene. For his next project, Stevie (2002), James retuned to Southern Illinois to reconnect with a boy he mentored 10 years earlier as a Big Brother.

Other film credits include The Interrupters (2011), about three former Chicago gang members who try to protect their communities from the violence they once employed; Life Itself (2014), which chronicles the life and career of renowned Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert; and Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (2016), which profiles the only company to be criminally indicted in the wake of the 2008 mortgage crisis.

James is a 1994 recipient of the Ronald E. Carrier Alumni Achievement Award.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

43

H E A D E R

44

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

H E R E

E N G AG E D

L E A R N I N G

T

he early stages of creating a business are not so much paved as they are built brick by brick.

The Leslie Flanary Gilliam (’82) Center for Entrepreneurship at JMU provides the mortar to help build student ventures into strong startups through its Summer Venture Accelerator.

The eight-week summer program serves as a launch pad for student startups of all kinds. Each venture is comprised of an interdisciplinary team of students paired with experienced mentors.

In 2018, nine ventures were selected to embark on a comprehensive learning experience. The students were challenged to transform their fragile ideas into pitchready business models that could withstand scrutiny during the program’s final presentations in September and attract outside investment.

The results speak for themselves. This year’s ventures have raised over $9 million in equity investment thus far.

GAINING TRACTION

BY STEPHEN ABRAMOWITZ

Summer Venture Accelerator

strengthens student startups

Patrick McQuown, executive director of the Leslie Flanary Gilliam (’82) Center for Entrepreneurship, is pleased with the results of the Summer Venture Accelerator and is determined to see it grow.

PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

45

E N G AG E D

L E A R N I N G

“For Harrisonburg’s startups, it’s the most “The startup program has been really a cup of coffee. Take away the $2.25 and exciting event of the year,” says Chiedo John helpful for me because I’m not a busi- you’re not getting a coffee.”

For McQuown, a serial entrepreneur with (’13), CEO of the custom web development ness major,” says Thomas Driver (’18), cofounder of Drive Fitness. “I have a technical over 20 years of startup experience, the Sum- agency Chiedo Labs. “If you are into startups background, and the other guys on my team mer Venture Accelerator is his own form of a or tech entrepreneurship, you have to be here.”

Chiedo worked directly with integrated are developers. So for me, I was able to work startup, and he is determined to see it grow. with a lot of business majors, and they were “You’re here to build or sell your venture,” he science and technology major Ted Reynolds, able to help me with my marketing, my busi- says. “That’s what we talk about from day one.” the co-founder of Matter Music, a venture The center has invested in a handful of aimed at revolutionizing the music industry. ness strategy and my finances.”

As consumers have shifted from purchasDriver and co-founder Matthew Drom- student ventures by offering team members azos (’18) paired with an outside company, a stipend, along with a grant, to help turn ing albums to digital streaming, many artists are taking a hit, Reynolds explains. “We have Shapelog, to create a mobile platform designed their ideas into viable enterprises.

Before the final showcase, the ventures were a solution using cryptonomics and blockto automatically record a user’s strength-training workouts by placing smart sensors within given multiple opportunities to compete in chain (technology) to essentially manufacthe tension cables of weight machines. The pitch-off competitions against other entrepre- ture a system model where we can pay artventure incorporates competitive elements neurs. This year’s cohort went head-to-head ists two to three times more than what they such as leaderboards and challenges that users with Princeton University’s eLab Summer would be paid on traditional platforms.”

Dave Urso, dean of academic affairs at Blue Accelerator. JMU’s venture, BarTrack, was viccan share with friends.

As Driver and Dromazos continue to build torious over the Ivy League school’s TerraVuze Ridge Community College, also volunteers with the program. “Chiedo’s perspective their company, the recent graduates hope is the technical side, and mine is the sales to turn their venture into a full-time career.

‘If you are into startups Urso says. “So what we try to do is Some ventures’ founders embody or tech entrepreneurship, piece,” to help them to build out that story and their brands. you have to be here.’ tell it in a compelling way. It’s grinding Dan Lambert, founder and CEO of the coal down to get to the diamond.”

DyeHappy, is known within the JMU — CHIEDO JOHN (’13), CEO, Chiedo Labs No one understands this quite like community as “Tie-Dye Dan.” “I am the first branded tie-dye clothing startup. BarTrack’s patent-pending smart-tap the founders of HICH, a ride-sharing platline in the history of the world,” Lambert technology promises to fix over-foaming dur- form designed to eliminate surge pricing by says. “I offer high-end tie-dye with a name- ing beer pours. The award-winning venture empowering student riders and drivers. With brand feel.” The senior communication stud- was founded by recent graduates Brett Dan- the help of full-time developer Jeremy Franies major, whose personality is as bright as his ielson (’18), Hunter Markle (’18) and Grant cis, the startup’s student co-founders, Zac Casey and Trey Rustand, have completely company’s apparel, is expanding his lifestyle Hobar (’18) and senior Neth Gardner.

The Summer Venture Accelerator is as transformed their business as well as thembrand into the skill toy market.

For those in the summer accelerator program, collaborative as it is competitive. Students selves. The company is set to unveil its beta by the time they reach the final pitch, their com- are prompted to work with colleagues from application to the app store this winter.

“We believe as a team that if we are the other disciplines to refine their ideas and panies look and feel completely different. smartest people in the room, then we are in the “We came in with just an idea and a ensure their mutual success.

“We actually helped other companies with wrong room,” Rustand says. “We are all about domain name,” says Josh Clements, an engineering major and co-founder of the Play Well their software,” says Driver. “For BarTrack, surrounding ourselves with people who make Foundation, which creates adaptive musical we helped them build a website dashboard us rise to the occasion and become better.”

While the accelerator program has and really traded business insights.” instruments for individuals with disabilities.

Participants are also encouraged to bring in received national recognition and unpreceClements says Play Well’s primary focus has been getting people to buy in to the concept— mentors who have startup expertise specific to dented financial success, McQuown believes what entrepreneurs refer to as gaining traction. their venture’s industry. Since the program’s it has yet to reach its full potential.

“Just because we made money doesn’t “Until traction occurs, it’s just an idea,” inception, several local entrepreneurs have volsays Patrick McQuown, executive director unteered their time and effort to assist ventures mean we have achieved success,” McQuown says. “That’s the first thing we say in programof the center. “That and $2.25 will get you and help teams prepare for the final pitch.

It didn’t take long for entrepreneurs within ming. It’s great you did it, but now you have the Harrisonburg community to take note of the to execute. Now we need to see how these venFor more on the accelerator protures do after they raised the money.” gram, go to j.mu/venture. program’s potential for long-term profitability.

46

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

The students were challenged to transform their ideas into pitch-ready business models that could withstand scrutiny during the program's final presentations in September.

PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

47

Alumni Life for

T

Homecoming 2018 was Unleashed

BY JESSICA SAVOIE (’14), alumni relations assistant director

he week of Oct. 22, hu nd red s of a lu mni descended upon JM U to celebrate Homecoming 2018. The festivities had something for everyone, with several new events added to the Homecoming lineup.

New this year, the JMU Alumni Association, University Recreation and the Dux Leadership Center partnered to create The Challenge, a student event combining The Amazing Race and Minute to Win It-style tasks. A true test of wit and luck, teams of students competed for prizes and bragging rights. Other student events included the Homecoming Kickoff and Fight Song T-shirt day, Late Night Breakfast and Purple Out T-shirt giveaway.

The JMU Alumni Association, Community Service-Learning and the Master of Business Administration program teamed up with the United Way of Harri-

48

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

sonburg and Rockingham County for the inaugural Homecoming Day of Service.

The event was inspired by alumni volunteering at a food pantry in Frisco, Texas, while attending the 2017 FCS National Championship Game. The turnout in Frisco was so great that the JMU Alumni Association knew it needed to provide Dukes the opportunity to serve on their “home turf ” during Homecoming week.

Alumni, faculty, staff and students did not disappoint. Over 200 people participated in the inaugural Homecoming Day of Service event. Volunteers assembled hygiene kits for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Harrisonburg community and created Duke Dog-approved dog toys for the Anicira Veterinary Center.

Based on this year’s success, the Homecoming Day of Service will become part of the annual Homecoming festivities.

After a morning of service, Homecoming continued Friday night with the sec-

(Above, left): Student contestants test their mental and physical agility during round one of The Challenge at University Park. (Right): During the inaugural Day of Service event, Duke Dog shows support for alumni volunteers assembling hygiene kits for local individuals experiencing homelessness.

ond annual QuadFest. Inclement weather forced the event to be relocated to the Festival Conference and Student Center, but even rain couldn’t dampen the JMU pride. Alumni enjoyed live music from ’80s cover band The Ref lex, game day giveaways, children’s activities and Duke Dog’s Watering Hole. Later, participants gathered in the Festival Ballroom to watch the announcement of JMU’s second-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign.

On Saturday, Dukes enjoyed Homecoming Headquarters, the traditional tailgate of Homecoming. The JMU Dukes went on to beat the Stony Brook Seawolves 13-10.

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

Accepting the opportunity: Jordan Roth (’07)

®

BY SARAH CHASE (’17), communications and marketing coordinator, alumni relations

I

n 2017, after several years in management positions for various Fortune 500 companies, Jordan Roth (’07) founded Beta One Solutions LLC. The company is comprised of consultants who assist large organizations in the design, development and implementation of various types of physical security measures. However, since graduation, Roth has had numerous undertakings that led him to the place where he decided to start his own business.

Roth grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, and attended Bishop Ireton High School before deciding to attend James Madison University. “JMU just seemed like the best fit. I remember how at ease I felt whenever visiting and the positive energy on campus was palpable.” He has fond memories of living in Garber Hall during his freshman year, relaxing on the Quad between classes, snow days on campus, camping with friends in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Homecoming football games.

The majority of Roth’s time at JMU was spent in the ROTC program, which afforded him the opportunity to earn a commission in the U.S. Army. “I mainta in ma ny lifelong friendships with amazing people I met through the JMU and ROTC communities, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

When thinking of current students, Roth said he would tell them that “JMU’s culture is unique in that it fosters academic excellence within a highly social landscape. It may seem challenging at times to find a balance that enables you to excel academically while making the most out of all JMU has to offer with social and extracurricular activities. Mastering this work-life balance is a critical skill that will greatly enhance your chances of personal and professional successes long after graduation.”

(Above): Jordan Roth (’07) cuts the ribbon for the grand opening of his company, Beta One Solutions LLC. (Right): Roth (center) with ROTC Dukes in 2003.

This is certainly true for Roth, as he committed seven years of his life after graduation to military service. He performed over 400 aerial combat missions while simultaneously pursuing and obtaining a Master of Arts in diplomacy from Norwich University. He has several industry-related certifications and completed the Kellogg School of Management’s Executive Development Program at Northwestern University. “The challenges I encountered and overcame during combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan gave me a level of confidence and commitment that has proven indispensable during the pursuit of my personal and professional goals.”

Roth believes that “as a member of the JMU community, we all have a responsibility to take action as individuals and change our surroundings in a positive way.” Being the Change for Roth means accepting the opportunity he has been given. “As a JMU graduate, you have been given the tools, the education and the

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S

experience required to make your own mark on society. Being the Change is a call to action.”

Roth says that “the risk of violence, theft and harassment within the workplace has never been greater and the available risk mitigation measures are increasingly difficult to manage.” At Beta One Solutions, it has been his goal to accept the opportunity he has been given with his experiences and talents to make a difference. “We take great pride in assisting all types of organizations in the selection of security solutions, and in doing so, do our part in helping to protect hard-working Americans.”

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

49

Get to know your alumni board of directors

T

he JMU Alumni Association Board of Directors is made up of 22 alumni who represent the interests of over 135,000 JMU graduates. As a governing body, the board provides guidance, leadership and active support for the association and the university.

In the fall, the JMUAA welcomed five new members: Zac Hittie (’06, ’10M) Hittie graduated from the university in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree, double major­ ing in integrated science and technology and computer science. He was a member of the Marching Royal Dukes, a resident adviser, aquatics manager at UREC and a member of the men’s club water polo team.

Hittie continued to give back to the JMU community as president of the Harrisonburg Alumni Chapter with his wife, Laura (’07). “I was asked about being on the board and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I could give back on an even broader scale,” Hittie says. “I’m looking forward to reaching out to people for them to understand what’s going on with the community at JMU.”

50

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

‘I believe that we all need to give back because this is our university and it matters.’

— ROBIN GOODMAN (’83)

Hittie currently works as a systems engineer for a private firm in Harrisonburg.

Ellen Hineman (’89) Hineman completed her undergraduate degree in 1989, earning a Bachelor of Science in elementary education. She was a Student Ambassador.

Si nc e g r a du a t ion, H i ne m a n h a s been involved in the Parents Council, advancement recruitment college fairs, and countless Homecoming reunions and football games with her husband and two JMU alumnae daughters, and ha s pa r t icipated i n CHOICE S a nd hosted numerous JMU send-offs.

“I decided to serve on the board largely because I just want to give back.

I have so much pride in the university,” Hineman says. She is most excited about connecting alumni back to the uni-

(Above, L-R, front row): Stephanie Mendolia (’08), Heather Hedrick (’00), Robin Goodman (’83), Cathleen Dotter (’89), Ellen Hineman (’89), Kaitlin Holbrook (’13) and Chiquita King (’09, ’11M). (L-R, back row): Carrie Combs (’07, ’09M), Zac Hittie (’06, ’10M), Tripp Hughes (’09), Jeremy Brown (’94, ’96M), Dave Urso (’03), Dirron Allen (’00), Kimberly Turner (’00, ’04M), Carrie Hawes (’04), Eric Bowlin (’02), Carol Benassi (’82) and Joe Showker (’79).

versity and making them feel part of something bigger than themselves. “I think when you reconnect to the JMU community and the energy that lives there, you’re compelled to give back and be integrated with it.”

Hineman is a full-time volunteer and lives in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

Carrie Hawes (’04) Hawes graduated from JMU in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in communic ation sciences and disorders.

She earned a master’s in higher education from North Carolina State University. As a transfer student, Hawes made the most of her time at JMU by being a resident adviser for one year and then a hall director during her senior year.

Hawes has stayed connected to her JMU community via the many alumni profession-

A LU M N I A S S O C I AT I O N B OA R D O F D I R EC TO RS PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

A LU M N I

als she has had the opportunity to work with in higher education, her local chapter, giving back f inancially and always being an advocate for everything that’s going on at JMU. “I decided to serve on the board because it’s a great way for me to grow professionally with a great group of people,” Hawes says. She’s most e xcite d a bout c on ne c t i n g with alumni and finding ways they can get involved.

Hawes lives in R ichmond, Virginia, and works in employer relations at the University of Richmond.

Kaitlin Holbrook (’13) Holbrook g r a du a t e d from JMU in 2013 with a Bachelor of A r t s i n media arts and design.

She was a student member of the Duke Club and is a member of Phi Mu fraternity.

Since graduation, Holbrook has stayed connected to JMU through the GOLD Network Board and served as a Madison Ch a mpion a nd pre sident of the Hampton Roads Alumni Chapter.

“I’ve dreamed of serving on the board because I’ve always looked up to everyone who serves on it and how much they’ve had an impact on so many alumni,” Holbrook says.

She hopes to help alumni get involved and give back through opportunities that they may not know about. “If I can shed a light on how giving back financially is helpful, I’d love

FOR

L I F E

to help alumni understand that even small amounts are huge,” she says.

Holbrook lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is a market scheduler for Adams Outdoor Advertising.

Robin Goodman (’83) Goodman c ompleted her undergraduate degree in 1983, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.

During her time as a student, she was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority, a Sigma Phi Epsilon little sister and a member of The Bluestone staff.

Goodman has continued to be a part of the JMU community through the Parents Council, various adva ncement and university strategic planning committees, being a member of the Duke Club with her husband and hosting numerous events for the President’s Council.

“I’m always searching for new ways to get involved and the board seemed to be a good fit for me,” Goodman says. She hopes to encourage and inspire alumni of all ages to be more involved with their alma mater, in any capacity.

“I believe that we all need to give back because this is our university and it matters,” she says.

Goodman lives in R ichmond, Virginia, and is the retired co-owner of Goodman and Pettit LLC, a real estate appraisal firm.

B OW LI N PH OTO G R A PH BY B U D DY H A R LOW

Becoming a Madison Champion

BY ERIC BOWLIN (’02), Alumni Association president

B

roadening my Madison Network has been the most rewarding part of my JMU alumni experience. It always amazes me how a shared experience can bring a group of people together. I’m lucky to work at Deloitte, an organization that recruits heavily at James Madison.

We’ve seen the success that Dukes have when they join us.

They are great team members and are always eager to jump in and contribute.

Over the past several years, our Madison Network has really solidified at Deloitte. We have a fantastic group of alums working together to encourage philanthropy and engagement with JMU through social events, on-campus recruiting and rallying around JMU Giving Day each year.

We even have an internal newsletter just for Dukes at Deloitte that highlights campus news, alums who are joining Deloitte, upcoming networking opportunities and other topics.

It’s also great to see my fellow Dukes rocking their purple gear on football Fridays at the office and then reconnecting on Mondays after another great visit to Harrisonburg.

I encourage you to become a Madison Champion and capture the same energy at your workplace, whether it be corporate, education, health care, nonprofit or otherwise.

As of today, we have 20 Madison Champions representing 15 organizations/businesses including Deloitte, Dominion Energy, Accenture and more.

The Madison Experience doesn’t end at graduation; it lasts a lifetime. You never know when a new connection with a fellow alum might lead to a new friendship or professional opportunity.

To learn more about how to become a Madison Champion, please visit j.mu/champions.

‘The Madison Experience doesn’t end at graduation; it lasts a lifetime.’

Hear what entrepreneur and JMU faculty-member-inresidence Bryan Bostic (’83) has to say about Dukes in the workplace at j.mu/bostic.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

51

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

#FlatDukeDog is flat-out the most adventurous paper dog out there. Whether it’s hanging out with local Dukes or heading out internationally, he always enjoys going along for the ride. 2018 proved to be a very busy year for #FlatDukeDog. Check out some of the places he was spotted.

1 #FlatDukeDog stopped in Burke, Virginia, to celebrate with Tri Sigma sisters (L-R, front row) Mary Ellen Bruce Cravotta (’73), Laura Simpson-Keller (’72), Jane Slater Sum­­ner (’72), Gail Pippin Calabrese (’73), Fran Mirabella Moore (’74) and Laura Maggi Baker (’74). (Back row): Nancy Bouteiller “Boutie” Barnes (’72), Bonnie Worley Havens (’72) and Sandra “Sam” Caldwell Thorne (’73).

1

5 8

2 #FlatDukeDog got to ride the London Eye during a trip to England with Stacie Calder (’91). He was a little afraid of the height, but Calder pointed out Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster to keep him distracted.

3 Sandra Lacks (’72, ’78M) enjoyed great views of the mountains in Bergen, Norway.

4 #FlatDukeDog can’t stop raving about the good time he had in San Antonio, Texas, for a re­union with his favorite people—other Dukes! (L-R): Taylor Adkins (’11), Charles Hamm (’11), Amanda Lipps Adkins (’11), Christopher Meyers (’11), Anna Meyers (’11), Alexandra Yoncha (’11), Anna Boley (’12), James Boley (’13) and Page Shewey (’11).

5 #FlatDukeDog was spotted in Cullenstown, Ireland, with Carol (’92) and Emmanuel Touhey. In the background #FlatDukeDog could see the Saltee Islands, which are a natural reserve for puffins.

52

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

6 6 #FlatDukeDog and Dawn Crowson (’91, ’92M) turned up the heat during a tour of the Tabasco factory in Avery Island, Louisiana.

7 During a trip to Kilmarnock, Virginia, to visit Lyn Hovatter Conley (’84), Lisa Donegan Shoaf (’90M) posed for a picture with the giant waterman’s boots at Kilmarnock Inn.

7 8 Mark Rowan (’95) snapped a picture of #FlatDukeDog hitching a ride in Melanie Neergaard’s (’96) backpack while hiking the Petrified Forest Loop in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, located in Medora, North Dakota.

9 Anna (’08, ’09M) and Chris Edmunds (’06, ’08) celebrated their first wedding anniversary with #FlatDukeDog at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

10 Surrounded by towering moun­­tains, Brent Jackson (’03) and his wife, Monica Melville, en-­ joyed a cruise on Naeroyfjord, a fjord located in Aurland, Norway.

11 JMU alumni and parents posed for a picture at Chateau Maucamps in Macau, France.

(L-R): Joe Paxton (’78, ’83M), Annette Paxton (’79, ’90M), Diane Driver (’88), Cindy O’Con­nor (parent), Gary Hal-

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S

9

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

3

2 4

10 lowell (’86), Kelly Long (’11M) and Debbi Long (’04).

12 Shelby Frank (’07) rocked Coach Houston’s 2017 National Championship ring during a mixer in Virginia Beach.

13 Brian Brown (’02) ran into Rebecca Simmons (’98) and Andy Puckett (’93) during a trip to Talkeetna, Alaska. #FlatDukeDog always wears purple when he travels, in case he runs into fellow Dukes.

11

12 13

14 #FlatDukeDog says “Guten Tag” from Oberammergau, Germany, with Michele Murphy (’90) and her family.

Want to take #FlatDukeDog on your next adventure?

Request one of your very own at alumni.jmu.edu/FlatDukeDog. Share your photos using #FlatDukeDog on Facebook and Twitter or email pictures to the JMU Alumni Association at alumni.jmu.edu.

14 W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

53

A LU M N I

T

M A D ISON

L I F E

JMU’s biggest fan

BY SARAH CHASE (’17), communications and marketing coordinator, alumni relations

yler Hansen (’17) and Ryan Nickel (’17) received an email sent to new freshman students encouraging them to “Apply to be Duke Dog” and both figured, “Why not?” While the application process was fun and they were thrilled to embody JMU’s mascot, neither of them knew the lifelong impact that their friend, Duke Dog, would have on their lives.

“Duke Dog gives me the incredible ability to put on a cape and a mask and essentially be a superhero,” Hansen says. “My super power is that I get to make people smile. I get to bring joy. I can’t do that as Tyler Hansen. But Duke Dog can. And it’s an incredible gift to be able to give.”

“Duke Dog sees JMU at its best,” Nickel says. “It’s a unique experience to see campus through Duke Dog’s eyes because everyone is coming together to cheer about something they all have in common.” To fully embody Duke Dog, Nickel channeled his passion—“passion for JMU and passion for what it has built and passion for what it is doing,” he says.

For Nickel, that passion made it easy to be driven and excited every time he donned Duke Dog’s persona.

(Above): President Duke Dog’s namesake is the uni- Jonathan R. Alger with versity’s second president, Samuel his pal, Duke Dog, at Page Duke. The first men’s basketball the national championship football game in team named themselves after Duke to Frisco, Texas. (Right): commemorate him for providing the Duke Dog Tyler Hansen necessary equipment to get the team poses with JMU cheerstarted. When the Dukes decided leaders before the national championship they needed a mascot, it was Ray Son- kickoff in Frisco. ner, the director of public affairs at the time, who proposed the idea of an English bulldog. The name “Duke” is a reference to British royalty, so it made sense to have their stereotypical pet as a mascot. The first appearance of Duke Dog was a cartoon in 1972, followed shortly thereafter by a purebred English bulldog who belonged to professor Henry Myers. While Duke Dog has not been here since the inception of the university (his first appearance as the Duke Dog we know today was Nov. 28, 1982), one thing is clear: It feels like he has always been in the community.

When asked if there was one thing that everyone should know about Duke Dog, Hansen shared, “I wish people knew Duke Dog

54

FOR

M AG A Z I N E

was all bark and no bite. He’s there for fun. He’s friendly and interested in everyone.” Hansen’s favorite memory with Duke Dog took place during a football game at the College of William & Mary. At this particular game, he decided to sit with a 70-year-old man with mental disabilities for almost the entire game. At the end, the man’s caretaker said that normally the man was terrified of loud noises and uneasy during games, but Duke Dog’s presence made the older man feel at ease so he could enjoy the game. Hansen couldn’t have been more touched. “That’s the effect Duke Dog has on others.”

During his time as Duke Dog, Nickel learned, “No act of kindness or outpouring of joy goes unappreciated. I definitely got tired and overwhelmed, and sometimes the crowd was really difficult, but I reminded myself that Duke Dog represented JMU and that energy was never wasted. I think that’s something I still strive to do.”

Similarly, Hansen feels that Duke Dog shaped his Madison Experience and gave him the opportunity to leave his mark on Madison.

“When I left, I felt like I impacted this campus … but a nony mou sly because not many people knew who I was. I got to impact people with Duke Dog, and that’s something I’ll take with me the rest of my life.”

Classmates might not have known Hansen was Duke Dog while he was a student, but his secret was revealed at graduation. Over the years, it has become tradition for graduating Duke Dogs to reveal their identities by wearing their paws with their graduation robes at commencement. For Hansen, “It was the best thing to wear Duke Dog’s paws and shake (President) Alger’s hand as I received my diploma.”

The larger-than-life persona of Duke Dog wouldn’t be possible without the students who carry on his legacy and message. The students who have the privilege to embody Duke Dog come and go, but one thing is certain: Duke Dog will always be JMU’s biggest fan.

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T Y LE R H A N S E N ( ’ 17 )

A LU M N I

MixedMedia BOOKS, MUSIC

& FILM

Every Time It’s You

BY HAL HOWLAND (’73)

Hal Howland, a JMU music major, released his longawaited pop album Every Time It’s You, which includes 15 timeless original songs written between 1976 and 2013. The songs range in style from ballad to blues, folk-rock, jazz, samba and ska.

Follow Howland at halhowland.com.

The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok

BY E.G. KARDOS (’82) Klatch Books ISBN-10: 0692157255

In his second volume of the Elias Chronicles, E.G. Kardos returns with another tale following the adventures of Elias, now on a mission to save his friend, Zoltan. In doing so, the prophecy calls Elias to return the Ring of the Right Hand to its rightful owner. There, he comes face-to-face with the Conveyor of All Evil, Ordak. But to conquer his enemy, Elias must first save a world of false promises—or perhaps save the world he left behind.

FOR

L I F E

The Trail Rules

BY MELANIE HOOYENGA SWIFTNEY (’97) Left-Hand Mitten Publications ISBN: 198420587 In the second book of her Rules series, awardwinning young adult author Melanie Hooyenga Swiftney tells an exhilarating story of 16-yearold Mike as she learns how to mountain bike without decapitating herself on a tree, as well as figuring out when she’s supposed to follow the trail or make her own when it comes to life and love.

The Athlete-Student: Freshman Year

BY EUGENE D. HOLLOMAN (’09) Holloman House Publishing LLC ISBN-10: 0692979247 As a former two-time all-conference running back at JMU, Holloman writes a moving tale of relatable fiction, following high-school senior Michael “Tootie” Mayberry. In the novel, Tootie balances the stresses of high-level performances on the field and in the classroom, and fights through other challenges that studentathletes face.

Sweet Success

BY LIZ AND JAMES REED (’02) HarperCollins ISBN-10: 0062403605 Nothing makes Scoops happier than starting a sweet, new project. She just isn’t the best at completing them. So, when she realizes that the Cherry twins’ surprise birthday bash is today and that she never finished making them their special present, she waffles about whether to go. Scoops quickly throws something together and heads to the party—only to find that her gift doesn’t quite measure up. Will Scoops play it cool or will she have a complete meltdown?

SHOW YOUR

PRIDE! Show your JMU pride wherever you drive AND support scholarships for Virginia students.

Get your JMU plate at www.dmvNOW.com

LI C E N S E PL AT E A D PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

55

Madison

EVENTS JAN. 26

Madison Network Mission Collaborative Workshop

The JMU Alumni Association presents the

Join fellow Dukes for an exclusive career change bootcamp. This full-day workshop will equip alumni with the process, community, experience and strategy to love what you do and do what you love.

MARCH 4–8

Madison Network Dinner with 12 Dukes

The concept is simple—sit down with 12 strangers, walk away with 12 friends.

Dinners will be held in various locations, in partnership with the JMU Alternative Spring Break program.

MARCH 15

Alumni Awards Banquet

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 For more information and to RSVP, please visit j.mu/aa2019 Please register by March 8, 2019

This special event honors distinguished alumni who have made exemplary contributions.

MARCH 18–22

I Heart JMU week

Use #IHeartJMU and share why you love JMU!

MARCH 21 Giving Day

Mark your calendar and make a gift. Your gift will enhance the Madison Experience and inspire greatness for years to come.

APRIL 25–27

Bluestone Reunions

This special weekend of class reunions culminates with the Bluestone Society Induction for alumni celebrating their 50th reunion.

MAY 11–12

Women for Madison

Come together with fellow women to renew and refresh your Madison Experience.

JUNE 20–21

Legacy Family Days

JMU alumni and their high-school-age children are invited to the event to help families navigate the college admissions process.

Save the Dates: JUNE 20-21, 2019 JMU alumni and their high-school-age children are invited to attend Legacy Family Days, a two-day event designed for alumni families to help navigate the college admissions process.

For more information visit: alumni.jmu.edu/legacy Presented by the JMU Alumni Association and Office of Undergraduate Admissions 56

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

JUNE 21–23

TKE 50th Anniversary Weekend Celebrate 50 years of the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter at JMU.

For more information and to register for all alumni events, please visit

alumni.jmu.edu/events

PH OTO G R A PH S BY CO DY T ROY E R

Class Notes STAFF EMERITI: 58 | ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: 59 | FACULTY EMERITI: 60 | ANNOUNCEMENTS: 62 | CELEBRATIONS: 63

Homecoming was once celebrated with a parade of cars, floats and marching bands that traveled on Main Street from campus to downtown Harrisonburg. In October 1979, a student’s caricature of President Ronald E. Carrier was a highlight of the Homecoming float.

57

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

Class Notes SUBMIT: ALUMNI.JMU.EDU

75

Donna Whitley-Smith retired from her position as superintendent of Page County (Virginia) Public Schools.

77

Larry Nolt retired after 51 years of fulfilling employment, which included 31 years as a certified financial planner.

Larry Nolt (’77)

78

Patricia Baugher retired after 26 years of teaching at Blue Ridge Christian School in Bridgewater, Virginia.

85

David Ellis (’89)

John Lynskey (’89)

Wayne Jackson, CEO of Sonatype Inc., was selected as winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 Mid-Atlantic award. EY’s award honors entrepreneurs who not only create and build marketleading businesses, but also help take the standard of excellence to new heights, transform the

face of the industry, create jobs and contribute to the vibrancy of communities.

87

Jeffery Lewis was promoted to senior associate at Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. Lewis is director of the firm’s information technology enterprise solutions group in the Fairfax office.

88

Scott Kizner is the new superintendent of Stafford County (Virginia) Public Schools.

89

David Ellis was selected as the first AfricanAmerican to serve as the county manager of Wake County, North Carolina. In this role, Ellis will administer a $1 billion budget and oversee the day-to-day operations of the county government.

John Lynskey is the 2018-19 national president of the Association of Government Accountants, an association supporting 15,000 professionals working in federal, state and local governments as well as the private, nonprofit and academic sectors.

n

90

Marcus Jones is city manager for Charlotte, North Carolina. n Lisa Matthews rejoined the Associated Press as assignment manager for video in Washington, D.C., after three years as vice president of media relations at the public relations firm Hager Sharp. Matthews was named to the National Press Club Board of Governors and co-chair of the NPC Headliners Team.

92

Maurice Jones is Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s town manager. He manages a

Membership participation grows in Staff Emeriti Association The Staff Emeriti Association set a 2018 goal of increasing member participation at its events, and the organization’s monthly luncheon series has proven to be a great success. The luncheon series offers educational opportunities as well as a chance for members to get to know one another and network with former colleagues.

June’s luncheon featured a discussion by Claudia Bernardi, supervisor of the JMU Center for Global Engagement’s Walls of Hope mural project. The July gathering allowed for fun and games at Ruby’s Arcade. The August and September lunches featured ethnic cuisine at Vito’s Italian Kitchen and Beyond (Asian cuisine). To complete the luncheon series, October featured great conversations at the Thomas House Restaurant in Dayton and November’s date included lunch and a tour of the new Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center.

Being active and engaged in the JMU community was another goal this year. SEA members achieved this by volunteering at events such as CHOICES and the annual

Employee Appreciation Day. The fall semester brings the excitement of many JMU athletic events. SEA members had their own cheering section at the Nov. 10 football game as part of JMU’s Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. To close out the year, it has become a December tradition for the Faculty Emer-

iti Association and the Staff Emeriti Association to celebrate the season together at a Holiday Gala in the JMU Festival Conference and Student Center. What a great way to end an exciting, successful year!

For more information about the SEA and upcoming events, visit jmu.edu/staffemeriti or email staffemeriti@jmu.edu.

Staff Emeriti Association members admire the Walls of Hope. (Inset): The SEA meets in the Center for Global Engagement.

58

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH O N PAG E 57 BY J M U PH OTO G R A PH Y S ERV I C E S; S E A CO U RT E SY O F S TA FF EM ER I T I A S S O C I AT I O N

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

ing and consulting firms. He is rejoining BNN, where he previously was a manager in the firm’s audit practice from 1995 to 2000, after working in the financial services industry for 18 years.

700-employee staff and an annual budget of about $110 million.

93

Charles Corprew, founder and CEO of Darren Hurlburt What’s Your Revolu(’93) tion Consulting, has been selected as a Black Enterprise magazine Torrance Modern Man for 2018.

Gloss joined He was one of 100 the Institute for African-American men Defense Analyses as from across the United a technical editor in States to be nominated the information and and selected. n Wendy technology systems Brett Fischer division.

Gonzalez was unani(’00) mously appointed as the superintendent of Page County Brett Fischer is vice (Virginia) Public Schools. n president of lodging and future development for Mt. Hood Darren Hurlburt has been hired Skibowl LLC’s Group of Compaas the first chief financial offinies in Government Camp, Orecer of Baker Newman Noyes, one gon. n Molly McElwee (’02M) of the nation’s top 100 account-

97

00

(Above): John Lynskey (’89), president of the Association of Government Accountants, addresses the audience at the AGA 2018 national conference.

Visit alumni.jmu.edu to sign up and start sharing your news.

Timing was key to success

W

BY STEPHEN BRIGGS

hen the idea for the wildly successful Watch Ya Mouth party game came like a flash to Peter Denbigh (’02, ’11M) in 2016, he did what most people don’t—he acted on it. Immediately.

At the time, Denbigh had been doing a lot of research and reading on the speed of execution, and “how an idea is worthless if you don’t act on it,” he explains. “Two weeks later, we had a working prototype.”

Next came a successful Kickstarter campaign and a quick trip to the top spot on Amazon Launchpad, the online retailer’s program to help startups gain exposure. “I can’t say enough good things about Amazon Launchpad. We were the fastest-growing and highestselling product ever on Launchpad at that time.”

Then Amazon called and said they would have to turn off the “buy” button, as Denbigh and his team likely wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demand. “Please don’t do that,” he told them, “We will make it happen. Give us two days and we’ll have a plan for you.”

Amazon gave them a week. What followed was seven days of phone calls with far-flung manufacturers and distributors at all hours of the day and night, with catnaps in between. Troubleshooting logistics and providing artwork. Filling five tractortrailers full of assembled games out of his home. And they pulled it off.

Fortunately, Denbigh had three things he could count on: two JMU degrees—an undergraduate Integrated Science and Tech­ nology degree with a concentration in engineering-manufacturing and an Innovation MBA that included a study-abroad trip to China— and his wife, partner and CFO, Alison Varner Denbigh (’07), a double major in economics and finance. “We’re both proud to be Dukes,” Denbigh says.

Their 8-year-old son even got in on the family business, “packing boxes and games in our basement. We really immersed him in this chaos that we call life. He helped with stuff in this building.”

The building Denbigh refers to is his newest venture, the Staun­ ton Innovation Hub, a place for local entrepreneurs to have access to office space and resources without the long-term commitments and high costs normally associated with starting a business. The first phase is complete and already at 100 percent capacity, and the second phase is filling up even before it opens its doors.

“I don’t want people to have to deal with quite as much as I’ve put up with,” he says. “Innovation is the most important thing that society or anyone in it contributes, to innovate and think differently and solve the problems of this world.

“When it comes down to it, I just want to make it easier for other people to come up with things, execute ideas and live this dream.”

A LU M N I S P OT L I G H T P H OTO G R A P H S BY E L I S E T R I S S E L A N D CO U R T E S Y O F P E T E R D E N B I G H ( ‘ 0 2 , ‘ 1 1 M )

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

59

Class Notes SUBMIT: ALUMNI.JMU.EDU Education Teacher of the Year.

joined Tandem Diabetes Care in the clinical affairs department working on clinical trials and automated insulin delivery products.

06

Sharon TewksburyBloom launched her own business, Do Molly McElwee Good, Be Good, and (’00, ’02M) recently presented in Yaser Al-Keliddar won a tour- Dallas, Texas, at the National Speaker Association’s annual nament at the World Series of conference, Influence.

Poker in Las Vegas. Al-Keliddar’s winnings included over $154,000 and a gold bracelet.

Arthur Moats signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals. He was later Amy Wheeler placed on Injured Reserve before (’05M), Harrisonbeing released by the Cardinals. burg City Public Schools’ health and physical education coordinator, was recognized as Julia Kunlo was prothe 2017 High School Physical moted to vice president

02

12

04

13

Kellie Fedkenheuer (’10) (far right) was recognized as a “Top 5 Under 35” by the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants in May. Fedkenheuer majored in accounting and is now a senior manager at Cotton & Co. LLP in Alexandria, Virginia.

of Evolution Safety Resources in Raleigh, North Carolina. n Addie Walton took a trip

to Ireland with her family for a 10-day tour and soon discovered CONTINUED ON PAGE 62

Faculty Emeriti Association awards grant to graphic design professor Trudy L. Cole, professor of graphic design and associate director of the School of Art, Design and Art History, is the recipient of the 2018 Faculty Emeriti Legacy Grant. Each year the JMU Faculty Emeriti Association presents a $2,000 unrestricted grant to a faculty member who has made significant professional contributions over time. The award rotates among JMU’s colleges, with the selections made by the deans.

Samuel G. Cross, professor emeritus of music, passed away in Florida on July 4. Sam, as he preferred to be called, began teaching at the JMU School of Music in 1969. He retired in 2013 and is one of JMU’s longest tenured professors.

Kenneth John Beer, professor emeritus of art and art history, passed away July 12 in Harrisonburg. During his career, he received many major awards and had multiple one-man shows, including a 1973 show at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Local works include the steel entrance gates to the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum and a bronze bust of James Madison at JMU. Caroline Terrell Marshall, professor emerita of history, passed away on Sept.

17. She taught the history of medieval Europe and the Mideast for 36 years until her retirement in 2003. She received JMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1974, and in 1987 she was honored as a Madison Scholar. She served on many university committees and

60

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

gave dedicated service to JMU. She believed passionately in intellectual, academic and political freedom and was active in faculty deliberations on reform.

Dawn Smith Fisher, professor emerita of mathematics, passed away on Sept. 25 in Ridgefield, Connecticut. In 1967, she and her husband, the late Gordon M. Fisher, professor emeritus of mathematics and computer science, moved to Harrisonburg to teach at Madison College. She specialized in applied mathematics and published many articles

(L–R): Shelia Moorman, president of the JMU Faculty Emeriti Association, and Trudy L. Cole, professor of graphic design and associate director of the School of Art, Design and Art History. in professional journals. She retired shortly before her 70th birthday.

For more information about the faculty emeriti organization, contact Sherry King, director of parent and faculty emeriti relations, at kingsf@jmu.edu or by phone at 540–568–8064.

FEA PH OTOG R APH BY M I KE M I R I ELLO (’09 M); VSCPA COU RTESY O F KELLI E FED KEN H EU ER (’ 1 0)

Follow JMU on Instagram

jamesmadisonuniversity

PH OTOG R APHS COU RTESY O F I NSTAG R AM .CO M/JAM ESMAD I SO N U N IVERSIT Y

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

61

Class Notes SUBMIT: ALUMNI.JMU.EDU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60

ager of Grottoes, Virginia.

that another member of the group was Lexington a 1965 graduate of Bowler is Madison College. director of the Harri“Funny how small sonburg Harmonizers, the world is when you Julia Kunlo (’13) a nonprofit men’s a fly 3,300 miles from cappella group in Harhome,” Walton says. The group risonburg. n Patricia Caldwell decided to do a JMU spirit photo joined Sentara RMH Medical in front of a purple storefront in Center as a physician assistant.

County Limerick, Ireland.

17

16

(L–R): Christopher Walton (’11, ’13M), Carol Walton (JMU parent), Ann Wright Lauterbach (’65), Linda Walton (’13) and Addie Walton (’13) in County Limerick, Ireland.

Katharine Christovich (’17M), a fifth-grade teacher at Sterling Elementary School, was named Loudoun County (Virginia) Public Schools’ 2018 New Elementary Teacher of the Year. n Jailyn Ford pitched in the National Pro Fastpitch league for the third consecutive summer in Cocoa Beach, Florida, now representing the USSSA Pride. n Nathan Garrison is town man-

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FutureDukes

2000s Renee (’11) and Matthew McCrory (’11), a son, Aiden Wright, 10/17/17 n Melissa (’06) and Daniel Pechulis, a son, William James, 7/10/18 n Kate Wheelbarger (’10) and Ryan, a son, Logan Kennedy, 3/7/18

Alumni Association presents awards to chapter leaders The JMU Alumni Association hosts the annual Madison Alumni Conference Awards Banquet to recognize outstanding alumni chapter leaders in the JMU community. It is because of JMU’s dedicated and exceptional volunteers that the JMU Alumni Association is able to have a presence in over 36 regional alumni chapters, located worldwide.

Timothy Emry (’99) received the Madison Alumni Conference Volunteer of the Year award.

Over the past five years, Emry has helped create diverse and fun experiences for alumni in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, including events such as JMU food nights, community talks and countless watch parties.

Joe Kuykendall (’16) received the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Year award at Timothy Emry this year’s Madison Alumni (’99) Conference on behalf of the Boston, Massachusetts, Alumni Chapter. The Boston Alumni Chapter has grown exponentially with increased numbers of involvement, consistent programming and events, as well as an improved communication strategy that includes Joe Kuykendall (’16) a popular infographic annual calendar.

62

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

Richmond Dukes (L-R): Chris Edmunds (’06, ’08M), Anna Edmunds (’08, ’09M), Amy Barnett (’06, ‘08M), Chris Ellis (’13), Ashley Fary (’10) and Adam Gresko (’99).

The Richmond Dukes accepted the Shenandoah Chapter of the Year award. The RVA Dukes consistently hold events, are intentional with their engagement efforts and have been successful in continuing to support and bolster their scholarship fund. Many alumni might know the RVA Dukes from Crabfest, their annual chapter scholarship fundraiser. This year, more than 500 people registered for Crabfest!

AWA R DS PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S

Celebrations & weddings (Above): Anna Bosshard (’13) and Neil Moynahan (’13) were married on Nov. 25, 2017. The couple met freshman year and were close friends all four years. Both majored in marketing, and were delighted to have many JMU friends attend their wedding.

(Above): Meredith Rose (’13, ’14M) and Cody Car­ter were married July 21. The couple and their fami­lies and friends, including Road Dawg, cele­brated at a reception at the Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center after the ceremony.

(Left): Kellie Mathis (’10) and Kevin Fedkenheuer (’10) were married on May 6, 2017, on Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina. The bride received her accounting degree from JMU and is a senior manager at Cotton & Co. LLP, a CPA firm in Alexandria, Virginia. (Above, right): Hannah Doerwaldt (’10) and Carter Alleman were married on April 29, 2017, in Elkton, Virginia. Doer­waldt is a senior project manager with the Household and Commercial Products Association. Alleman is the associate director of health policy for the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. The couple resides in Lorton, Virginia.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 9

63

P I C T U R E

T H I S

Me and my #MadisonMag Share a photo of you with Madison magazine.

Use #MadisonMag to get featured!

64

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH S BY C A R R I E C H A N G

• FREE membership • Over 35 alumni chapters located worldwide • Networking resources • Reunion and Homecoming programming

$OXPQL E\ &RXQW\

• Exclusive alumni-only communications

135,857

!

0LOHV

0LOHV

WKURXJK 0D\

PDS E\ P\PDSV FRP

To learn more about the JMU Alumni Association, visit alumni.jmu.edu or call 540-568-6234.

Total living alumni JMU Alumni Association

@JMUAlumni

JMU Alumni Association

themadisonnetwork.com

I’m saving you a seat...

...at the next Women for Madison Summit!

Celebrating Women.

Supporting Students.

Sustaining JMU.

!

Mark your calendar for May 10-11, 2019 And start practicing your cheer:

Dolley

Dolley

j.mu/DolleyDolley

Division of University Advancement Madison, MSC 3603, 220 University Blvd.

Harrisonburg, VA 22807-0002

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

INSPIRING THE ATHLETE A two-time all-conference running back at JMU, Eugene Holloman (’09) suffered a knee injury going into his senior year that ended his playing career.

Discouraged but not defeated, he shifted his priorities to his education. Holloman received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology, then went on to earn a Master of Business Administration in 2012. It was in graduate school when Holloman discovered his passion for writing. His first novel, The Athlete-Student: Freshman Year (2018), is based on his experience as a scholarship athlete having to fight through challenges both on the field and in the classroom.

A second novel is in the works.

Holloman volunteers in his community, and his publishing company provides scholarships to middle- and high-school student-athletes.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ELISE TRISSEL

See more of Holloman’s story at jmu.edu/beingthechange