Madison Magazine: Winter 2021

EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS 20 A GEM OF A COLLECTION 32 DORM FAIRIES 50 M A D I S O N

THE MAGAZINE OF JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

WI NTER 2021

From programming to professional development to the COVID-19 pandemic, the JMU School of Nursing has been meeting the needs of a changing field for 40 years.

RISING

By Amanda Christian (’20)

TO THE

OCCASION Page 24

W I N T E R 2 0 2 1

F U L L

M A D ISON

F R A M E

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH BY C AT H Y K U S H N E R ( ’ 87 )

Atlantic Union Bank Center opens The new home of the men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as a multitude of future JMU and community events, opened in November 2020. While COVID-19 restrictions are limiting the center’s operations, the sparkling space stands ready for up to 8,500 exuberant fans.

W I N T E R

2 0 2 1

F E E D B AC K WINTER 2021 Vol.44, No. 1

Letters to the editor

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Khalil Garriott (’04)

Reimagining democracy

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

I appreciate your attention to “Reimagining Democracy” in the Fall 2020 issue at this pivotal time for our country and democracy. Twelve years ago, I co-produced a film entitled Finding Our Voices: Stories of American Dissent, narrated by activist and actor Martin Sheen. In troubled times, it is finding a new audience, and I uploaded it to YouTube for free streaming. We hope it will inspire others to find their voice, to underscore the importance of dissent and debate, and to encourage us all to defend our democracy. I proudly graduated from JMU in 1983 and I am equally proud to read about our Center for Civic Engagement’s work. Thank you for publicizing its efforts. To watch the film produced by my company, Dream Catcher Films Entertainment, visit: https://youtu.be/zCAV970LjhY

MANAG I NG E DITOR

— Holly Stadtler (’83) President and executive producer, Dream Catcher Films Entertainment

Excellent magazine design As I thumbed through the pages of the Fall 2020 issue of Madison, I kept saying, “Wow, I love that layout.”

Then, I’d turn the page and say, “This one is even better,” and then the next, and the next. Overall, I’d say the best pages were a tie between the frayed United States flag in Reimagining Democracy (Page 28) and the seamstress in ‘I Am Because We Are’ (Page 47). The cover image is excellent, too.

Kudos to Rachel Rizzetto (’20).

I’ve been in magazine publishing for 20 years, and I have to say (if I still was), I’d hire your page designers in a second. Keep up the good work.

Pam Brock

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

Bill Thompson EDITOR

License plate program As a former JMU director of alumni relations, it warmed my heart to see that the JMU license plate program has exceeded the $1 million mark, as noted in the last Madison magazine. Thanks to all of those alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends who have purchased JMU plates since its inception.

I was the alumni director when Ron Carrier, Mark Warner and I started talking about this possibility back in the late 1980s. The three of us ran with the idea to make it happen and I was fortunate to have had the first JMU plate issued (there’s a photo of Dr. Carrier in an old Montpelier magazine showing the first tag). It’s not only exciting to see us reach this milestone but very rewarding to know that the funds continue to support students and their scholarship, as we originally planned.

For those of you who haven’t purchased a JMU plate, this is an easy way to help our students and promote JMU wherever you drive.

Go Dukes!

— Steve Smith (’71)

Duke Dog celebrates $1 million for student scholarships.

Janet Smith (’81) ART DIRECTOR

Carolyn Windmiller (’81) A D M I N I S T R AT I V E A S S I S TA N T

Haley Garnett

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

Carly Chisholm

E D I T O R I A L A S S I S TA N T S

Amanda Christian (’20) Jessica Nickels

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 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: Amy SirockyMeck, Title IX Coordinator, 540-568-5219, www.jmu.edu/oeo, oeo@jmu.edu.

(REVISED JANUARY 2020)

— Paul Bergeron (’87) 2

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

C A R R I E R PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E PA R I S (’9 0)/M O NTPELI ER, S PR I N G 1 9 89; D U K E D O G BY J U ST I N ROT H

C O N T E N T S

RISING F E AT U R E D

TO THE OCCASION

BY AMANDA CHRISTIAN (’20)

Page 24

“The first nursing class of 21 students was admitted in 1980 with four nursing faculty supporting the new program.”

— JUDITH HOLT, JMU Nursing professor emerita

32 Mega mineral gift

The Peter L. Via Collection is revealed at the JMU Mineral Museum

BY PAM BROCK

38 Delivering hope

The JMU Supply Chain Club helps distribute medical supplies to African hospitals

BY STEPHEN BRIGGS

40 The value is in the process

Fulbright applicants pay it forward with five lessons learned from the experience

BY MEREDITH M. MALBURNE-WADE

42 ‘Why don’t we put Marilou there?’

Marilou Moore Johnson’s (‘80) 32-year career at JMU spanned multiple roles

BY JANET SMITH (’81)

46 Making the most of online classes

Students offer tips for transitioning to virtual learning

BY EMILY BLAKE

Judith Holt (center) supervises student nurses Terry Mooney (left) and Sharon Liskey as they enter information on a patient’s chart.

H O LT PH OTO G R A PH CO U RT E SY O F T H E S C H O O L O F N U RS I N G

W I N T E R

2 0 2 1

3

C O N T E N T S

Page 48

Granting the gift of life Alumnus learned selflessness at JMU

BY RYAN BOALS (’17)

1

Full Frame

BY CATHY KUSHNER (’87)

The Atlantic Union Bank Center opens for basketball

2

Letters to the Editor

6

Contributors, Staff Soundbites

Readers tell us what they liked about the Fall 2020 issue

Get to know the people behind the stories

7

Directions

8

News & Notes

JMU President Jonathan R. Alger reflects on the pandemic and the value of full engagement

Course covers COVID-19; team advises JMU on health research; CAL Opportunity Fund; Madison Vision Series speakers; book club fosters inclusion; WSJ ranks JMU highly; JMU welcomes Brent Lewis

14 Unleashed

CoB Learning Complex adds Hartman Hall; remembering Shirley Hanson Roberts (‘56)

17 By the Numbers

Success in student-athlete leadership development

18 JMU Nation

JMU’s first volleyball player to sign a pro contract; new Athletics Hall of Fame class; football schedule

48 Alumni for Life

A fairy godmother; new alumni chapters; Homecoming recap; Mixed Media

56 Class Notes

Staff Emeriti Association update; scholarship thank-you letters; Celebrations

64 Brag Sheet

CO R R E C T I O N COR N E R

n The story about the cover photo in the Fall 2020 edition should have iden-

tified Cayla Parson (’20) as the speaker at a march during Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week at JMU in 2018. The event was hosted by the Center for Multicultural Student Services. Additionally, the same edition’s “About the Cover” writeup (Page 3) should have mentioned the photo’s origin. Madison regrets not providing this context for our readers.

4

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

”Talking points,” a way to brag about JMU

In the “Sharing the wisdom” profile on the back cover of the Fall 2020 edition, money resulting from a social media campaign by Mia Brabham (’16) was incorrectly attributed as being donated to Campaign Zero, which offers free safety checklists that patients and families can use to get safe care during a hospital stay. It was the wrong Campaign Zero. The money was donated to Campaign Zero, a platform of research-based solutions to end police brutality in America. Madison regrets the error. n

PH OTO G R A PH CO U RT E SY O F G R A N T B I G M A N ( ’ 12)

Online campaign event celebrates 2020 heroes JMU set to surpass Unleashed campaign goal well ahead of schedule

A

s the university quickly closes in on achieving its $200 million goal for Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University—well ahead of the June 2022 target—it held an online campaign event Dec. 16, 2020, to build positive momentum.

With in-person regional events not being possible because of the COVID19 pandemic, JMU moved to an online format to engage its constituents.

The theme was “Celebrating Our 2020 Heroes,” and the event featured a virtual tour of the College of Business’ new Hartman Hall. Co-hosted by Hannah Robinson (’18) and Russ Reeder (’94), the event served as a way to raise the spirits of the JMU faithful—and some funds for JMU students.

“What a year, and what a semester it’s been at JMU,” Robinson said. “There’s so much to be proud of at JMU.” Several remarkable people connected to JMU have kept others going strong in 2020 despite its myriad challenges and uncertainties. Those heroes were highlighted and celebrated during the Unleashed event. JMU President Jonathan R. Alger led a virtual toast in honor of some JMU heroes: the JMU Duke Battalion’s 10-miler team; Lance and Cindy Kearns; the JMU faculty and the Instructional Technology team from JMU Libraries; the University Health Center staff; the JMU housekeeping and dining staffs; the JMU student body; and all Unleashed donors.

“JMU is a resilient community with a can-do attitude,” Alger said. “Even when we can’t be together physically, we’ve realized the need to recognize and maintain our interconnectedness— and to find ways to lift one another up.”

Scholarship recipients spoke about the direct impact that donors make on

By Khalil Garriott (’04)

their lives. During a time when student scholarships are sorely needed, hearing students’ first-person accounts struck a chord with the Zoom attendees.

December 2020 graduate Isabella Bukovich said, “I’m an entirely selffunded student, so without my scholarships, I wouldn’t have been able to attend JMU in the first place. Without these scholarships, I wouldn’t have been able to obtain any of these experiences.”

Sophomore Amy Cortés, a member of the inaugural Valley Scholars class, said, “I want to be an occupational therapist … and I also have a medical

“JMU is a resilient community with a can-do attitude. Even when we can’t be together physically, we’ve realized the need to recognize and maintain our interconnectedness—and to find ways to lift one another up.”

— JONATHAN R. ALGER, JMU president

The December event was co-hosted by Hannah Robinson (’18) and Russ Reeder (’94) and served as a way to raise the spirits of the JMU faithful—and some funds for JMU students.

Spanish minor.” Cortés was a student in the leadership seminar that Alger co-taught in the Honors College during the Fall 2020 semester.

“I am so proud of her,” Alger said.

More than 150 Dukes—many of whom made gifts to JMU when they registered and during the event—reconnected, recharged and reengaged with each other. In true JMU fashion, it was a fun, social and energizing event for all participants, who had the chance to win door prizes and to vote for the theme of the next online campaign event. At the core of the evening was celebrating why people love JMU and why they invest to unleash JMU’s promise.

With Unleashed set to meet its $200 million goal early, Alger said that scholarship funding—particularly for recruiting students with financial need—will be the campaign’s focus through its conclusion in June 2022.

“For the donors to the Unleashed campaign, you (the three scholarship students featured at the event) show us what a great investment we have made in JMU,” Reeder said.

5

C O N T R I BU T O R S

Staff Soundbites Describe a time when you have paid it forward by changing someone else’s circumstances for the better.

“Since arriving at JMU, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with JMGrew, the campus gardening club. We are able to pay it forward by donating many of our crops and produce to the local Harrisonburg community.”

JESSICA NICKELS editorial assistant

“My church coordinates a Saturday lunch ministry for less-fortunate members of our community. I’ve been part of a serving team for 25 years.”

JANET SMITH (‘81) editor

“I participated in a Habitat for Humanity project to build a home for a deserving family. I’m not the handiest guy in the world, but the satisfaction of working toward a common goal and giving a single mom and her two children a place to live and make memories is something I’ll never forget.”

JIM HEFFERNAN (‘96, ’17M) managing editor

6

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

WINTER 2021

Emily Blake is communications and marketing coordinator (i.e. resident storyteller) for JMU Libraries. She has worked in communications and marketing roles since 2008, and at JMU since 2012. She enjoys connecting people with each other and the things they care about—at work, at home, online and in her town of Keezletown, Virginia. Blake wrote the story about how JMU students can make the most of online classes, which is found on Page 46.

Ryan Boals (‘17) holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in media arts and design, with concentrations in advertising and corporate communication. In his role as JMU’s alumni relations coordinator, he plans and executes various events and programs, provides marketing and operations support, and handles metrics and relationship management for the Office of Alumni Relations and JMU Alumni Association. Boals’ story about Grant Bigman (‘12) appears on Page 48.

Vol.44, No. 1 BOA R D O F V I S ITO RS 2020 –2 1

Lara P. Major (’92), Rector Deborah T. Johnson (’78), Vice Rector Vanessa M. Evans-Grevious (’93, ’97M) Christopher Falcon (’03) Frank T. Gadams (’93) Jeffrey E. Grass (’92) Matthew A. Gray-Keeling (’05) Maribeth D. Herod (’82) Lucy Hutchinson (’06) Maria D. Jankowski John C. Lynch (’91) Maggie A. Ragon (’82) John C. Rothenberger (’88) Kathy J. Warden (’92)

Craig B. Welburn (’96) Norman R. Jones III, Student Member Donna L. Harper (’77, ’81M, ’86Ed.S.), Secretary PRESIDENT

Jonathan R. Alger PRESIDENT’S CABINET

Andy Perrine (’86)

Vice Provost, Faculty and Curriculum (interim)

Caitlyn Read (’10, ’18M) Government Relations

Cynthia Bauerle Jeff Bourne

Director of Athletics

Carly Chisholm, a design assistant in University Communications and Marketing, is a senior graphic design major with a British communication and media minor. She is actively involved with service and athletic organizations at JMU. Her passions include publication design, packaging design and brand identity, which she hopes to pursue as an in-house designer after graduation. She designed this issue’s By the Numbers layout on Page 17.

Eric Gorton (’86, ’09M) has worked in media relations at JMU since 2005, primarily connecting news reporters to faculty experts in the STEM and health areas of the university. He has worked with reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, several national magazines, and TV and radio stations to arrange interviews with JMU faculty members. Gorton wrote the story about the COVID-19 in Perspective course, found on Page 8.

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 Dean II (’93, ’99M) Executive Director, Campus and Community Programs for Access and Inclusion

Donna Harper (’77, ’81M,

’86Ed.S.) Vice President, Access and Enrollment Management

Charles King Jr.

Senior Vice President, Administration and Finance

Jack Knight

Mary-Hope Vass

Director, Communications and University Spokesperson VICE PROVOSTS

Cynthia Bauerle

Faculty and Curriculum (interim)

Linda Cabe Halpern University Programs

Rudy Molina Jr.

Student Academic Success and Enrollment Management

Anthony Tongen

Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors DEANS

Robert Aguirre Arts and Letters

John Burgess

The Graduate School (interim)

Michael Busing Business

Senior Assistant Attorney General and University Counsel

Rubén Graciani

Nick Langridge (’00, ’07M,

Robert Kolvoord

’14Ph.D.) Vice President, University Advancement

Brent Lewis

Associate Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Melissa Lubin

Dean, Professional & Continuing Education

Marsha Mays-Bernard

Meredith Malburne-Wade joined JMU in 2019 as director of student fellowships advising. She works with JMU students and alumni applying for competitive external scholarships, such as the Rhodes, Fulbright and Gilman scholarships. Malburne-Wade’s story on the Top 5 lessons from applying for a Fulbright appears on Page 40.

Associate Vice President, Communications and Marketing

Associate Vice President, Wellness, Orientation and Multicultural Engagement

Visual and Performing Arts (interim) Integrated Science and Engineering

Mark L’Esperance Education

Sharon Lovell (’85)

Health and Behavioral Studies

Melissa Lubin

Professional & Continuing Education

Bradley Newcomer Honors

Bethany Nowviskie Libraries

Tim Miller (’96, ’00M)

Samantha Prins

Vice President, Student Affairs

Science and Mathematics (interim)

Rudy Molina Jr.

A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N OFFICER

Vice Provost, Student Academic Success and Enrollment Management

Dave Urso (’03, ‘05M)

Towana Moore

President

David Owusu-Ansah

Jim (’89) and Cathy (’89) Dotter (’21P)

Associate Vice President, Business Services Associate Provost, Diversity

PA R E N T S C O U N C I L CHAIRS

G O RTO N (’86, ’09 M ) PH OTO G R A PH BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

D I R E C T I O NS

I

JMU rises to the challenge

write this during mid-January, a time when we typically reflect ning example of excellence that can also be found in programs across on the past year and resolve to do better in the next. As I write, the the JMU curriculum. You will read about passionate and innovative national news cycle continues at a dizzying pace, so there likely faculty past and present who consider their work a calling. You will is much that has occurred in the world between my writing this read about accomplished alumni who are confident they are up to the letter and its publication, since the publishing cycle of Madison challenges of providing care during the most challenging of times. magazine takes some time.

You will read about a total dedication to One thing I am certain will be imbuing students with a strong sense of unchanged by the time you read this is service and community-mindedness. You the powerful commitment to keeping will read about the program responding the joy of learning alive among the memto the needs of the Commonwealth of bers of the James Madison University Virginia and beyond by expanding to family even during a pandemic. It is said meet shortages of nurses and becoming that you can learn a lot about a person by highly technical to maintain pace with how they react to tough challenges. In evolving care. more times than I can count during the The JMU School of Nursing is rightpandemic, I’ve witnessed students, facfully celebrated in this issue of Madison, ulty, staff, alumni, families and friends but academic and co-curricular programs of JMU rising to meet these challenges across the university can be described not only with great creativity, but also similarly. So, as you explore JMU and with a spirited resolve that inspires in me other universities to make your college great admiration and respect. We’re not decision, read about the JMU nursing yet done with this public health scourge, program even if you’re planning to major but I am confident that the JMU famin finance or biology, history or music, ily will get through these dire times engineering or accounting. The same together and stronger. fully engaged approach can be found in Few more powerful examples of a those and other majors, too. That’s JMU. group rising to the challenge during The JMU School of Nursing’s magazine, Nursing, Since I became JMU’s president in the pandemic can be cited than those chronicled 40 years of educational excellence.

2012, I’ve consistently highlighted working in health care, especially nurses. This issue’s cover story, the highly engaged character of the people who are drawn to the appropriately named “Rising to the Occasion,” celebrates the 40th Madison Experience. In fact, becoming the national model of the anniversary of JMU’s highly regarded nursing program. As the engaged university is the vision we adopted in 2014. If coping with COV ID-19 pandemic continues the COVID-19 pandemic has proven anything, it is just how criti“We’re not yet to rage and presses our health care cally life-affirming true engagement really is, especially in the condone with this system and its people to their lim- text of education. its, knowing that throngs of nurses As published in “The World in 2021,” a guide filled with prepublic health across the nation carry with them the dictions for the coming year published annually by The Economist scourge, but I confidence, compassion and strong magazine, policy correspondent Idress Kahloon writes: “In-person am confident sense of service developed at JMU learning is superior to virtual instruction, which, more than mere that the JMU ought to make everyone connected nostalgia, explains its persistence.” Now that a vastly wider swath proud. of students has experienced virtual learning, this conclusion rings family will get to IfJMU you are a prospective student or true for many. So, once this public health emergency passes and inthrough these family member considering becom- person learning returns as the norm, JMU will be THE place to be. ing part of the JMU Class of 2025, Please stay safe and well. Here’s to a happier and healthier dire times please read “Rising to the Occasion” new year. together and from start to finish. Not only will stronger.” you be impressed that this feature was authored by a student at the time—Amanda Christian (’20)—just Jonathan R. Alger before she graduated last December, but the depiction of the JMU president, James Madison University School of Nursing’s evolution and its current focus provide a stunCOV E R CO U RT E SY O F T H E S C H O O L O F N U RS I N G

W I N T E R

2 02 1

7

News&Notes WINTER 2021

Course covers COVID-19 and much more

A

s the central Shenandoah Valley, and much of the world, As became one of the norms during the panremained in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic in demic, the lessons were provided online by five Summer 2020, a group of students enrolled in a professors, who also held online discussions each special James Madison University week and were available to the course learned about the disease students through email and video Audrey “It is very Burnett from experts in chemistry, encouraging office hours. health, history, philosophy, and writing, rhetoric and of us teaches a designated weeklong module to know that that“Each technical communication. focuses on material within our respective disthere is great ciplines,” said Audrey Burnett, a professor of health Named COVID-19 in Perspective, the six-week, three-credit course taught 26 students how to interest in the sciences who was part of the teaching team and led acquire content and skills for a complex understandon public health management. “We had a course overall.” alotmodule ing of one of the largest global challenges in the past of discussion with each other about what we were — AUDREY BURNETT, century. More specifically, the students learned how thinking about and how we might teach it.” health sciences professor pandemics reshape societies, how to think about the Teaching the course with Burnett and history proethical trade-offs involved in mandating mask-wearing and ration- fessor Rebecca Brannon were Pia Antolic-Piper of philosophy, Chrising health care, how to read and understand publicly available sci- topher Berndsen of biochemistry and Michael J. Klein of writing, entific research studies of COVID-19, how to understand diverse rhetoric and technical communication. public health approaches for dealing with the disease, and how to The class was offered again in Fall 2020. write and think about COVID-19.

— Eric Gorton (’86, ’09M)

8

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

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

N E W S

&

N O T E S

Team advises JMU on COVID-19 health research

T

he Office of Research & Scholarship launched the Scientific & Public Health Advisory Team. Established in consultation with academic leadership, including Heather Coltman, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, SPHAT consists of 19 members with scientific and/ or public health backgrounds and functions to inform JMU leadership of current scientific research and public health guidance related to COVID-19.

The team is also charged with reviewing and suggesting modifications to university planning based on current understanding and assisting with accurate communication of findings and university plans. The team’s work is

informed by available literature, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Health.

As JMU leadership focuses on maintaining a safe learning environment, Research & Scholarship brings questions to SPHAT on a rolling basis for asynchronous review. R&S shares the feedback received from SPHAT with JMU leadership, ensuring decision-makers have the most current scientific guidance and best practices with which to act.

The team also has members from other universities and science-related companies.

S P H A T

— Anthony Tongen

For more information, visit https://j.mu/sphat.

Heather Coltman, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, and other JMU leaders are receiving critical information on COVID-19 research.

CO LT M A N PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

Doors open for first recipient of the CAL Opportunity Fund

G

abriela Moreno, a freshman from Springfield, Virginia, is the first recipient of the Arts and Letters Opportunity Fund scholarship, created by the College of Arts and Letters in 2019 to increase access and support historically underrepresented students, first-generation students and those of modest means in the college.

The fund, which made its debut on Giving Day the same year, received widespread support from faculty, alumni and current students. A first-generaGabriela Moreno tion student himself, CAL Dean Robert Aguirre said, “Throughout my academic career, I’ve had a special passion for helping students navigate the often difficult terrain of a university education.”

Moreno visited the JMU campus five times before deciding it was her future home. “I fell in love with the campus and the campus environment, the way everyone seemed so happy and in love with JMU,” she said. “The excitement that could be felt everywhere on campus, especially at the football games, is what really drew me in.”

For Moreno, the scholarship, which provides $5,000 annually over four years, greatly helped to reduce the cost of attendance. “My mom is a single mother, and she didn’t work for three months during this pandemic, so it was up to me to work as much as I could in order to provide for the both of us,” Moreno said. The scholarship “took some weight off both me and my mom’s backs.”

Moreno is a double major in international affairs and justice studies. She is most excited for her international affairs classes, where she will learn more about foreign policy and how other countries operate differently from the United States. “I’m also excited about electives,” she said, “because I want to take classes in as many different areas as possible.”

Moreno said she is most looking forward to contributing to and being part of the JMU environment. “Every time I visited campus, the students looked so happy to be able to call themselves a JMU Duke, and I really want to share in that and be part of that as well.”

— Ciara Brennan (’17)

W I N T E R

2 02 1

9

N E W S

&

N O T E S

Presented in partnership with

Lawyer outlines free-speech issues on college campuses

ACLU’s Emerson Sykes opens Madison Vision Series

C

ollege campuses present unique challenges when it comes to free-speech protections afforded under the U.S. Constitution, guest lecturer Emerson Sykes said during a virtual Madison Vision Series event co-hosted by JMU and Bridgewater College. Sykes, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, delivered the first MVS lecture of the 2020-21 academic year on Sept. 30.

“On the one hand, they’re a place where new ideas are supposed to be interrogated and explored, a place for robust debate and discussion,” said Sykes, who specializes in First Amendment issues, the right to protest, the intersection of free speech and racial justice, and campus speech. “At the same time, they’re a place where students live, learn and work … and we’re subjecting them to potentially offensive speech in a way that professional adults are not.”

Sykes cited a case involving Arkansas State University, where a conservative student group was trying to set up a table in a public

area of campus to solicit signatures to start a chapter at the school.

Campus police intervened, telling the students they were in violation of the school’s free speech-zone policy, which required that a group obtain university approval 72 hours in advance of setting up a table.

In 2019, Sykes and his ACLU colleagues filed a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that such zones violate the First Amendment. “We argued that the sidewalk of a public university must be considered a public forum,” requiring the highest level of free-speech protection, Sykes said.

The First Amendment to the Constitution is, in essence, a restriction on government, Sykes said. It begins, “Congress shall pass no law” infringing on freedom of religion, expression, assembly or the right to petition.

Public universities like JMU, which receive government funding, are thus restricted in how they can regulate free speech among their community members, Sykes said, whereas private institutions, such as Bridgewater College, largely are not.

Two lawmakers discuss bipartisanship’s future

includes Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford counties and the towns of Occoquan, Dumfries and Quantico. Surovell is currently the vice chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. From 2009 to 2015, Surovell served as the state delegate for the 44th District. He majored in wo Virginia legislators, who are also alumni of JMU, mod- political science and minored in American Studies at JMU. eled respectful civic discourse on Nov. 11, 2020, as they Noting that he has been on both sides of the political aisle in the participated in a virtual Madison Vision Series event. In General Assembly, Cox said, “Both the majority and the minority the wake of the 2020 presidential have crucial roles in a democratic republic. The election, Del. Kirk Cox (’79), a Republican, minority has a key role, and that is to be the loyal and Sen. Scott Surovell (’93), a Democrat, disopposition to hold the majority accountable, to cussed “The Future of Bipartisanship.” ask those key questions. And, obviously, when Cox, a retired public school teacher, was first you’re in the majority, you’re in a better position elected to the House of Delegates in 1989. He repto drive policy. But the really important thing is resents the 66th District, which encompasses the for each side to listen to each other.” city of Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield “Richmond is a pretty collaborative place,” County. He has served in a number of leadership said Surovell, describing the atmosphere of the positions in Richmond, most recently as Speaker Kirk Cox (’79) and Scott Surovell (’93) General Assembly. He and Cox agreed that serve in Virginia’s legislature. of the House from 2018 to 2020. Prior to becomVirginia’s legislative framework, in which leging speaker, Cox served as majority leader and majority whip. He gradu- islators are part-time representatives, is important to how the system ated from JMU with degrees in political science and general social science. works differently from the U.S. Congress.

Surovell was elected to the Virginia Senate in November 2015 and “You can’t go down there [to Richmond] and be a partisan warrior was sworn in on Jan. 13, 2016, representing the 36th District, which if you want to get things done,” Surovell said. “You don’t know when

T

10

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

SY K E S PH OTO G R A PH CO U RT E SY O F AC LU; COX ( ’ 79) BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M ); S U ROV E LL (‘ 93) CO U RT E SY O F T H E S E N AT E O F V I RG I N I A

N E W S

&

N O T E S

“When these difficult questions come up about speech, your first reaction should be to look at the person across from you, have some empathy and listen.”

— EMERSON SYKES, American Civil Liberties Union

Government cannot restrict speech based on the viewpoint being expressed, Sykes said.

“So, you can’t allow one viewpoint,” he said, “and not allow [an opposing] viewpoint.”

Restrictions to free speech have to be content-neutral, Sykes said. Speech that is potentially offensive or hateful, or counter to social and cultural norms is, in fact, protected by the First Amendment, he said.

Of course, not all speech is protected.

Harassment, defamation and speech intended to incite violence are among the types not protected under the First Amendment. However, these categories are narrowly drawn, he said.

Sykes fielded questions from JMU President Jonathan R. Alger and Bridgewater College President David W. Bushman, as well as audience members, on a range of top-

the balance of power will shift.”

The part-time nature of the state legislature also benefits the state’s citizens in that their elected representatives have to approve a balanced budget with a deadline under the law, Surovell said.

Both legislators said that many issues that come before the General Assembly split along geographic lines, rather than as partisan Democratic or Republican issues. They pointed to deliberations involving the Lake Gaston water pipeline, coal ash contamination in several areas of the state and uranium mining, as well as veterans’ issues and public education, as topics that surmount political party affiliations.

“There is nothing wrong with disagreement,” Cox said, adding that robust discussions have to be held in an atmosphere of respect.

Cox and Surovell encouraged young people to consider public service. They urged students to hone their debate skills while in college in order to improve their articulation of ideas and

ics, including time-based restrictions on free speech, social media and best practices for colleges and universities.

“When these difficult questions come up about speech, your first reaction should be to look at the person across from you, have some empathy and listen,” Sykes said. “Be community members first. Be willing to listen and willing to address these issues together.

“If someone feels heard, you’re less likely to run into these same problems in the future,” he said. “These issues tend to blow up when a university’s response is tone deaf or dismissive.”

— Jim Heffernan (’96, ’17M)

Watch the Sept. 30 Madison Vision Series event featuring Sykes at https://j.mu/sykes.

“Both the majority and the minority have crucial roles in a democratic republic.”

— KIRK COX (’79), House of Delegates

to test the strength of their core values.

Caitlyn Read, director of state government relations at JMU, and senior Honors College student Ashley Harris, president of the nationally ranked JMU Debate Team, moderated the discussion. JMU President Jonathan R. Alger delivered opening and closing remarks, including extending Veterans Day thanks to military veterans for their service. Cox and Surovell joined Alger in expressing gratitude.

— Janet Smith (’81)

Watch the Nov. 11 Madison Vision Series event with Cox (’79) and Surovell (’93) at https://j.mu/bipartisan.

WAKE UP Book Club considers inclusion and justice

J

MU’s Office of Access and Inclusion sponsored an experience called WAKE UP—White Accomplices Knowing Experiences Underlining Club members Privilege—durread Layla F. ing the Fall 2020 Saad’s and semester.

Robin DiAngelo’s books.

The WAKE UP book club, established in Fall 2019, supports racial inclusion and justice efforts at JMU through the growth and development in understanding white identities and experiences in order to become better allies to people of color.

WAKE UP groups met twice a month and read books related to white identities and racial justice and discussed strategies for interrupting racism at JMU and in the broader society.

Books read were me and white supremacy by Layla Saad and White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo.

The most recent reading groups were made up of 43 faculty and staff members. Aimed at white people who are committed to developing strategies for interrupting racism as they examine their own identity and privilege, the book club also welcomed people of color for their perspectives and thoughts.

— Jennifer Iwerks and Jennifer PeeksMease

W I N T E R

2 02 1

11

N E W S

&

N O T E S

WSJ ranks JMU highly in outcomes, engagement

J

ames Madison University ranked No. 109 in outcomes and No. 111 in engagement in the 2021 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings of 797 schools throughout the United States.

JMU’s overall ranking is No. 281, tied with Azusa Pacific University, a private school in California.

JMU, a public university, is among 15 Virginia colleges and universities in the WSJ rankings, which aim to assess student success and learning.

“Outcomes,” as defined in the rankings, are based on an institution’s graduation rate, the value added to graduates’ salary, debt after graduation and academic reputation. The category, which accounts for 40% of the overall rankings, considers an institution’s record on delivering successful outcomes for its students.

Making up 20% of the overall rankings, “engagement” with students factors student engagement, student recommendations,

JMU welcomes first AVP for diversity, equity & inclusion

A

fter an extensive national search, JMU welcomed Brent Lewis as the inaugural associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion on Sept. 1, 2020.

Lewis works in the Division of Student Affairs and leads the DEI portfolio, which consists of the Office of Disability Services; Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression; and the Center for Multicultural Student Services. His

interaction with teachers and students, and the number of accredited programs to determine ranking. The category focuses on how well an institution informs, inspires and challenges its students.

The remaining 40% of the overall rankings are determined by resources (30%) and environment (10%). Factors in resources are finance per student, faculty per student and research papers per faculty.

Environment factors are the proportion of international students, student diversity, student inclusion and staff diversity.

The complete Wall Street Journal /Times Higher Education College Rankings are available at www.wsj.com/collegerankings.

JMU is also the “Best College for Getting a Job” in Virginia for the second year in a row, according to information compiled by Zippia based on data from the Department of Education College Scorecard and statewide job placement numbers 10 years after graduation.

experience at James Madison University,” said Tim Miller (‘96, ‘00M), vice president for student affairs.

Lewis said, “I am passionate work builds on a long legacy about DEI work and creating of diversity, equity and incluengagement opportunities sion work at the university for our campus to grow, spearheaded by a number of learn, develop and create offices and individuals. an equity-minded “Dr. Lewis approach to stureceived unanident learning that mous support from is infused in every our search comaspect of the stumittee and I see dent experience.” him as an incredible Lewis earned partner with me in a doctorate in shaping the future leadership studof the student Brent Lewis

— Janet Smith (’81)

ies from North Carolina A&T State University, where his dissertation focused on the social and cultural experience of gay and lesbian students attending a historically Black college or university. He has worked in a number of student affairs positions, including student engagement and involvement, multicultural services, LGBTQ services and residence life. He has held positions at Randolph College, Fayetteville State University and North Carolina Central University.

— Mary-Hope Vass

“I am passionate about DEI work and creating engagement opportunities for our campus to grow, learn, develop and create an equity-minded approach to student learning that is infused in every aspect of the student experience.”

— BRENT LEWIS, inaugural associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion

12

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

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

N E W S

&

FACULTY FOCUS Spotlighting JMU professors through the lenses of scholarship, awards and service Karina KlineGabel

FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES & CULTURES

Kline-Gabel is the inaugural Faculty Diversity Liaison to the College of Arts and Letters. A Spanish lecturer at JMU for 17 years, KlineGabel’s new role involves forming relationships with students, faculty and leadership to “establish and seek best practices of inclusion,” she said. “My personal strength is to connect people. Since I also work closely with student organizations, I will be helping students find resources they need to make sure their experience in our college gives them a sense of belongingness and safety in and out of the classroom.”

Kline-Gabel has steadily served the university as well as local and state Latinx communities. In 2015, she founded the Madison Hispanic Caucus, which advocates for Latino issues in higher education. “I’ve coordinated the MHC Banquet for students, faculty and administrators,” Kline-Gabel said.

“Seeing these groups share a meal together and get to know one another, just as people that have a shared heritage or interest, leaves me feeling that our roles sometimes need to be redefined so we can engage with one another in more empathetic and personal levels.”

She serves on the Virginia Latino Advisory Board and received a commendation from Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson for her outstanding service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

C.K. Lee

MANAGEMENT

and Samuel Morton ENGINEERING

Lee is researching the industrial hemp market landscape and value chain.

He and his collaborators have developed an understanding of the external environment and industry analysis. During Fall 2020, they gathered information from partners in the region to better understand the state of the industrial hemp value chain in the Shenandoah Valley.

Lee said he is “honored to have a role in the economic feasibility analysis research to explore how the newly emerging hemp industry can benefit our local economy and community.”

Morton continues his research on best practices for cultivating hemp on a farm near JMU. Since mid-May 2020, he planted batches of Canadian hemp, a fast-growing Cannabis plant, about every two weeks.

“We just don’t know the ideal planting time for hemp in the

N O T E S Valley,” Morton said. “What we do know about planting schedules for hemp is based on where the hemp was originally cultivated,” such as Canada, Spain, France, Poland and Ukraine.

Morton’s research began in 2015, and some is part of a larger study funded by a $53,630 grant from GO Virginia, an initiative to foster privatesector growth and job creation.

Rocky Parker BIOLOGY

Parker and Isabella Bukovich (‘20) are involved in research to help manage the tegu lizard, an invasive species in Florida and Georgia.

Argentine black and white tegus are native to eastern and central South America, but have been brought to the U.S. by exotic animal breeders and people who keep them as pets, said Parker, who has funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the tegu research.

“They are a massive threat to native ground-nesting birds, and most of the native groundnesting birds in Florida are threatened species.” Tegus also are menaces to turtles, crocodiles, alligators and other animals that lay eggs, he said.

The best way to manage an invasive species, Parker said, is to remove the females so the animals can’t reproduce. Finding an effective way to remove female tegus is the goal of the research, and so far the results are positive. The research shows for the first time that female tegus follow male scent trails during mating season, a result that offers hope they can be lured into traps.

Bukovich’s observation of the species via video of male and female reptiles as they explored a Y-shaped maze is documented in “Conspecific

chemical cues from facilitate mate trailing by invasive Argentine black and white tegus,” published Aug. 12, 2020, in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE.

Susan Zurbrigg

ART, DESIGN & ART HISTORY

Zurbrigg is the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ first Beck Faculty Fellowship recipient in recognition of her vision for visual arts in the community.

Established by Phillip (’73) and Christina Beck (’73) Updike in memory of her parents, Paul and Lillieanna Beck, the annually awarded fellowship helps support the School of Art, Design and Art History.

Zurbrigg, who joined JMU in 2000, is the co-founder and cofacilitator of the HarrisonburgRockingham chapter of Coming to the Table, a national group that works to create a just and truthful society that seeks to heal from the racial wounds of the past. She also serves on the board of the Northeast Neighborhood Association, a Harrisonburg nonprofit that leads African American historic and cultural heritage projects.

She is project leader of the Harrisonburg Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation “Changing the Narrative” project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Virginia Humanities to redress the cultural erasure of African Americans in the Shenandoah Valley. As part of the project, she led a youth workshop that showcased students’ paintings about the Black experience in a local exhibition and staged an art intervention with JMU students that memorialized Charlotte Harris, a Black woman lynched by a white mob near Harrisonburg in 1878.

— Janet Smith (‘81)

“...our roles sometimes need to be redefined so we can engage with one another in more empathetic and personal levels.”

— KARINA KLINE-GABEL, inaugural Faculty Diversity Liaison to the College of Arts and Letters

PA R K E R PH OTO G R A PH BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; ZU R B R I G G CO U RT E SY O F T H E H A R R I S O N B U RG N O RT H E A ST N E I G H B O R H O O D A S S O C I AT I O N

W I N T E R

2 02 1

13

College of Business

H artman Hall Building dedicated as part of the new CoB Learning Complex

J

ames (’70, ’00P) and Carolyn (’00P) Hartman of Rockingham, Virginia, have made a substantial gift to name the newest College of Business building. The striking glass and brick four-story structure, which adjoins Zane Showker Hall to constitute the CoB Learning Complex, is now called Hartman Hall.

The new building delivers much-needed additional space for the nationally recognized business school, and it introduces state-of-theart technology and collaborative study areas. This, coupled with great timing, inspired the Hartmans to make the gift.

“We finally sold our business in September [2020],” Jim noted, referring to Truck Enterprises Inc., a large family-owned company of truck dealerships. “And that allowed us to make the commitment that we had been wanting to make.”

Their commitment also stems from admiration for the strong reputation of the college, particularly its international accreditation for both business and accounting, as well as the number of internships and job offers CoB students receive prior to graduation.

“I look back at [my Madison] years as being really important, critical to our success in our family business, because it gave me a foundation. I learned from really excellent profs.”

— JAMES HARTMAN (’70, ‘00P)

14

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

James (’70, ’00P) and Carolyn (’00P) Hartman in Hartman Hall, which adjoins Zane Showker Hall to form the CoB Learning Complex.

Jim described their support of the college as “a giveback situation” on behalf of the family. The naming of Hartman Hall recognizes Jim and Carolyn, their son, Scott Hartman, and their daughter, Jennifer Risser (’00), who studied English at JMU and now works in the university’s Center for International Stabilization and Recovery.

The Hartman family’s ties to the university go back to when it was known as Madison College, and their affection for the school has grown over the past half-century. As sports fans, the Hartmans have frequently traveled to Dukes’ away games and love to watch softball and baseball in Veterans Memorial Park, and football in Bridgeforth Stadium, which has grown and expanded several times in the last few decades.

The school didn’t have a football team when Jim studied at Madison, but he regards his undergraduate education with great appreciation: “I look back at those years as being really important, critical to our success in our family business, because it gave me a foundation. I learned from really excellent profs.”

He fondly remembers one “crusty and tough” professor, Phillip Kincheloe, who was especially miserly in grading, unwilling to award an A unless it was well-deserved, but who considered Jim’s work worthy. “He was pretty tough on us, and it probably made us step up a little more,” Jim recalled. A transfer student in 1968, Jim completed a Bachelor of Business

S I G N I N STA LL AT I O N PH OTO G R A PH BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; T H E H A RT M A N S A N D E X T E R I O R BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

UNLEAS H E D Administration degree while also working part time for his father in the trucking company.

After graduation, the young businessman helped grow the company from a single truck contract to eight full-service commercial truck dealerships. He also met and married Carolyn, and they built a family together as well as fostered deep friendships with people they know from JMU, including former President Linwood H. Rose and his wife, Judith. Jim was rector of JMU’s Board of Visitors when Rose retired in 2012.

JMU President Jonathan R. Alger acknowledged the role supporters like the Hartmans play in JMU’s success. “Jim and Carolyn’s connection with and service to this institution are invaluable. And this philanthropic gift will have a significant, lasting impact on generations to come, not just business students but also the college’s faculty, staff and, even more widely, the entire JMU community. I am humbled and inspired by their generosity.”

CoB Dean Michael Busing welcomed the Hartmans to the cadre of donors who have provided financial support. “This family is now part of a remarkable group of people who have helped us fully realize the vision of this grand project, which aligns with and reinforces our world-class faculty and their curricula, signature programs and top-notch students.”

See inside the new Hartman Hall at https://j.mu/hartmanhall.

“This philanthropic gift will have a significant, lasting impact on generations to come, not just business students but also the college’s faculty, staff and the entire JMU community.”

— JONATHAN R. ALGER, JMU president

The couple toured the new building, which opened last fall, and they marveled at the architecture—contemporary yet engaged with its campus context—the bright and expansive interior and the industrious students. “It’s a total ‘wow!’ when you walk into the building,” Carolyn exclaimed. “First you see the scrolling of the NASDAQ, and then you look up to see the way it was designed inside. It’s incredible, very special.”

“I see those kids in there,” Jim remarked, “and they’re obviously really involved in what they’re studying, what they’re reading and what they’re seeing. That’s just huge! I’m thrilled and I’m excited.”

Robert A.M. Stern Architects from New York served as the design architect for the CoB Learning Complex with Moseley Architects of

Virginia Beach as the architect of record. Kjellstrom and Lee of Richmond constructed the new building and are expected to finish renovations in Zane Showker Hall this spring.

The university plans to celebrate with a grand opening in Fall 2021.

When completed, the Learning Complex will boast more than 200,000 square feet of new and renovated space. Highlights include the expanded Gaglioti Capital Markets Lab; the Major Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Lab; a professional sales suite; distinctive first-floor atrium and fourth-floor oculus with sweeping 360-degree views of campus; state-of-the-art collaborative learning spaces and study rooms throughout; and much more. The building is LEED-certified and elevates JMU’s business education facilities to be on par with the finest business schools in the nation.

The Hartmans revel in the upgrade and, Carolyn said, feel blessed to be able to share in this way; they are thankful to God for the opportunity to do so.

Jim said, “I think back to when I was in school here 50 years ago, and we didn’t have any really neat places to study, or these incredible other assets of this building. We are just thrilled that today’s students do have those to use and benefit from. It’s incredible what JMU puts together, whether it’s aesthetics or technology.

It’s just amazing to me. It’s beautiful.”

— Karen Risch Mott (’20M)

A drone captured this image of Hartman Hall (foreground).

W I N T E R

2 02 1

15

A JMU love story

T

here’s a tapestry hanging in my bedroom. It’s of my wife, Shirley Hanson Roberts. Her name should sound familiar. The university named the Shirley Hanson Roberts Center for Music Performance for her. She’s a beautiful woman. The tapestry was woven when she was 60, and it’s so fine you’d think it was a photograph. I had it framed. It’s the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night.

In a way, that tapestry represents what she and I believe we’ve seen at JMU. It’s about relationships, like ours has always been— relationships that are rich and fulfilling and that make a difference in others’ lives. Shirley, who graduated with the Class of 1956, has certainly made a difference in my life.

Shirley became a Navy wife when we were married 58 years ago. Years later, friends told me that every time I went out on a submarine Shirley was scared to death, but she never said to me, “It’s either me or the submarine.” She never did. We could be up in European arctic waters, doing sonar signa-

tures on the Soviet Northern Fleets ... but she never said that.

After I left the Navy and went to Harvard Business School, she supported me.

She taught school. I wouldn’t have made it through without her help. She’s always supported me. During my years with the TeleCable division of Landmark Communications, which later became an independent company, she was always by my side.

Together we raised three daughters. Now we have five grandchildren, and Shirley is still by my side. I hear people at JMU talking about student success, and I think that takes the same kind of commitment.

That’s what I see in the faculty at JMU. It’s a unique difference from what I have seen at other large universities. I bet there isn’t another one on the scope of JMU in this country where professors make themselves so available.

JMU has not deviated from the teaching experience that it valued when Shirley graduated with her teaching degree. That teaching experience—that closeness of the faculty

Dick Roberts talks to a SMAD class on Sept. 28, 2014.

Dick and Shirley after a tour of the newly completed Forbes Center on June 4, 2010.

and staff with students—is so unique that it deserves to be fertilized.

That’s what Shirley and I hope our gift will do—fertilize the rich relationships that develop here. It takes a special kind of person to be so committed. I learned that from Shirley.

JMU’s success is really about the success of the faculty to engage with students, just like my marriage to Shirley has been successful because of our commitment. Since I met Shirley on the boardwalk in Virginia Beach more than 58 years ago, we have always pulled together. Now, Shirley is battling Alzheimer’s, and we’re still pulling together. I’m pulling a little harder these days.

Relationships are the most important things in life. In the end, nothing else matters. And no one has been more important to me than Shirley. She’s why I’m here today— why she and I are making this commitment to JMU to support the faculty. We hope that through this endowment, the president or the provost will be able to recognize or reward JMU’s distinctive kind of teaching.

EDITOR’S NOTE: At JMU’s Opening Faculty Meeting in August 2015, Richard “Dick” Roberts announced a $1 million gift to establish the Shirley Han-

son Roberts (‘56) and Richard D. Roberts Endowment for Faculty Excellence. Their gift was unprecedented at the time for the amount dedicated to faculty support. Dick’s message was memorable for the belief he proclaimed in the JMU faculty and all the more poignant for the love he professed for Shirley. His words are especially meaningful again with the passing of Shirley on Jan. 3, 2021, and at a time when the faculty-student relationship is more important than ever. The Robertses’ endowment affirms a faculty whose first commitment is to the students they teach and follows a gift that named the Shirley Hanson Roberts Center for Music Performance in the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020.

With Dick’s permission, here are his remarks to the faculty in 2015.

16

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

TO U R PH OTO G R A PH BY D I A N E E LLI OT T ( ’ 0 0); S M A D C L A S S BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M )

Numbers

By the

Dukes LEAD

Student-athlete leadership and development

10

developmental workshops hosted

Fall 2019 average attendance

Spring 2020 average attendance

221

275

13

additional opportunities for program participation

5 50

Career coaching office hours for career preparation

69 21 in-person sessions

DUKES

supplemental workshops hosted

virtual sessions

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S; I N FO G R A PH I C S BY C A R LY C H I S H O LM

student-athlete mentor pairings

partnership to promote meeting offerings

COVID-19 response

570

TED Talk reflections submitted in place of in-person workshop attendance

W I N T E R

2 02 1

17

NATION

My turn

JMU’s first volleyball player to sign a pro contract shares her story

G

rowing up, I didn’t come from money. But my parents worked hard to make sure their children had everything they needed, even if that meant waiting until they did get it. That patience and work ethic that I learned from my parents— what we like to call “hunger” in the sports world—would be the guiding factor in my athletic career.

I was pretty late to the game. I didn’t touch a volleyball until my sophomore year of high school. I didn’t explore club/travel volleyball until the last half of my junior year. The club team I played for was highly competitive and one of the best on the East Coast. Because I only played two years of high school volleyball, and did not have true competitive club experience under my belt yet, I sat on the bench most of my travel season.

BY M’KAELA WHITE (’20)

I wasn’t discouraged. Volleyball seemed to come naturally to me. I was inexperienced and definitely messed up a ton of ball-control drills during practice, but I was learning, and I gave myself that space to learn. If I was ever going to get better and see time on the court, I knew I had to wait my turn.

The club I played for is in Washington, D.C. My family didn’t have a car at the time, so I would take buses and trains to get to where I needed to be. Almost always, my mom would get off work, take the train from her job in Northern Virginia to D.C., watch me practice and then take the train with me back home.

There were plenty of post-practice, stinky train rides and long nights when we wouldn’t get home until shortly after midnight. Looking back, I really don’t know how we did it.

Eating a quick meal at 12:30 a.m., getting five to six hours of sleep, only to wake up to go

to school or work the very next morning and, some days, going back to practice that night to repeat the process all over again.

Fast forward to freshman year of college.

I came in with the mindset that anyone who played for a pretty successful club comes into college with the attitude of “I’m going to take a senior’s spot.” Foolishly, I was in for a surprise and humbled very quickly as I was told the same narrative I have been told my entire athletic career: Wait your turn.

This was a phrase I hated hearing, but it was imperative to my growth in volleyball.

It felt like I was going to have a repeat of my club season all over again. Working hard in silence, making small progressions along the way, only to sit the bench every game. I had a lot to learn and improve upon before I ever saw time on the court.

It wasn’t until my associate head coach, Casey Steinbrecher, said, “Everyone has a role on the team and each role is just as important.” At that moment, my perspective completely changed. He talked about the role of a starter. He then went on to talk about the role of a nonstarter. “If you’re a nonstarter,” he said, “your job is to push the starters. Be their toughest competition in practices so they can be better when it comes to performing in the games.”

It was no longer a waiting game for me. I wanted to be the biggest blocker, hardest hitter and toughest competition those starters ever played against in their life! I took pride in beating up on my teammates every day in practice so they would be in shape to win games.

I would confide in one of my best friends, Kelly Vahos, and she would feed me a similar narrative. “Just be patient,” she would say.

“Soon we’ll be on the court as starters, living White is introduced as a starter prior to a match against Washington State in 2019.

18

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S

J M U

the dream.” Since then, I’ve experienced some pretty high “highs” and low “lows.”

My sophomore year was my breakout season. I was finally getting that starting position that I worked so hard for. At the same time, I also had the worst academic career I’ve ever had in my life. I was failing exams left and right, and I was often very unhappy. I would try to put on a strong face for my teammates, but there were plenty of days when I would break down in tears in the locker room, wanting everything to just stop. I tried applying for a different major, but because my grades were so bad from the previous semester, I was denied acceptance.

That year I tried out for the Collegiate National Team, and I didn’t make it. It seemed like I was getting one rejection after another. It was exhausting, but I had my friends by my side to comfort me and assure me to be patient because it does get better.

Junior year was a roller coaster, too. On the bright side, I started a new major and was introduced to some of the best professors on campus in the Hart School.

NAT I O N

During this time, I was struggling with a recurring injury of patellar tendonitis. It had become so unbearable that my support staff and I decided it was best that I get a procedure done to help fix the problem. My coaches knew that I had ambitions of playing professionally, so they made sure I could treat and rehab my knees back to health. I was back in a position where my patience was being tested.

I couldn’t squat as much as I used to and I wasn’t allowed to jump in practice for a while.

Once again, I had to work in silence, keep patience in the forefront and wait my turn.

Going into my senior year was a big adjustment as well. Some of my closest friends were graduating and moving on with their lives, and my athletic trainer left for another job opportunity. It felt like everyone I had worked so hard to build these relationships with was leaving me, and that was a tough pill to swallow.

Thankfully, bad times don’t last forever. I built closer friendships with my current teammates, finally made the Collegiate National Team, was greeted with an amazing fresh-

White spikes the man class and a pheball against Stony nomenal new athletic Brook during the trainer, signed with an August 2019 JMU incredible agency and Invitational. became the first JMU volleyball player to sign a professional contract.

If it wasn’t for all the coaches and support staff, I would not have had the opportunity to fulfill my dreams. These people pushed me beyond my limits.

Thank you to my first volleyball coach, who put an inexperienced, tall, awkward girl on varsity because she saw the potential through the disarray. If it wasn’t for her, I would never have gotten the opportunity to discover the sport I love so much. Finally, thank you to my friends and teammates for being a family away from family, for holding my hand through all the highs and lows. To my leggy and loud home team I call family, thank you for cheering me on every step of the way. No one gets through life alone, and although I’ll probably have to wait my turn from time to time in my professional career, I know I’ll have the support of my friends and family to wait with me.

“If it wasn’t for all the coaches and support staff, I would not have had the opportunity to fulfill my dreams.”

—M’KAELA WHITE (’20), professional volleyball player

W I N T E R

2 02 1

19

J M U

NAT I O N

2020 Hall of Fame class

JMU’s 2020 Athletics Hall of Fame class features eight decorated individ­uals set to be recognized and inducted. Typically, the ceremony occurs in the fall, but the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed the event until later this year.

20

Casey Carter (’70, ’73M, ’80M)

David McLeod (’94)

Randy Parker (’88)

ADMINISTRATOR AND COACH (1978-2017)

FOOTBALL (1990-93)

SWIMMING & DIVING (1984-88)

A foundational figure in JMU Athletics, Carter served in a variety of roles across nearly four decades with the Dukes. Carter began her career at JMU in a position split between athletics and university relations before moving completely into athletics in multiple areas, including serving as the cheerleading coach and director of the Dukettes and mascots. Her most lasting impact came when she established and served as the director of the student-athlete services office.

Her work pioneered studentathlete academic advising across the country. She retired in 2017, having spent her final years forming the student-athlete leader­ ship development program.

One of the greatest big-play threats in JMU football history, McLeod closed out his decorated four-year career at JMU as the program’s all-time leader in career receptions (158), receiving touchdowns (21) and receiving yards (2,899). Nearly three decades after his final game, his numbers still dot the record books. He ranks third in receptions and second in touchdowns, and remains JMU’s record-holder for career receiving yards, singleseason receiving yards (1,207 as a senior in 1993) and single-game receiving yards (192). McLeod was named a First Team All-American and consensus First Team All-State in his standout senior season, capping a career that helped usher in a new era of JMU football.

Dan Corbin (’83)

Arthur Moats (’12)

WRESTLING (1979-83)

FOOTBALL (2006-09)

Corbin etched his name in the JMU record book, capping his standout wrestling career with 112 victories, the second-most all time, trailing only 2000 JMU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Jeff “Peanut” Bowyer’s 125.

Corbin competed at the NCAA Championships as both a junior and senior, winning his weight class title at the Virginia Intercollegiate Championship in each of his four collegiate seasons. An incredibly versatile competitor, Corbin either won state collegiate titles or notched top-two NCAA regional finishes in all three of the 167-pound, 177-pound and 190-pound weight classes. In all, he was named JMU’s Most Outstanding Wrestler in three of his four seasons, and added NCAA Eastern Regional titles as both a junior and senior.

Moats concluded his standout career as one of the most feared defensive players ever to don a JMU football uniform. After earning plaudits and leading the defense through his first three seasons, Moats capped his JMU career in sterling fashion, winning the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in all of FCS as a senior—just the second JMU player in history to earn the award. In all, Moats’ 29 career sacks still rank second all time for the Dukes, while his 11.5 as a junior and 11 as a senior are still thirdand fifth-most on JMU’s singleseason lists. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, embarking on a nine-year pro career in which he was recognized multiple times for his community outreach and charitable works.

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Parker cemented his legacy as the most dominant JMU swimmer of his era, capturing the first three Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Swimming Athlete of the Year awards in league history as a sophomore, junior and senior. After the league formed prior to his sophomore season, he was a three-time CAA champion in the 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly, adding a pair of CAA titles in the 50-meter freestyle and helping lead the Dukes to a trio of top-three finishes as a team. His 1987-88 CAA championship time of 20.33 seconds in the 50-meter free remained a conference meet record for 13 years. He also set JMU records in the 50-meter free (20.33), 100meter free (44.63), 200-meter free (1:43.27) and 100-meter butterfly (50.12), while swimming a leg on three record-setting relay teams.

Teresa Rynier Rook (’11)

WOMEN’S SOCCER (2007-10)

One of the most dominant midfielders to ever play for JMU women’s soccer, Rynier Rook will enter the JMU Athletics Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility and still in possession of the program’s career assist record with 53 across her four seasons. In addition to being named an NSCAA All-American as a senior, Rynier Rook was a three-time NSCAA All-Region pick, three-time First Team All-CAA selection and a 2011 NSCAA Academic All-American.

Her 53 career assists also stand as the all-time record for both the CAA and the state of Virginia.

Combined with her 20 career goals, Rynier Rook still ranks tied for fifth in career points at JMU.

C.J. Sapong (’10) MEN’S SOCCER (2007-10)

Sapong was the first men’s soccer player in JMU history to earn First Team All-CAA honors four times. The forward capped his storied JMU career as the CAA Player of the Year and garnered All-American honors from College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer after racking up 33 points as a senior, the most in 14 years. Sapong tallied 37 goals and 21 assists as a Duke, putting him fifth all time in career points and cementing his place in the record books. After his sen­ ior season, Sapong was selected 10th overall by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 Major League Soccer Superdraft and was MLS Rookie of the Year. He has also competed internat­ionally with the U.S. Men’s Nat­ional Team and won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup.

Baillie Versfeld (’07) FIELD HOCKEY (2003-06)

Versfeld racked up four First Team All-CAA nods in her stellar career with JMU field hockey. A two-time All-American and fourtime All-South honoree in the midfield for the Dukes, Versfeld finished her career with 27 goals and 18 assists. As a junior, she tallied 26 points—10 goals and six assists—on her way to Second Team All-America honors and the Co-Female Athlete of the Year award at JMU. She led the Dukes to the first of three straight CAA titles as a senior, notching five more goals and six assists, before returning to JMU as an assistant coach from 2009 to 2013. Versfeld was also a member of the Zimbabwe Nat­ ional Team from 2001 to 2007.

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S

J M U

NAT I O N

2018 national championship lacrosse team

E

JMU Athletics’ departmentwide success stands among national leaders

njoying arguably the most successful era in department history, James Madison Athletics ranks among national leaders for competitive excellence across all sports. According to research compiled by the department, JMU’s five-year (2015-20) winning percentage of .656 across all sports ranks 14th among 353 NCAA Division I institutions.

James Madison’s five-year mark easily outdistanced any Football Championship Subdivision peer, with Harvard second at .610, Princeton third at .609 and Northern Arizona (.607) as the only other school over .600. The Top 10 all hailed from the Power 5 conferences: UCLA (.727), Florida State (.723), Florida (.723), Stanford (.701), Michigan (.681), North Carolina (.680), Texas (.679), Southern California (.679), Baylor (.677) and Texas A&M (.676). BYU (.659) was the only school outside of the Power 5 to rank ahead of JMU at No. 11. The research included all intercollegiate sports that compile a traditional won-lost record.

JMU’s strategic plan for Athletics, instituted in 2014, established the department’s vision as the “NCAA model of the student-athlete experience.” A significant piece of that strategic direction involved a focus on a holistic experience for all student-athletes and the pursuit of competitive

excellence across all 18 sports. The department has continued to emphasize providing the support staff, facilities, coaching support, scholarships, cost of attendance and other resources necessary for all 18 sport programs to achieve success.

National accomplishments over the last five years have included two national championships (football in 2016, lacrosse in 2018), two national runner-up finishes (football in 2017 and 2019), a top-eight men’s soccer finish (2018) and two softball Super Regional (Top 16) appearances (2016 and 2019). JMU also gained national exposure by twice hosting ESPN College GameDay, with record-level crowds descending upon the JMU Quad in 2015 and 2017.

Across all sports, James Madison made 36 total NCAA appearances over the last five years for an average of 7.2 per year. The Dukes captured 21 CAA championships and 23 CAA regular-season titles over the five-year span. Individually, JMU boasted 59 All-Americans, 35 CAA Players of the Year and 25 CAA Coaches of the Year.

Over the five-year period, JMU has built a cumulative record of 1,087-564-21. Among the 13 sports that compile a traditional won-lost record, three had a percentage over .800, seven totaled over .700 and 11 of the 13 were over .500.

Spring 2021 Football Schedule

Morehead State vs JMU

Richmond vs JMU

Robert Morris vs JMU

JMU at William & Mary

JMU at Elon

JMU at Richmond

William & Mary vs JMU

Elon vs JMU

FEB. 20, NOON FEB. 27, NOON

MARCH 6, 1:30 P.M. MARCH 13, 4 P.M.

MARCH 20, 4 P.M. MARCH 27, 1 P.M. APRIL 3, NOON

APRIL 10, 4 P.M.

L AC ROS S E PH OTO G R A PH CO U RT E SY O F J M U AT H LE T I C S; B R I D G E FO RT H STA D I U M BY CO DY T ROY E R

W I N T E R

2 02 1

21

Bright Lights Advice for a debt-free journey Taylor Hayes (‘15) pays it forward by sharing tips on paying off student loans with college graduates BY KHALIL GARRIOTT (’04)

I

t is no secret that a college education is expensive nowadays. After graduating, it can be an intimidating and stressful feeling to know that you have a long road ahead to pay off your student loans.

As the Chinese proverb goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Taking this approach to student loan debt makes it more manageable. Bite off what you can chew, make payments in small chunks, and don’t focus on that big number of how much you owe overall. Trust that the little things will add up.

These are the wise words of Taylor Hayes (’15), who paid off more than $60,000 in student loans over 4 1/2 years. She’s paying it forward for students and new graduates by sharing her personal finance tips on an Instagram account with more than 18,000 followers.

“I want to share my story with college students to inspire them to get rid of their student loans as fast as possible,” Hayes said.

“When I started making payments on my student loans, I had no idea that interest was accruing on them each day, and so for years, I only paid my minimum monthly payment.

Once I realized that I was paying about $10 a day in interest alone, on top of my monthly payment, I finally realized that my student loans were detrimental to my financial situSurrounded by balloons that spell “60K,“ Hayes proudly holds her JMU diploma framed with “$60,349.02 paid in full.” She paid off her student loans in 4 1/2 years.

(Inset): Her published Student Loan Guide outlines how students can pay off their college debt.

22

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F TAY LO R H AY E S ( ’ 1 5)

B R I G H T ation, and I got serious about paying them off. I want the same for other college students graduating with student loan debt.”

Hayes, who majored in computer information systems at JMU, created an “Imperfect Finance” student loan guide, a 23-page resource that outlines how students can pay off their college debt. Hayes empathizes with new and soon-to-be graduates who are stressed out about paying off their loans—and now, because of COVID-19—they face the added stress of trying to enter the workforce during a bleak economic period in American history.

“Job searching by itself isn’t easy, but when you add COVID-19 in the mix, job searching becomes a little bit more difficult,” she said.

“However, companies are still hiring. So, my advice would be to keep applying on a consistent basis, and reach out to your college career center for help if needed. Make your resumé the best it can be, and apply to any sort of career path that catches your eye, even if it’s not necessarily something directly related to your degree.”

The end of the student loan grace period after a person graduates from college comes swiftly and forcefully. That’s why Hayes advises to have a plan before that time comes, crunch the numbers and seek ways to increase your income while decreasing your expenses.

Hayes’ motivation for sharing her wisdom, which she does via her “Imperfect Finance” blog, is simple: She’s been there. Having been in their shoes, she wants to impress upon people that it’s OK to make money-management mistakes along the way.

“When you make the same mistakes over and over again,” Hayes said, “it is hard to ignore the behavioral patterns that continue to bring our lives financial stress. If you are noticing a behavioral pattern that feels habitual (like spending too much money on your credit cards and not being able to pay them off in full each month), ask yourself why you continue to make the same choices even though they don’t make you feel good. That’s what I did.

L I G H T S

“At the end of the day, I had to decide what kind of life I wanted to live: one that was riddled with debt, money mistakes and stress, or one that was debt-free, peaceful and in my control.”

Once someone’s able to get out from under their student loans, it’s a freeing feeling to be able to live life without that burden. Hayes is now able to create the life she wants to live.

Having paid off $60,349.02 at a young age, she considers it her calling to share her personal finance tips and tricks. They’re all rooted in her real-life, personal experiences.

Hayes said, “I don’t believe college students (or people in general) are educated enough on how exactly student loans work and how they can seriously affect our finances, so I want to be someone who can show others the way, and show others that becoming debt-free is possible.”

Hayes strongly suggests staying patient and avoiding emotional spending. She knows firsthand that it can be difficult to focus on the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, but the hard work eventually will pay off.

Duke Dog joins Hayes and two of her friends in Bridgeforth Stadium to cele­ brate their graduation in 2015.

“If you don’t start making payments toward your debt, you will never become debt-free,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better. It sounds obvious and cliché, but the sooner you start, the sooner you will be out of debt.”

Hayes led by example during her time at JMU. Through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, she befriended and mentored a middle school-aged child in the Harrisonburg community and served as president of the JMU women’s club basketball team. In 2014, she studied abroad in Malmö, Sweden, with 15 other CIS majors.

Currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Hayes is a business intelligence analyst for McKesson, the oldest and largest health care company in the nation.

“My future goals include saving up to take my dad to Italy, and saving and investing enough for retirement so that I can retire as soon as possible,” Hayes said.

“If you don’t start making payments toward your debt, you will never become debt-free. The earlier you start, the better. ” —TAYLOR HAYES (’15)

W I N T E R

2 02 1

23

advocacy

innovative important

progressive

demanding

resilient

growth

critical thinking

challenging

commun

supportive

24

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

nity

From programming to professional development to the COVID-19 pandemic, the JMU School of Nursing has been meeting the needs of a changing field for 40 years

By Amanda Christian (’20)

RISING TO THE

I

OCCASION

f we’ve learned anything in the past

part in fighting the pandemic in com-

year, it’s that nursing matters.

munities across the nation.

Nurses have responded to

the global health crisis with courage and compas-

sion, sacrificing so much to be heroes on the front lines.

JMU nursing students and

When COVID-19 hit, students and recent alumni of the school were thrown into the middle of a crisis and forced to put their knowledge and experience to use in

alumni have risen to the

ways they weren’t

occasion to play a critical

expecting.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

25

L

ast summer, senior nursing student Jacob Payne was hired to work in the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “I worked in supplemental staffing, so I worked on every single floor and it’s a monster of a hospital,” he said. “As difficult as it was, this program has prepared me for it. I felt comfortable and competent, and that’s because of JMU.” Meghan Schultz (’20) was serving as shelter manager with Open Doors, which supports the Harrisonburg homeless population, when the pandemic hit.

“I wasn’t nervous to work with possibly infected patients due to the fact COVID-19 can be spread anywhere,” Schultz said. “Just because these people are homeless does not mean they are infected, which is a common misconception. JMU has prepared me to care for many patients, no matter what their background or situation is.”

Lauren Marinak (’05) shared a similar sentiment. “My nursing education at JMU prepared me to be resilient and open to the evolving world of medicine. My professors always encouraged us to continue learning and expanding our knowledge base to allow us to be prepared for anything life threw at us, even a pandemic.”

and built rapport with local and state hospitals, as well as other health care organizations.

The current director of the JMU School of Nursing, Melody Eaton (’84), was a member of the third graduating class. “The rigor has never changed—it was an intense program,” Eaton said. “The results, now and then, are that our students are very confident and well prepared to meet challenges head on.”

Eaton did note striking differences in technology and resources. “We only had a

A foundation for success When the Rockingham Memorial Hospital School of Nursing closed its doors in 1977, JMU stepped in to fill the void.

President Ronald E. Carrier had fervently fought for the development of JMU’s program, drafting a State Council of Higher Education for Virginia proposal in 1972, citing concerns that students might earn their diploma and leave to practice outside of the Valley.

SCHEV finally approved the proposal in 1979, and Marcia Dake was hired as the first department head.

The first nursing class was admitted in 1980 and included 21 students and four faculty members.

Under Dake’s direction, the program recruited a talented cohort of faculty members 26

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Nursing students wore yellow smocks in the early days of the program. (Above): An early tradition of jumping in Newman Lake in full uniform to celebrate the end of classes was short lived.

Maureen Chambers (’82) receives the program’s first pin from President Ronald E. Carrier and Dean Marcia Dake.

few hospital beds and maybe a basic mannequin … nothing realistic like we have now.

We practiced on each other—I remember starting IVs on each other—which would not be acceptable now.”

Today, technology is one of the school’s strong suits. The School of Nursing boasts a simulation lab equipped with high-fidelity mannequins and standardized persons; a skills lab, which is used for examinations and resembles a fully functional nursing unit; and a standardized patient suite, where students practice patient interactions and build physical assessment skills.

The early years were rich in tradition.

After the capping ceremony, nursing students would jump into Newman Lake in full uniform to celebrate the end of classes. While students no longer celebrate the end of the semester with a splash, the pinning ceremony is a momentous occasion for graduating seniors.

In 1987, Dake inspired what was then the College of Nursing to also take the plunge. One year before her retirement, she put forth a call for “the need to dare.” The call was described as “the need to have courage, the need to be bold, the need to not be afraid, the need to meet and resist, to face and defy, to venture, to challenge and to be brave.”

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E S C H O O L O F N U RS I N G

RISING TO THE OCCASION

Dukes in the community

“Here we talk about ... what we’re going to walk into once we graduate.”

Vida Huber carried on this legacy and is known for expanding opportunities for community engagement. She helped develop outreach programs such as the Free Clinic, Valley AIDS Network and the Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center.

Huber also founded JMU’s Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services, which helps facilitate interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students in nursing, social work, psychology and medicine to work together on projects to improve community health infrastructure.

–Gabrielle Futrell, fourth-semester student, UPCARE scholar

the health of the local homeless population. It provides on-site urgent care services, chronic illness management and preventative care.

Rather than the program functioning within a permanent clinic setting, the supplies can be transported in a suitcase on wheels from shelter to shelter. The clinic is staffed by one full-time nursing case manager and numerous volunteer providers, including JMU nursing students.

The Undergraduate Primary Care and Rural Education Project is another community-based program where students can practice their skills while supporting and improving health education and services in neighboring Page County, Virginia. JMU received the grant to pilot the program in June 2018 and has since expanded to accommodate more students in their clinical experiences.

Payne, a fourth-semester nursing student, Page County native and UPCARE Scholar,

Vida Huber (left) meets with a student in her Harrison Hall Annex office.

Her commitment to the community has inspired faculty and students over the years to keep pushing the envelope in providing quality service to rural and underserved populations.

The Suitcase Clinic, a collaboration between IIHHS and the Harrisonburg Community Health Center, sets out to improve

said, “It’s been great, and it means so much to gain hands-on experience while helping those in my community.”

In giving back to the community, students are able to gain more diverse and hands-on experiences, ultimately contributing to their development into well-rounded nurses.

“Unless you’re out in the community and gaining that clinical experience, it’s really easy to just learn the material,” said fourth-semester student and UPCARE scholar Gabrielle Futrell. “But here we talk about things that have to do with health care right now and what we’re going to walk into once we graduate.”

This application-driven approach sets the School of Nursing apart, particularly because JMU is situated in a region of underserved communities with opportunities to make a difference.

“You can learn a skill in a day,” Eaton said.

“What our program really does is it promotes critical thinking and builds a strong enough base of understanding to apply it. Everything we teach, we apply it in our program. We apply it in our community.”

Perhaps Huber said it best—service makes nurses, and people, more whole. “Service is at the heart of my philosophy of life, and I believe that it is through service to others that we ourselves become more whole,” Huber said upon receiving the James Madison University Citizenship Award in 2002.

School of Nursing

TIMELINE 1980

The nursing program begins, housed in Wilson Hall.

1980

1982

The program moves to the Wine-Price Building.

1980 21 BSN students and 4 faculty

1980-88

Marcia Dake steers the program in its early years.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

27

‘Years of enormous change’ When Huber became an associate dean, Merle Mast took over as academic unit head.

Her vision was to eventually expand graduate programs and develop a RN to BSN program to provide a pathway for graduates of community college or diploma schools with a registered nurse license to obtain their bachelor’s degree. But a looming nationwide nursing shortage sped the expansion process.

“These were years of enormous change,” Mast said. “As the nursing shortage intensified and JMU continued to expand, the university joined a statewide initiative to increase baccalaureate nursing program capacity. In 1999, we graduated about 40 new nurses, but we quickly began working on strategies to double, and then to triple our graduates.”

The expansion was done carefully.

“The beautiful thing about JMU is that we understand the expansion has to be planned. It has to be done in such a way that it grows, but doesn’t outgrow what we’re trying to do,” said Karen Jagiello (’06M), professor and RN to BSN program director. “We are intentionally careful with our forward movement so that we don’t get carried away and do more than we can handle. Through it all, our mission and values continue to align with the university.”

Classes are offered asynchronously and online so students can maintain employment while taking courses. The program launched

(Above): Art Strunk (‘92), Merck Scholar Award recipient, guides a student‘s clinical study.

(Left): The 1995 School of Nursing class joins a growing community of medical professionals.

in 2006 with eight students, and since then, 413 nurses have earned their degrees.

After 20 years of practicing, Jagiello realized that her own growth as a nurse had halted. “It’s like I hit a wall until I went back to get that degree,” she said. “In the last 15 years, it has become really imperative that nurses don’t just stop their education. They

TIMELINE (Cont.)

1998

Nursing becomes one of six departments in the College of Integrated Science and Technology, located on East Campus.

1990

Nursing becomes one of three departments in the College of Health and Human Services, and relocates to the Harrison Hall Annex.

1990

1988-99

Vida Huber expands opportunities for community service.

1992 45 BSN students and 8 faculty 28

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

continue to grow and become lifelong learners. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”

The School of Nursing fills vacancies in the health care field, but more importantly, it fills them with qualified and well-rounded nurses.

By expanding program offerings and making degrees more accessible, JMU produces nurses who are ready to make an impact on day one.

2000

RISING TO THE OCCASION

“We’re not just churning out nurses. We’re producing really excellent nurses that are well known up and down the East Coast for their ability, their critical thinking and their skills,” Jagiello said. “People come to our [job] fairs and they want our students.”

Global perspectives Beyond the classroom and the community, JMU nursing students have a wide variety of opportunities in which to apply their learning. In addition to several semester study abroad programs, there are well-established summer programs in Costa Rica, Spain and Tanzania to choose from. Previous study abroad trips included stops in Japan, Malta and Russia.

While the pandemic has halted recent trips, the School of Nursing continues to cultivate new relationships with organizations to expand the already robust program. In February 2020, on the cusp of a pandemic, administrators traveled to the Cayman Islands to finalize plans for a new partnership. They’re also working with representatives in Limpopo, South Africa, to get a program off the ground in the near future.

Kendall Madison, a senior nursing student and president of Nursing Students Without Borders, traveled to Costa Rica in December 2019 with the organization. She considers the trip the highlight of her nursing education.

“We’re producing really excellent nurses. ... People come to our [job] fairs and they want our students.”

–Karen Jagiello (‘06M), professor and RN to BSN program director

“It’s one of my absolute favorite memories from JMU—getting to work alongside all those people and see their vulnerability to open up and accept us into their community,” Madison said. “Being completely immersed in another community’s culture changes your whole perspective of nursing—what it really means to people and how much you can impact their lives just by a simple interaction.”

Study abroad affords students the ability to explore new cultures and gain new perspectives that help shape their future experiences.

However, study abroad in the School of Nursing is unique because students are asked to use their knowledge and critical thinking skills to address challenges in health care infrastructure that, in some cases, vastly differs from systems in the United States.

“It makes you stronger as a nurse, builds your teamwork and forces you to use clinical judgment in a different setting,” Madison said. “And so, JMU does prepare us in the classroom, but this is just another way to enforce and solidify your skills.”

Serving the nation On top of an already rigorous academic workload, nursing students in the Army ROTC program have to balance an even more demanding schedule. While the experience may be trying, these students leave JMU equipped to provide exceptional health care to service members and their families.

Specifically, ROTC works with the School of Nursing to provide supplemental leadership and military training that prepare students to be compassionate and skilled leaders in the industry.

“I can’t think of a better field than nursing that embraces the Air Force culture,” said Capt. Abigail Fredericksen Webber (’13).

“Although it was challenging at times to balance the early-morning runs up and down the stairs of D-Hall, followed by an 8 a.m. test in anatomy, I believe my nursing career benefited from the challenges I faced as an ROTC student and made me the officer I am today. I am forever indebted to JMU and the nursing school for giving me the opportunity to pursue both the military and nursing.”

2012 2006

Nursing joins the College of Health and Behavioral Studies and relocates to Burruss Hall.

120 BSN students 13 MSN students 8 RN-BSN students 27 faculty

2010 1999-2011

Merle Mast oversees tremendous growth and change.

2014

180 BSN students 25 MSN students 41 RN-BSN students 10 DNP students 42 faculty W I N T E R

2 02 1

29

RISING TO THE OCCASION

The School of Nursing has a memorandum of understanding with Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC to guarantee a minimum number of seats for students who meet the requirements. Often, there are more than the minimum number of ROTC applicants who are admitted based on their own merit without the additional consideration.

The success of the program is reflected in national recognition. The Army charged JMU’s program with a Nurse Commission that reflects the quality and professionalism of the Duke Battalion and the nursing cadets who graduate from JMU. Nursing Army ROTC cadets also are offered opportunities to apply their learning in hands-on summer programs. The Nurse Summer Training Program is a paid, threeweek program that assigns cadets to Army hospitals throughout the U.S. and Germany. The program introduces students to the Army Medical Department and exposes them, firsthand, to the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps Officer.

ROTC nursing majors optimize the sense of service and commitment that so often characterizes the School of Nursing.

Paving the future When Julie Sanford took over as director in 2011, the School of Nursing had just undergone massive growth—adding the MSN,

“There’s a real spirit of innovation that exists. If you have an idea, the leadership is supportive of you to be able to take that idea and run with it.

There’s so much creativity here.”

–Erika Sawin (‘20M), professor

RN to BSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. But the growth didn’t stop there.

Sanford was particularly proud of how the school developed faculty during her tenure, which resulted in faculty and enrollment numbers nearly doubling from 2006 to 2014.

“Investment in people is the most critical step you can take as a leader,” Sanford said. “It’s really cyclical ... Investment in one group leads to investment in the next, and ultimately, the best health care for our patients, families and communities, which is my priority goal as an academic nursing leader.”

The School of Nursing encourages faculty to innovate and keep up with the changing demands of the profession. Professor Erika Sawin (’20M) said this thirst for innovation transfers to students, noting the school doesn’t produce “cookie-cutter” nurses.

“There’s a real spirit of innovation that exists,” Sawin said. “If you have an idea, the leadership is supportive of you to be able to take that idea and run with it. There’s so much creativity here.”

The spirit of innovation is complemented by the steady addition of professors who come from varied backgrounds and who challenge students to learn beyond the status quo.

As the program expanded, the school began to receive more recognition across the state and the nation. Recognitions include:

#12 BSN (College Resource Network Nursing Schools Nationwide Best Colleges) n #6 RN to BSN (30 Best Value Colleges for Nursing in the South) n #1 registerednursing.org (2019 Best Online RN to BSN Programs in Virginia) n #82 MSN Program (U.S. News & World Report) n #61 Best On-Line Graduate Nursing Programs (U.S. News & World Report) n

Since becoming director in 2019, Eaton has focused on strengthening the advocacy

TIMELINE (Cont.)

2020

2016

The School of Nursing relocates to the new Health and Behavioral Studies Building.

2011-19

Julie Sanford focuses on developing faculty.

30

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

2019-

Melody Eaton (‘84) encourages students to be leaders and advocates.

246 BSN students 37 MSN students 168 RN-BSN students 13 DNP students 48 faculty 10 faculty emeritae 14 staff

2020

RISING TO THE OCCASION

“We have 40 years of excellence, and it’s only the beginning.”

–Melody Eaton (‘84), director

arm of the school and equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to be leaders in their workplaces, communities, states and beyond. Students at each level are exposed to government policy and advocacy.

BSN students participate annually in the Health Policy Summit, where they work to develop solutions to issues affecting health and then present their resolutions to local legislators. Each semester, student groups evaluate current bills before Congress relating to opioid crisis prevention, and the top three solutions are presented to lawmakers.

RN to BSN students research a particular bill and draft a letter to their representative in support or in opposition to the policy.

“Hill Day” is an opportunity for graduate students to visit the state capital or nation’s capital to present on health care-related legislation. All nurse practitioner students participate in the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioner’s conference, which is a state NP political advocacy organization. At the DNP level, students participate in the weeklong Health Policy Institute, where students are introduced to a variety of health policy organizations in Washington, D.C. “It’s all about educating our students to be advocates for clients, communities, population health—and not being afraid to take a stand and go see their legislator, or be a legislator one day, run for office,” Eaton said. “We need more nurses making decisions in our country.”

(Above): BSN students work in interdisciplinary teams at the Health Policy Summit in 2017. (Left): Nursing instructor Jayme Haynes engages with students through virtual simulations. (Below): MSN students at the Russell Senate Building on Hill Day in Washington, D.C.

Since its formation in 1980, the School of Nursing has been adaptive and conscious of evolving needs and expectations affecting the health care field. In 40 years, the school has risen to each occasion—a nursing shortage, expectations to obtain advanced degrees and now, a pandemic. Nursing matters more than ever.

“We have a history of being innovative and living out the mission of the university—Being the Change,” Eaton said. “We’ve

EDITOR’S NOTE: For the first time in this publication’s long history, a

student is the author of our cover story. (We scoured magazine archives to confirm this.) The cover story was written by editorial assistant Amanda Christian (’20). She graduated in December 2020 but was a student while writing this piece. The fact that a JMU student authors a widely read publication’s cover story—which would be a standout

embraced growth when it was needed, and we’ve really met the needs of the commonwealth and the nation. We have 40 years of excellence, and it’s only the beginning.”

achievement even for mid-career professionals—typifies how at JMU, you can be your best self and reach your potential. Our students’ skills shine bright in an environment that allows them to flourish.

Special thanks to the JMU School of Nursing faculty and staff for their contributions. Check out the 2020 School of Nursing magazine at https://j.mu/nursingmag.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

31

Mega mineral gift

Via Collection revealed for the first time at JMU Mineral Museum

By Pam Brock

Baryte

A simple barium sulfate by composition with an orthorhombic crystal structure, baryte is a relatively common mineral. These crystals from the Pohla Mine in Saxony, Germany, are exceptionally bright and colorful.

Gem Photographs by Jeff Scovil

J

ames Madison University is the steward of a mineral collection valued at more than $16.8 million from the late Peter L. Via of Roanoke, Virginia. The gift is the largest in JMU’s history.

“We are so pleased to be able to make this remarkable collection available to the public,” said President Jonathan R. Alger, who announced the estate gift at the Nov. 6, 2020, JMU Board of Visitors meeting. “This gift from Peter Via enhances the stature of science education at JMU just as [October’s] Hartman Hall naming While Peter Via began a seribenefits our business programs. Truly, we are honored to receive this ous interest in collecting minerals in the 1990s, his fascinalevel of support from our donors during the Unleashed campaign.” tion started when he noticed “Mineral enthusiasts who come in, they’re going to look at the at age 5 or 6 that a rock he was big gem crystals, the aquamarines, the emeralds, the tanzanites, the kicking was full of little crysbeautiful things,” said Lance Kearns, JMU professor emeritus of tals. From then on, he said, he was “transfixed.” geology and curator of the JMU Mineral Museum. “A professional

32

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

V I A

C O L L E C T I O N

Emerald

A variety of the mineral beryl, crystals are hexagonal and prismatic in their geometry. Chemically they are beryllium aluminum silicates. The beautiful green color is a result of minor trace elements of chromium and vanadium.

This specimen comes from Colombia, the world's most renowned location for gem-quality emeralds.

Usually cut into faceted stones, the crystals are hard to come by.

Red beryl

Less than 3 inches high, this crystal is one of the largest specimens known. Red beryl is extremely rare and specimens come almost exclusively from the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah.

“They’re going to look at aquamarines the size of your hand, emeralds, tanzanite, crystal ... and be wowed by them.”

–Lance Kearns, curator and founder, JMU Mineral Museum

mineralogist might come in looking for the rare and unusual things. We have a specimen of hydroxylherderite, one of the largest crystals in the world. We also have a ferro-axinite crystal, one of the biggest in the world. So it depends on your point of view as to what is going to be special.”

The collection, adds Geology and Environmental Science Department Head Steve Leslie, “is most valuable because it’s accessible to a lot of people to experience. ... The real value is to society and the more we’re able to share it, I think the more we get out of the collection itself.”

The Via gift affirms JMU’s status in higher education, given that it is among just 25% of U.S. colleges and universities that have geology departments. And in this rarified world, JMU has attracted and developed top scholars—in part because of the geography of the Shenandoah Valley.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

33

V I A

“This part of the world is rich with all kinds of really interesting geologic features,” said Cynthia Bauerle, who was dean of the College of Science and Mathematics when the bequest was realized. “So it’s no wonder that we have attracted the caliber of geoscientists that we have in JMU’s geology department. … We have geologists in our Geology and Environmental Science Department who publish in the best journals in the world, who have national and international reputations, who are at the forefront of their fields doing research. We have geologists who are involved in global research collaborations at polar expeditions. Our students benefit from that as a daily experience.”

The acquisition promises to solve a longtime mystery for mineral collectors who have only heard about Via’s collection and brings international attention to the JMU Mineral Museum, which for almost five decades has been a popular mid-Atlantic draw for mineral enthusiasts, tourists, K-12 educators and school-children.

C O L L E C T I O N

“JMU has suddenly become an important destination for serious mineral collectors, very few of whom have ever been granted an opportunity to see it.”

— Wendell Wilson, Mineralogical Record

A destination collection “With the acquisition of the Peter Via mineral collection, James Madison University has suddenly become an important destination for serious mineral collectors, very few of whom have ever been granted an opportunity to see it,” Wendell Wilson of the Mineralogical Record reported in its September/October 2020 issue. The publication is considered the journal of record among mineral professionals and enthusi-

asts and worked in conjunction with worldrenowned mineral photographer Jeff Scovil to be the first to visit JMU to photograph and report on the collection in 2019.

“We now have a situation where people are going to come here just to see the collection,” Kearns said. “They’ll come to JMU for that.”

Recognition is also coming in the form of invitations for the museum to display nationally and internationally, including from the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium in New York and the Munich Show (Mineralientage), the largest mineral trade show of its kind in Europe.

Driving this attention, in part, is the appeal of finally being able to lay eyes on a collection people had previously only heard about.

“What we’re looking at here with the Via Collection are some of the finest examples of these species in the world,” Kearns said.

“Peter was known internationally. He was kind of reclusive. He never went out to shows. Basically, he would have people bring him material and he wanted the finest in the world. He would basically pay anything to get the No. 1 example of the species.”

The JMU Mineral Museum is housed in the Festival Conference and Student Center. It currently holds more than 1,770 catalogued specimens in 18 specially lit display cases.

34

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

M I N E R A L M U S EU M PH OTO G R A PH BY J U ST I N ROT H

V I A

C O L L E C T I O N

Rhodochrosite on tetrahedrite

The color of this manganese carbonate is always some shade of pink. The two most common major crystal forms are the rhombohedron and the scalenohedron. This specimen comes from the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado. They are also most commonly found in the Kalahari Manganese fields of South Africa.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

35

V I A According to the Mineralogical Record, “The Peter Via collection consists of 314 specimens chosen for their high quality and aesthetic appeal. ... The collection is particularly rich in suites of pegmatite minerals (tourmaline, topaz, beryl), azurite, calcite, barite, fluorite, quartz, gold and rhodochrosite. Rare species were not a focus of the collection, which instead relies on 76 relatively common species that are widely available in display quality.” Wilson reports they are “ … common, colorful, well-crystallized species.”

Peter L. Via “The Via Collection previously fell into the category of private (or even ‘secret’) highend collections formed by wealthy individuals with no interest in sharing access to their treasures,” according to the journal. “Peter Via was one of those elusive, behind-thescenes major mineral collectors.”

Via, who died Nov. 27, 2018, was born in California in 1941 and became a well-known Roanoke businessman and philanthropist.

His parents’ family is known for its philanthropy, especially to Virginia Tech.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman and contributed to causes associated with the natural world. According to his obituary in Rocks and Minerals, Via was known primarily in the world of American Saddlebred horse breeding. His Fox Grape Farm produced Callaways Copyright, a trotter who was the only six-time winner in the 100-plus-year history of the Har-

C O L L E C T I O N

“Each specimen is a work of art by Mother Nature.”

–Lance Kearns,

Curator and founder, JMU Mineral Museum

ness World Grand Champion. Via and his wife, Lynn, were major financial donors to the American Saddlebred Museum.

Stepdaughter Claire Sullivan (’90) and her husband, Tom (’90), both serve on the JMU Parents Council. Their son, Patrick, is a College of Business senior due to graduate in May. In the mid-1990s, Via began a serious interest in collecting minerals, but the source of his fascination started much earlier and is not widely known. “He told me that when he was 5 or 6 and living in California, he was kicking a rock and noticed it was full of little crystals and from then on, he said, he was transfixed,” said Kathy Sarver (’03M), JMU’s director of planned giving who worked with Via to arrange the gift.

A rare relationship Lance and Cindy Kearns were among the rare few Via invited into his home to see and talk about his collection. No doubt word had reached Roanoke of their reputations as scholars, researchers and teachers. But spurring that attention was also their intense involvement with mineral enthusiasts and Cindy and Lance Kearns examine new specimens that were donated by the estate of Peter L. Via.

clubs around Virginia and the central Appalachian and mid-Atlantic regions.

“Lance always had a high appreciation for mineral collectors outside of the academic community,” Leslie said. “His passion for that was such that he would meet with clubs, and he was the true professional who was accessible to mineral clubs and societies. He would bring them to campus and run events for them, identify minerals with them. He treated them with a tremendous amount of respect and enjoyment and did a huge amount of outreach and education.”

Via relied on the Kearnses’ expertise and, now and again, he would donate a specimen to the museum. Yet their long relationship got off to a rocky start.

“He called me one day before we ever met and asked me whether the museum had security,” Kearns said. “I said, ‘huh?’ and he hung up. I didn’t know who he was.”

That phone call occurred in the early days of the JMU Mineral Museum, when it was located in glass cases and drawers in Miller Hall. Later, in the 2000s, Bauerle’s predecessor as dean, David Brakke, recognized the museum’s value and made the investment to move it into secure display cases in Memorial Hall, the former Harrisonburg High School.

There it served geology majors and other JMU students who took geology courses. It also became a regular stop for science field trips from area schools and a focal point for regional mineralogical societies, whose financial support helped purchase the cases and underwrite JMU student geology trips into the field.

Luckily, by that time, Via had called back, and the two never spoke of the earlier exchange. The relationship between Via and the Kearnses ultimately led to Via’s bequest of his collection to JMU.

JMU Mineral Museum Several years ago, JMU invested in a new headquarters with specialized lighting, display cases, security and storage in the Festival Conference and Student Center, making way for the museum to become one of the final science assets to make the move to JMU’s East Campus hub for the science disciplines. The Mathematics and Statistics Department and Wells Planetarium remain in Miller Hall.

36

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

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

V I A The museum has been on hiatus for the move and a complete rethinking of the presentation to allow for integrating the Via Collection.

“The original collection in Memorial Hall was arranged in a systematic display, meaning that minerals were displayed and classified based on their chemical composition and atomic structures,” explained Cindy Kearns, who serves as the museum’s interim collections manager. “With the addition of the Via Collection, we still have a systematic classification, but with the large amounts of single species, we want to be able to highlight those individual species as well. So you’ll see that there is still some systematic appearance to it. But then there are specialty cases—the beryl case or the tourmaline case or the fluorite case—rather than just the individual classes of minerals.”

The Via Collection’s 314 specimens increase the museum’s mineralogical holdings and constitute its third major collection.

The museum also features the JMU Collection, which the Kearnses have developed over four decades of research and acquisition, including their own contributions of specimens. The other major collection is the Virginia Mineral Collection, funded by Richard S. Mitchell in 1989 and endowed by his father, Clarence Mitchell, in 1993. “It is probably one of, if not the, finest collection of Virginia minerals,” Lance Kearns said.

The museum currently displays 378 exhibits in 18 cases, including the Fluorescent Collection in a room with ultraviolet light. Overall, the museum holds more than 1,770 catalogued specimens. Most are in storage for possible later rotation into exhibition, including 5,000 micromounts from the collections of Phil Cosminsky and Fred Keidel. Specimens come from 39 countries and 24 U.S. states with emphasis on Elmwood, Tennessee, and Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey.

Something for everyone The infusion of the Via Collection will intensify the mineral museum’s ongoing role in JMU’s STEM outreach and “serve as a vehicle or a portal for a young person,” Bauerle said. “All of a sudden, they start thinking, ‘Gee, how does something so beautiful

C O L L E C T I O N

Purple and gold provide a JMU dazzle to many of the specimens in the Via Collection.

The JMU Mineral Museum staff has chosen this piece, from the Elmwood-Gordonsville zinc mines in Smith County, Tennessee, to serve as its publicity or “icon” specimen. The yellow points (gold) are calcite crystals that sit on purple fluorite crystals.

These, in turn, sit on a dark reddish brown mineral called sphalerite, which is the main ore mineral of zinc.

form naturally? What does it mean that it takes thousands of years or millions of years for a structure like this to form? Why does this structure look like this? And this one looks so very different. What are the conditions that lead to that? How would I learn more about that?’ Those are the questions that a scientist might ask. And I think that’s always what we’re trying to do when we showcase the collections that we have.

We showcase the kinds of things that we’re doing here at JMU. It’s always about how we can make the science accessible and excite their imagination.

“We’re a public institution, and so it is our mission to provide opportunities for learning to our community, to the Commonwealth [of Virginia],” Bauerle said. “I think this is a beautiful example of how we do that, stewarding a relationship that led to the opportunity that we have to showcase this really spectacular collection. It reso-

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

nates very directly with our mission. I think that’s something to celebrate.”

Public premiere pending The Via Collection’s public premiere had been scheduled for the Spring 2020 semester as part of the grand reopening of the museum in its new secure location in the Festival, but it has been postponed until further notice because of COVID-19 restrictions. When the museum is able to open, the mystery surrounding the Via Collection will finally be resolved as collectors and others from around the world are able to visit and see Via’s specimens for themselves. Until then, visits for the curious are possible by appointment only, dependent on the discretion of museum staff.

See more of the Via Collection and hear from the Kearnses about the gift to JMU at https://j.mu/Viacollection.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

37

Delivering hope

JMU Supply Chain Club helps distribute medical supplies to African hospitals

A

By Stephen Briggs

chieving a goal is always cause for pride in a job well done, especially one that involves a global humanitarian effort. But meeting that goal and surpassing it by 100%? That’s how Dukes do it.

The JMU Supply Chain Club team and its adviser, professor of management Bill Ritchie, recently loaded the second of two 40-foot containers filled with medical supplies destined for Africa. Along with Dr. Mark Smith, executive director of the local nonprofit Mihret Medical Supply Group, the group was finishing up a humanitarian project a year in the making, initially called the Congo Ebola Medical Relief project.

In Fall 2019, the JMU Supply Chain Club (officially the Association of Supply Chain Management, Shenandoah Chapter, formerly APICS) leadership team met with Smith and developed the goal to source, store and ship medical equipment and supplies to African hospitals dealing with the Ebola crisis. At the time, the team hoped to find enough supplies to fill one 40-foot shipping container.

38

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Since a vital element for supply chains is Medical supplies warehousing, the group started by approach- arrive in Africa, thanks to the ing Matchbox Realty, which donated space coordinated to warehouse the supplies. Five months later, work of the JMU the students began filling a new, larger space Supply Chain provided by Interchange Group, with grow- Club and local partners. ing donations from Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg and Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia.

As the COVID-19 pandemic began, international borders in some African countries were shut down and warehouse security increased, causing concern about the viability of meeting the project’s goals. The logistics of the stateside effort changed as well.

“Our network of management was initially face to face,” Ritchie said. “We could meet and talk about detail, but all of a sudden we were working remotely. We might as well have been in different countries. We had to consider safety.”

During this time, however, Smith identified additional medical

PH OTO G R A PH BY H E LPI N G H A N DS FO R S U RV I VO RS , D E M O C R AT I C R E PU B LI C O F CO N G O

M E D I C A L

equipment needs in Ethiopia and added that country to the project’s original goals.

In early August 2020, club members Bhumik Shah and Jess Lewis, along with Ritchie and Smith, loaded the first of the 40-foot containers with supplies, and within a week it was on its way to the port at Djibouti and ultimately inland to Ethiopia. The second full container was sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mihret executive board member Dr. Tilahun Goshu, an Ethiopian national who is affiliated with the Ethiopian hospitals, was on hand to help identify critical equipment needed for the shipment.

“African health systems, especially in Ethiopia, are under-equipped. Many people are deprived of optimal health care services, and as a result, millions do not have access to health care,” Goshu said. “The Mihret and JMU Supply Chain partnership is essential for introducing, distributing and maintaining technical solutions and providing an extended economic improvement network in Ethiopia. This partnership can tackle poor practice in supply, transforming the substandard health service and positively affecting its health outcomes.”

From a student perspective, Lewis was enthusiastic about the venture, saying, “Our project with Mihret Medical is a great experience for the members of our club. It provides

R E L I E F

P R O J E C T

“This partnership can tackle poor practice in supply, transforming the substandard health service and positively affecting its health outcomes.”

— Dr. Tilahun Goshu,

Mihret executive board member

the opportunity to learn about supply chain operations while giving back to people in need.”

Ritchie is pleased with the real-world experience the student team has acquired in this new venture as well as new content for his teaching.

He is working with Geollect, a British geospatial intelligence company co-founded by Cate Gwilliam (’03), who donated programming time to create an app to track the cargo vessels and incorporate the information in his supply chain GIS lessons. Ritchie also wrote a simulation for exporting to use in class that uses Geollect data to teach students how vessels are tracked using satellites, and walks them through the export documentation needed for the items to move internationally.

The JMU Supply Chain Club will continue the project in future

semesters, and the learning opportunities won’t end there. “My dream for this project is that it becomes [an] ongoing long-term effort that will yield significant returns for our JMU students and the broader community,” Ritchie said.

In fact, JMU has allocated 1,000 square feet of storage space for soft supplies inventory. From there, students will do inventory and repack goods, then send them to the main warehouse to be loaded into containers. Ritchie’s hope is that through donations and investment, the group won’t have to rely on the goodwill of Interchange Group’s donated space.

Word of the project even reached Ethiopian ambassador to the United States, Fitsum Arega, who traveled to Harrisonburg in December 2020 to see firsthand the quality and types of supplies available. As a result of the meeting, the team received a request for two more containers for Ethiopia, and plans to deliver them in Spring 2021.

(Above): The original JMU Supply Chain Club team involved in the mission. (Left, L-R): College of Business Dean Michael Busing, Bill Ritchie, Ambassador Fitsum Arega and Dr. Mark Smith in Harrisonburg.

A M BA S SA D O R V I S I T PH OTO G R A PH BY J U ST I N ROT H ; O R I G I N A L T E A M BY B I LL R I TC H I E

W I N T E R

2 02 1

39

The value is in the process

Fulbright applicants pay it forward with Top 5 lessons

T

By Meredith M. Malburne-Wade, director of student fellowships advising

he Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals. Each year, the program sends more than 2,100 young Ameri-

cans abroad for eight to 13 months to conduct research or artistic endeavors, pursue graduate study, teach English or pursue other initiatives. This year, 49 James Madison University graduating seniors and alumni applied for a Fulbright U.S. Student Grant in countries from Mexico to Mozambique. While they don’t know the outcome of their applications yet, several applicants are sharing their Top 5 lessons—and a piece of advice—for future Fulbrighters.

Abigail Weiderhold (’20)

Eric Rondeau (’19, ’20M)

Ciara Brennan (’17)

Monica Slater

Elena Rogers

Alison Sall (’19, ’20M)

“I was able to develop a shorter-term plan for my goals and get a better idea of how to implement my college experiences into a successful career path.”

— Abigail Weiderhold ( ’20)

40

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

ST U D E N T PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F T H E O FFI C E O F ST U D E N T FE LLOWS H I PS A DV I S I N G

F U L B R I G H T

1

It will help you crystallize your future goals.

The application process for Fulbright, one that includes thinking through both short-term and long-term goals, helps applicants forge and articulate their career paths. Theresa Perez (’20), who was a vocal education major, applied for an English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. She said, “Fulbright has helped me get to know my goals and future direction by showing me how much I love teaching.” Fulbright helped Perez see new avenues to use her degree. “I never would have considered teaching English in a foreign country, but going through the application process has enticed me into looking at what other opportunities there are.”

Honors graduate Abigail Weiderhold (’20), who majored in intelligence analysis, said, “Fulbright helped me redefine what my future goals are and narrow into more of what I wanted to do in life. I was able to develop a shorter-term plan for my goals and get a better idea of how to implement my college experiences into a successful career path.” She hopes to teach English next year in Kyrgyzstan, using her Russian language skills from her minor at JMU.

2

It will help you synthesize your JMU experience.

Most fellowship applications ask applicants to demonstrate how the pieces of their college career—from classes to internships to extracurriculars—come together, and Fulbright is no exception. Fulbright helped Eric Rondeau (’19, ’20M), who majored in interdisciplinary liberal studies and education, see clearly how JMU set him up for success. “JMU has done a great job preparing me for any scenario I may come into,” he said, as it gave him “credible experience” to use in his application, including “[teaching] placements, leadership roles and many more invaluable ideas and experiences.”

He hopes to apply his experiences teaching English in North Macedonia.

L E S S O NS

“I’ve learned that I am resilient and can do anything I set my mind to.”

— Alison Sall ( ’19, ’20M)

3

It will help you become a better writer.

Fulbright requires an intensive and unique process of writing and revision. “This isn’t like writing a research paper in college,” said Ciara Brennan (’17), who majored in writing, rhetoric and technical communication and applied to research the culture of bread making in Germany through the Young Professional Journalist Program.

“This is writing a research paper about your dreams with a chance that everything you’ve written could happen in a year, or not.

This process is both highly professional and deeply personal, and it’s going to surprise you how invested you’ll become.”

Honors student Monica Slater, a tutor with the University Writing Center, hopes to turn her undergraduate experience in vocal performance into a funded year of studying opera at the Liszt Academy in Hungary after her anticipated 2021 graduation. She advises future applicants that “the revision process is transformative; keep going and don’t give up.”

4

It will teach you more than you could ever expect about yourself.

Fulbright won’t just teach you about writing, however. Brennan said she learned “I am the single biggest obstacle to my success and ambitions,” but applying for Fulbright helped her pursue her dreams. “The biggest thing I learned about myself is that I didn’t know myself as well as I thought I did,” said Weiderhold, who credits Fulbright with helping her learn how to express her plans meaningfully for others.

Elena Rogers plans to graduate this spring with a degree in marketing. She hopes Fulbright will fund a master’s degree

program in business and law at University College Dublin. Her biggest lesson from the Fulbright process? “My dreams are achievable and there are people in the world willing to help me achieve them.

Whether it be faculty telling me I have so much more I could include about myself in my essays, a foreign professor excitedly announcing her desire to supervise my graduate research, or seeing other women who have achieved similar feats, my desire to achieve what I once thought was impossible is strengthened.”

5

It will help you realize you can do more than you imagined.

Every Fulbright applicant hopes to win the award. The journey of the application, however, is sometimes just as revelatory.

“I’ve learned that I am resilient and can do anything I set my mind to,” said Alison Sall (’19, ’20M), who majored in mathematics and education. Brennan said, “I’ll be disappointed if I don’t receive the grant, but I’ll be so grateful for the process. I know my goals now, I know what I’m passionate about, and I know I can do hard things.”

Slater said she learned how to lean on others. “The biggest favor I did for myself was asking for help—from Dr. MalburneWade [director of student fellowships advising], two voice teachers, a mentor and even a local Hungarian speaker. With support from these people, I got through each of my challenges.” Rogers described how the process made her more determined: “Applying for Fulbright, you are well aware that the odds are against you, and yet that doesn’t matter. What you learn about yourself and your goals during the process will motivate you to find alternative routes to achieve those goals.”

But what’s the best piece of advice for those interested in Fulbright or other awards? “Do it! No matter what your reason for it is, you might as well give it a shot.

It can surprise you with what you can do,” Rondeau said.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

41

‘Why don’t we put Marilou there?’

Johnson’s 32-year career at JMU spanned multiple roles

By Janet Smith (’81)

S

esame Street was well established as a children’s television exemplar, and “I wanted to be Big Bird,” Marilou Moore Johnson (’80) said of her plans when she enrolled at JMU in 1977.

Before the days when creating one’s personal academic path was more accepted, Johnson was unknowingly building curriculum in which she merged course work in communication arts and education with an eye toward working in children’s media and studying television’s reach.

An opportunity to visit the offices of the Children’s Television Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street, during a summer trip to New York City made her decide the program wasn’t for her. And advice from an internship supervisor at public television station WVPT in Harrisonburg spurred her to consider graduate school and, ultimately, a role in higher education.

42

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

The many roles that Marilou Moore Johnson (’80) filled at JMU during a distinguished career made the most of her innate kindness, coupled with her “let’s-getit-accomplished” attitude.

J O H N S O N ( ’ 8 0) S PE A K I N G TO S M A D C L A S S PH OTO G R A PH BY M I K E M I R I E LLO ( ’ 09 M ); I N T E R I M D E A N PO RT R A I T, TA LK I N G TO ST U D E N T, W I T H D R . ROS E A N D LU N C H EO N G RO U P BY D I A N E E LLI OT T (’ 0 0)

A

D I ST I N G U I S H E D

“I come from a long line of teachers, my grandmothers, my great aunts,” Johnson said.

“I’m not sure that I knew all the other options out there for me professionally.”

A path from JMU—she earned a Bachelor of Science in communication arts in three years—led to Arkansas State University, where she earned a Master of Science in mass communication, taught video produc-

C A R E E R

joined him on the faculty, the beginning of a 32-year career at her alma mater.

Teaching and student advising in the School of Media Arts and Design was the focus of her first decade at the university. Her first brush with administration was as a member of the JMU Faculty Senate and its Curriculum Committee. That service, coupled with work on one of her college’s committees, drew the attention of the dean of the College of Arts and Letters, the late Richard F. Whitman.

Whitman’s college, encompassing 14 schools and departments, a public broadcasting station and a Media Production Center, needed an assistant dean, a role Johnson almost didn’t apply for. A colleague encouraged her to consider the position, which called for experience in curriculum, communication, faculty development and working with committees. Whitman selected Johnson, and “that started me on a path,” she said.

“She quietly uplifts her colleagues, never seeking the spotlight, and she empowers everyone.”

— Heather Coltman,

provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs

tion and broadcast newswriting, and met her future husband, George Johnson. Through a series of fortunate occurrences, George taught at JMU in 1984-85 and was again hired in 1988 to teach in the Department of Communication. This time, Marilou, who was completing a Ph.D. in communications at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville,

“He was a wonderful mentor,” Johnson said of Whitman. “As I took on other roles, I realized I had watched a really gifted leader. He also gave me wings.”

From that first administrative position, Johnson was asked to take on others. She was associate dean of the college, while concurrently serving separate stints as interim director of the Institute for Technical and Scientific Communication, School of Music and School of Art and Art History.

In October 2004, Johnson became interim dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, serving until June 2008, when the late George Sparks came to JMU as dean. One of Sparks’ first decisions was to appoint Johnson as associate dean. Together, they administered a college of creative people while working with

J O H N S O N ( ’ 8 0) W I T H S H I R LE Y RO B E RTS ( ’ 56) A N D LE A D I N G FO R B E S C E N T E R TO U R PH OTO G R A PH S

BY D I A N E E LLI OT T (’ 0 0); S PE A K I N G AT O PE R A R EC E PT I O N BY H O LLY M A RC U S

design and fundraising professionals to make the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts a reality in 2010. [See Johnson’s tribute to Sparks on Page 45.]

Johnson returned to SMAD, this time as director, for one year before becoming vice provost for faculty and curriculum in 2015.

In a pattern that was familiar to her, she was called on to serve as interim dean of JMU Libraries from March 2018 until July 2019.

“JMU is a gem,” Johnson said. “Faculty have such great ideas and abilities, and we have tremendous talent here. People have such a creative spirit, and the university provides space for people to innovate.”

She believes her career is evidence of that environment. “In many instances, it was just somebody who believed in me—Dick Whitman, [Provost] Doug Brown, [Vice Provost] Teresa Gonzalez and many others—who said, ‘Why don’t we put Marilou there?’ But what I always knew, those leaders had my back.”

Heather Coltman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said, “In her many years at James Madison University, the higher education landscape has radically changed, and Dr. Johnson has skillfully adapted with it, rising to each and every challenge. She quietly uplifts her colleagues, never seeking the spotlight, and she empowers everyone.”

In retirement, Johnson and her husband continue to support JMU. In 2005, they established the Blanche Garrett Memorial Endowment for Scholarship in Media Arts and Design to honor the memory of Marilou’s great aunt, who studied at JMU during Summer terms in 1918 and 1919. Their daughter, Callie Miller (’08), continues the faculty connection with JMU as a professor of engineering. Their daughter, Caitlin Hawes (’11), and Marilou’s brothers, Dr. French Moore III (’78) and Garrett Moore (’85), are also JMU alumni.

Johnson’s many contributions to JMU were recognized in August 2020 when she received the President’s Purple Star Award for Career Achievement. “The career that I’ve had at this institution is the career that most people have by going from institution to institution,” Johnson said. “It’s been a privilege to have a variety of meaningful experiences.”

W I N T E R

2 02 1

43

A

D I ST I N G U I S H E D

C A R E E R

Grateful alumni Her former students praise Johnson’s generosity

“Marilou has a gift for identifying women with leadership potential and provides both advice and opportunities for their entry into administration.

Many of us have benefited from the space she creates to explore our interests and ease into new and challenging situations. She facilitates the collaboration of women on campus and encourages us to be supportive of each other.

Though her home discipline is communications, Marilou is recognized as an effective and sought-out leader throughout the Division of Academic Affairs. As a result of her willingness to move outside of her traditional area and immerse herself deeply in the other programs she has led, she is well respected by administrators and the faculty she supervised. Despite the temporary nature of several of these roles, Marilou invested significant time in learning about the various academic units and supporting their faculty. She used her time in these areas to grow her network and develop mentoring relationships with women from across the division.

In her first year as my supervisor, Marilou encouraged me to begin a doctoral program part time. Since I began the program, Marilou has gone out of her way to allow me the flexibility at work I needed to be a successful student, as well as regularly inquiring about my studies and providing helpful advice. I have seen this generosity of spirit applied to others advancing their education.”

—Kristi Shackelford

(’94, ’00M, ’21Ph.D.), mass communications n Chief communications officer, Academic Affairs 44

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

“I have many wonderful memories of Dr. Johnson, but I will always remember when I was working on the on-campus program JMU Today. At the time, I was a new field producer for the show under Dr. Johnson and my first assignment was a video news package. In class a few days later, she would give us feedback on our assignments. When she called my name, I wasn’t sure what she was going to say but she smiled and said, ‘You’re going places!’

I’m not sure if she ever knew how much those words meant to me and she may have forgotten that she ever said them, but I never did. That assignment was more than just a grade for me—it was my first attempt at something I wasn’t sure I could really do.

Her words were confirmation that I could.

Dr. Johnson’s encouragement, wisdom and guidance during my time at JMU and even post-graduation would have such a lasting impact on me. Several years after I graduated, she contacted me in reference to a job opportunity. I applied and got the job. That was 25 years ago and I’m still with the company today where I’m able to apply the foundational lessons and skills that she taught me.”

—Jacqueline Terry (’91), communications n Leads internal communications at a global Fortune 500 company

“I’m not real sure how much she realizes, but Marilou Johnson played a very large role in my life. As a student at JMU, I originally was a business management major and miserable. I took a year off and when I returned, Marilou championed me to be permitted into what was at the time, the mass communications department. Once I was admitted, she and her husband, George, continued to support me and encourage me in my goals to have a career in the entertainment industry even though, at the time, the curriculum was not really geared in that direction! Toward the end of my time at JMU, I lost my closest friend in a car accident right prior to finals, and I was very lost. Marilou took me into her office and talked to me for several hours about my friend and just what she could do to help me through the remainder of the year. This was something I would never forget, even 25 years later. Had Marilou not championed me into the department back in those years, I am not quite sure where I would be in my career. I do know this, though: Her kindness and generosity of spirit toward me, I try to pay forward to my staff and crews on all of my film and television sets. I am forever grateful for Marilou and George for their leadership at that time, and their continued love and friendship to this present day.”

—Herb Ankrom (’94), media arts and design and theatre n Executive producer and owner of Big Ginger Productions, Ankrom was in the midst of shooting Real Housewives of New Jersey in September 2020 when he commented on Johnson’s effect on his life

A

D I ST I N G U I S H E D

C A R E E R

Remembering George E. Sparks June 17, 1950-Sept. 13, 2020

By Marilou M. Johnson (’80), retired vice provost for faculty and curriculum EDITOR’S NOTE:

Johnson was interim dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts from October 2004 until June 2008, when George E. Sparks joined JMU as dean of the college. As associate dean of CVPA, she worked closely with him until June 2014.

Johnson presented a remembrance at a memorial program held for Sparks by the college in September 2020. An edited version of her reflections, printed with Johnson’s and Sparks’ widow’s permission, follows.

L

et’s be honest, George wouldn’t be happy about this because he didn’t want to be the center of attention. He was all about promoting and elevating others.

So, he’d probably be interrupting me already, but I’m going to ignore his voice in my head right now and share a few of my reflections.

He was a terrific colleague and steadfast friend. I count our six-year professional partnership as the most transformational and meaningful time in my career.

George and I worked together from the first day he arrived on campus in 2008, until the summer of 2014. I served as associate dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts during that time. He was a gifted leader. He worked to bring people together, to find common ground, to bring harmony when there was discord.

He was a gifted conductor both literally and figuratively—he left the literal conducting behind when he took this position, and more than once he said his role was to lift up the conductors, artists, dancers, musicians, actors, directors who are here, not to be one of them. But he was conducting in a different way. Pointing us forward to achieve our aspirations. He worked strategically to advocate and advance the arts, always with the best interests of students and faculty in mind.

His days in the college started early, typically by 8 a.m. and most ended after 10 at night when a concert, play or art exhibition concluded. Often his day also included helping to set up the lobby for a reception or other special event and putting tables and chairs away at the end of the evening. We had an all-hands-ondeck approach, and George was right there, no matter what else was on his to-do list.

George’s vision was to elevate what had been a well-kept secret. He brought the arts onto equal footing with other disciplines by demonstrating their important place in educating the whole student and contributing to the richness of our community.

Over the past two weeks, the messages I’ve received have shared a common theme: George was a kind and caring man.

As the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts construction project was ending, he and I took a walk around the building early one morning. We crossed Main Street and stepped up onto the sidewalk that runs down the side of the building near the large electronic sign. We had taken about five steps when we simultaneously realized that we were leaving slight footprints in uncured cement. We both jumped off the sidewalk, and looked back. I don’t think anyone today can see the imprints we left, but I know that George’s footprints and handprints are everywhere. Some might call that his legacy, but I think of it as his heart prints.

And, if like me, you were on the receiving end of George’s kindness, you know how special he was. He was selfless in his support of me when my husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and I had to take a leave to support him during his treatment. George made it easy for me to step away and then to return.

I dare say that everyone who knew George has a memory of him and his innate ability to connect. He listened intently, cared deeply and let you know that he was there for you.

Sheryl, you shared a wonderful soul with us for the past 12 years, and while we will miss him, his imprint on our hearts will last forever.

[Sheryl Gifford is Sparks’ widow.]

“He brought the arts onto equal footing with other disciplines by demonstrating their important place in educating the whole student and contributing to the richness of our community.”

S PA R K S A N D J O H N S O N ( ’ 8 0) PH OTO G R A PH BY D I A N E E LLI OT T ( ’ 0 0)

W I N T E R

2 02 1

45

Making the most of online classes

Tips from JMU students on transitioning to virtual learning

By Emily Blake, JMU Libraries communications and marketing coordinator

We know that moving from in-person to online classes can be an adjustment. To help you through this transition, we’ve built a guide to online learning—and collected advice from current JMU students on how to make the most of your online class experience.

Create a space to focus The top piece of advice from students who’ve been through this before is: Find or create a space where you can focus, whether it’s a space where you live, on campus or somewhere else: “Find a space where you can concentrate well! When taking classes and doing work online, it is important to have this dedicated space.”

“Make sure to create a space within your home that is for learning and being productive. This really helped me to focus, rather than doing work in my bed or around my family.”

“The hardest part of the transition from in-person to online classes was finding a designated study space, and once I did, I was more focused and more motivated to complete my work.”

46

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

“I won’t sit in my bed for class. It’s either go to my desk or go to another space in my apartment so that I can have that separation and motivation.”

Put away your phone “Put your phone away!!! Keeping your attention span on a computer is hard, but scrolling through Instagram instead of listening will not help when it’s thinking time and you have no notes to reflect on.”

“Being able to watch a virtual lecture from the comfort of your own space is nice; however, you should still treat it as if you were there in person by sitting at a desk, looking presentable, taking notes and paying attention.”

O N L I N E

L E A R N I N G

T I P S

Make a schedule “Set a schedule (i.e., shower, get dressed, class, workout, homework, etc.) and start work early.”

“By establishing a set study area and study schedule, you are more inclined to focus and get your work done quicker so that you can hang out and do other things.”

“Set out time each day dedicated to that class, just as if you were taking it in person. It keeps you organized and on schedule!”

“Invest money into an agenda and/or use online calendars to have deadlines laid out and prioritize work.

I like to make a daily schedule for myself to keep myself on track and sane while taking classes online.”

Put in the time “Like anything else, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”

“It may seem easier in theory, but it may require more time.”

Take care of yourself “Make sure to prioritize your mental and physical health, which really affects your motivation.”

“Take breaks, go off of social media for a while, and make sure to communicate with your professors and classmates/friends.”

Connect with your classmates “Make video study groups! Don’t be afraid to

Ask for help

“Make sure to reach out if you need help.

Your professors are there to help you whether you are in person or online. Most will respond rather quickly through email, and some even have virtual office hours.” message someone over Canvas. That’s how I met one of my best friends in college.”

“Make friends in your classes! Yes, it is a little bit more difficult since you are online; however, it’s always good to have a buddy that you can share notes with, discuss content and study with.”

“After taking some classes online, I have learned how important any sort of meeting with the professor is, whether that is over a Zoom call or email.”

“Make sure to reach out if you need help. Your professors are there to help you whether you are in person or online. Most will respond rather quickly through email, and some even have virtual office hours.”

“Don’t be afraid to email professors or set up video calls with them because they are there to help you.”

Any other advice?

“Check the JMU Libraries website first before buying a textbook.”

“Professors are also getting used to the online platform, so there will be times of technical difficulties or missing links. Just be patient with your professors, and email them if a problem occurs.”

“Utilize the learning centers online to help with classes.”

“Don’t be afraid to communicate with your professors, even if you have never met them.”

We’re here for you, Dukes. Ask the Library if you want support with online learning, connecting to library resources from off campus, finding a space for online learning in the Libraries, or searching for sources for a research assignment.

Additional resources JMU has everything you need to make your online learning experience the best it can be.

For information on programming and support from JMU Libraries, The Learning Centers and Student Affairs, visit

https://j.mu/learnonline.

LI B R A RY 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 02 1

47

Alumni Life for

Granting the gift of life

Alumnus overcomes fear of needles, pandemic to donate bone marrow to cancer patient

G

BY RYAN BOALS (’17), alumni relations coordinator

rant Bigman (’12) credits his Madison Experience with inspiring him to continue Being the Change beyond his undergraduate involvement. As a student, Bigman dedicated himself to community service as a Student Ambassador, a First yeaR Orientation Guide (FROG), a leader in Make Your Mark On Madison (MYMOM), and by participating in two Alternative Break Program trips. He remains connected to the university by inspiring philanthropic engagement among fellow young alumni as a member of the Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) Network Committee.

While at JMU, Bigman had a noteworthy affiliation with the university’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, the international Jewish fraternity. Through this brotherhood, he learned of the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, an organization that champions a cure for blood cancer through cellular therapy.

Bigman served as an educational leadership consultant at AEPi headquarters following graduation, later transitioning to director of chapter services. In this role, he supervised operations for more than 180 undergraduate chapters across seven countries. “Ever y campus I visited, I encouraged chapters to host Gift of Life donor recruitment drives,” Bigman said, after becoming a registered donor himself. As of January 2021, AEPi has inspired 14,010 individuals to get swabbed, re su lt ing in 482 donor matches. In his current role as the assistant director for Hillel at Virginia Tech, Bigman continues to encourage students and colleagues to get swabbed.

48

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

In early 2020, nearly five years after becoming a donor, Bigman received a call from Gift of Life. He was a potential match for a 30-year-old man battling leukemia. He knew right away that he wanted to help. “I thought, ‘I would want somebody to do this for me,’” he said. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and his fear of blood, Bigman’s penchant for helping others—instilled in him while at JMU—coupled with his Jewish faith, made deciding to donate easy.

Guided by pikuach nefesh, a principle in Jewish law that says the preservation of human life comes above all else, he chose to set aside his fear of needles and uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic. “It was like exposure therapy,” he said, making light of overcomi n g h i s a n x ie t y. “I d on a t e d knowing I was helping this individual have a f ighting chance against cancer.”

Donating looks different in the time of COVID-19, as Gift of Life has pivoted its processes to heightened safety. Rather than f lying Bigman to its national headqu a r ters in Florid a, t he organization arranged for him to complete blood work near his residence in Blacksburg, Virginia. Following initial blood work and a physical, he traveled to a blood transfusion facility in Falls Church, Virginia, where doctors replic ated stem cells from his bone marrow, supercharging his body and boosting his stem cell count in preparation for donation day.

Donating amid the pandemic’s first few weeks added a layer of “eerie risk” to the decision. But cancer doesn’t pause for COVID-19.

“I thought it was worth the risk,” Bigman said.

He praised Gif t of Life for remaining communicative through

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

the donation process. A nurse visited daily to administer shots and encourage him to stay hydrated. Gift of Life sent texts to check in, typically done in person before current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social and physical distancing guidelines were instituted. The transfusion process was similar to donating plasma. A machine drew his blood, harvested the stem cells and channeled the blood back into his body. Bigman put the experience into perspective, saying his “three-hour inconvenience” gave a second chance at life to someone battling cancer for almost a decade.

Following the procedure, he avoided physical activity for 24 hours and stayed hydrated to flush his system. Gift of Life sent him care packages with various swag and a handwritten letter from CEO and Founder Jay A. Feinberg. Gift of Life will continue its wellness checks with Bigman for three years.

Bigman has the option to correspond with the recipient through Gift of Life as long as the laws of the individual’s home country permit. Following one year of correspondence and with permission from both parties, “I thought, ‘I would want they can reveal their identities. In his work with AEPi, he has witnessed sevsomebody to do this for eral “recipient reunions” at the fraternime.’ … I donated knowing ty’s international convention. “That was certainly on my mind as I went through I was helping this individual the process, seeing those emotional reachave a fighting chance tions. It’s beautiful,” he said, adding he intends to begin corresponding with his against cancer.” recipient soon.

— GRANT BIGMAN (’12) A few months after the procedure, Bigman tested positive for COVID-19.

Once he recovered, he visited the American Red Cross to donate convalescent plasma containing the antibodies needed to attack the virus and help ill patients. “I would have never done either procedure if not for my experiences both with AEPi and at JMU,” he said. In the future, he aims to donate blood regularly, a process he notes takes a mere 10 minutes compared to the lengthy procedures he has undergone.

Bigman is grateful for the opportunity to spread awareness. He wants his story to inspire others to take risks despite fear. “I got the phone call and thought, ‘I hate needles and I’ve never donated before.’ Then I thought, ‘If I don’t try now, I don’t know if I’ll ever get a chance to try again.’”

(Opposite): The “Change the World” mural inspires Grant Bigman (’12). (Clockwise from top): Big­man during the blood transfusion process, which is similar to donating plasma; Bigman with one of his fraternity brothers in Alpha Epsilon Pi, through which he became a Gift of Life marrow donor; Big­ man with his colleagues at Virginia Tech, where he is assistant director for Hillel.

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F G R A N T B I G M A N ( ’ 12)

W I N T E R

2 02 1

49

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

®

A fairy godmother on a mission Alumna reducing student costs one dorm room at a time

C

BY JESSICA NICKELS, editorial assistant

ollege move-in day can be challenging and stressful.

There’s excitement for new beginnings, moving away from home for the first time, meeting new peers and classmates and— prior to the big day—shopping for dorm room decorations, supplies and necessities. All of these things can contribute to a happy, successful school year.

However, many college students who are slated to live in a dorm face the struggle of having to purchase new items that are essential for their new home-away-fromhome. More often than not, these items will run up the bill—a bill that students and parents typically take on.

Latia Green Allen (’94) is attempting to lift this burden. Her nonprofit organization, Dorm Fairies, established in 2019 and based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was created to assist individuals with purchasing dorm room essentials. The goal is to lessen new students’ financial burden and help make their college transition smoother.

Dorm Fairies awarded its first recipient more than $600 toward dorm room essentials for the 2019-20 school year.

By creating and hosting fundraisers and events, Allen and a community of friends and family cobbled together the funds.

For the 2020-21 school year, Dorm Fairies awarded six recipients.

Anyone is welcome to apply for the scholarship through the Dorm Fairies website, and the recipients are chosen based on need and family situations. Allen and her team encourage the recipients to create a registry at their store of choice. From there, Dorm Fairies purchases up to $525 worth of dorm room items and necessities, and has them shipped to the recipient’s home.

50

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

From bath towels to rugs, coffee makers to trash cans, Dorm Fairies purchases the students’ most highly rated items.

The most popular items are shower caddies, mattress toppers, and comforter and sheet sets.

The COVID-19 pandemic left its mark on many businesses and organizations around the world. Allen and Dorm Fairies, however, have remained unaffected.

Even before the pandemic struck, their business model was COVID-19-safe. By working behind the scenes, Allen and her team are able to provide the items without interacting with recipients and their families. “Although we are not there when they decorate their rooms with family and

Latia Green Allen (’94) and her husband, Derrick, assemble dorm room essentials for distribution to students as a part of her nonprofit organization, Dorm Fairies.

friends, we want to supply them with the items needed to do so,” Allen said. She also noted that, despite the ongoing pandemic, their goal to award 10 students for the 2021-22 school year remains.

A human communications major with a focus in public relations and an English minor, Allen was struck with an urge to help students when her youngest daughter was preparing for her freshman year at American University in Washington, D.C. Allen observed how few items other students were unloading during move-in day,

PH OTO G R A PH CO U RT E SY O F L AT I A G R E E N A LLE N (‘ 94)

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

“I feel like working as an academic adviser has given me the most experience to be able to assist students through Dorm Fairies.”

— LATIA GREEN ALLEN (’94)

compared to her daughter’s two carloads of dorm essentials and supplies. “When my youngest daughter moved in [to college], I noticed a lot of students coming with one suitcase or just one box of supplies,” she said.

That is when she realized that many families struggle with being able to purchase all of the new items that create a comfortable dorm room and that “dorm room essentials were not at the top of students’ and their parents’ lists,” compared to tuition, textbooks and computers. Allen decided to take the initiative to ease the burden of dorm room costs.

As a freshman at JMU in 1990, Allen was drawn to the Center for Multicultural Student Services, where her academic adviser, Cheryl Plank, also worked. Allen was a firstgeneration college student and she credits her success at JMU to Plank, who helped her navigate difficult times on her way to earning a degree.

“My experience at JMU is what made me want to help other college students, too. I credit Cheryl Plank with my graduating and my love for higher education. We still talk to this day and if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have graduated and be working in higher education like I am today.”

After completing one semester of graduate school, Allen left to pursue a career in the

insurance claims industry.

Then, in 2008, she decided to continue her dream of working in higher education and re-enrolled in graduate school.

Having worked in higher education for 13 years in career services and as an assistant registrar, program coordinator and, most recently, an academic adviser at Old Dominion University, Allen is familiar with speaking with students about their struggles, stresses and situations. Her background has given her insight into what life is like as a college student now, compared to her days as a student at JMU. “I feel like working as an academic adviser has given me the most experience to be able to assist students through Dorm Fairies,” she said. The nonprofit’s slogan, “We believe in you,” means much more than just that. “Working in higher education has allowed me to let my students know that I believe in them and that they can succeed,” she said.

T h a n k s to a lu m n i l i ke Allen, students and their families have one less thing to worry about. College is a fun and exciting time in a student’s life, and Dorm Fairies is working so that it can remain that way.

For more information on

applications and dona­ tions, visit Dorm Fairies’ web­ site at www.dormfairies.org.

CO M BS PH OTO G R A PH BY CO DY T ROY E R

Alumni remain active, cre­ative despite tough times

BY CARRIE COMBS (’07, ’09M), JMU Alumni Association executive director

T

ime is a fickle thing. In some ways it feels like August was yesterday, and there are days it seems like a lifetime ago. Regardless, Dukes around the globe continue to inspire, innovate and challenge the status quo around them.

2020 brought many challenges, but it also afforded us new and unique opportunities to engage and celebrate our Madison Experiences.

In August, we welcomed more than 1,000 freshmen to our Dukes From Day One Fight Song T-shirt Giveaway event (physically distanced and in accordance with safety guidelines).

Receiving an upside-down fight song T-shirt has become a Madison tradition that we look forward to passing on to the newest members of the JMU family every year, and despite COVID-19, this year was no different!

In the fall, the JMU Alumni Association launched two new affinity chapters: the JMU Federal Dukes and the Lavender Dukes. By addressing topics such as professional development and networking in federal government, and supporting our students and alumni who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, these new alumni chapters help us better serve the needs of our growing alumni population.

The second half of the Fall semester was energized by our first-ever Homecoming at Home. Over the course of a week, we hosted 19 virtual events, engaging more than 1,400 Dukes across five countries and 29 states. In an effort to get our Dukes moving, we had more than 800 individuals participate in our inaugural Homecoming Duke Dog Dash. The best part?

Through event donations and registrations, we were able to contribute nearly $25,000 to student scholarships.

And, as we ended 2020, I’m proud to share that the JMU Alumni Association completed its $500,000 gift to the new Atlantic Union Bank Center. While we haven’t been able to gather there in the way we envisioned, be sure to take a stroll through the JMU Alumni Association Plaza when you’re able to get back to campus. It’s a place we want alumni to gather and celebrate our collective Madison Experiences.

I encourage you to find a way to engage with your fellow Dukes. Whether through social media, attending an upcoming virtual event or connecting with a regional or affinity chapter, please find a way to encourage, support and reach out to one another.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

51

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

Lavender Chapter is newest affinity group Alumni support the LGBTQ+ community

BY BRITTANY BELL, alumni relations student writing assistant

T

he JMU Alumni Association has many affinity chapters that bring together alumni with similar interests, hobbies and experiences. In June 2020, the association added a new affinity chapter to the roster: the Lavender Chapter.

The Lavender Chapter is for current and fellow Dukes who identify as LGBTQ+ or are allies of the community. The chapter hopes to connect students and alumni, raise awareness and show support for the community. The name “Lavender” comes from JMU’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Lavender Lounge, which is a space for JMU students to hang out on campus and serves as a safe and comfortable expression of LGBTQ+ identities.

Interim President Mike Zornjak (’11, ’12M), who previously served as president of the MetroDukes alumni chapter in the Washington, D.C., area, began working with the JMU Alumni Association a year ago to create the chapter.

“I thought this would be a great opportunity to meet other JMU LGBTQ+ alumni throughout the United States to congregate and join together,” Zornjak said.

A member of the LGBTQ+ community himself, Zornjak noticed that other universities had similar chapters. He hopes the Lavender Chapter can expand SOGIE’s initiative.

“On a personal level, I know it’s stressful coming out to friends and family,” Zornjak said. “I know they have resources like SOGIE on campus where students can go, but the Lavender Chapter will be an extension of that within the alumni base in case there’s anybody, any alumni out there, that are struggling with identity and coming to terms with their sexuality.”

Zornjak’s goals for the chapter include ho s t i n g e v e nt s on c a mpu s — w he n on-campus events resume—to raise aware-

52

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

Mike Zornjak (’11, ’12M) proudly walks in a pride parade with JMU Lavender Chapter alumni. (Inset): The chapter banner.

ness and support for the community; assisting SOGIE with activities and programming; and finding community service projects, like the Human Rights Campaign, for alumni to get involved with.

The Lavender Chapter and SOGIE have already started to collaborate on student events.

“Connecting with current students and seeing how LGBTQ+ support on campus has grown will help alums see the changes JMU is making and continue to feel a part of the JMU family,” said Jennifer Iwerks, assistant director of SOGIE. Once the new chapter gains some momentum, Zornjak wants to create a mentorship program connecting alumni and students. The program would help support and encourage LGBTQ+ students in their personal and professional lives by having alumni share their experiences.

Brent Lewis, associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at JMU,

agrees that a mentorship program would be a great opportunity to connect the JMU LGBTQ+ community, past and present.

“It gives a net for those who are current students to think, ‘OK, when I graduate, I’m not just leaving this safety net, this space that I created at JMU,’” he said. “‘There’s another arm to this. I can now graduate and join the Lavender Chapter and still stay connected to my queer experiences at JMU.’” If the mentorship program is successful, Zornjak would also like to connect recent JMU alumni with older alumni.

The next step for the Lavender Chapter is finding board members to help lead the organization. Once the foundations have been set, Zornjak is confident the chapter will be ready to make an impact on the LGBTQ+ community, both on and off campus.

“I’m excited to see what’s going to happen over the next few months when we put everything together,” Zornjak said.

PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F M I K E ZO R N JA K ( ’ 1 1 , ’ 12 M )

Make way for Federal Dukes

New chapter seeks to connect alumni working in federal government

S

BY BRITTANY BELL, alumni relations student writing assistant

ix years ago, Ann-Marie Johnson (’87) had a vision: Federal Dukes’ primary goals are to Federal Dukes Alumni to connect JMU alumni working within the federal create connections between students Chapter co-founders (L-R) Tim Hartman government sector. After years of networking and and alumni and foster a professional (’00), Jamie Jones planning, the Federal Dukes Alumni Chapter was community. The chapter will accom- Miller (’99), David launched in September 2020. plish those by raising awareness of Grant (’83), Mike The chapter’s mission is to create networking opportunities for the federal government’s mission and Battle (’81, ’83M), Ann-Marie Johnson alumni working in the federal government and to help prepare available job opportunities; preparing (’87) and James students who are interested in federal government careers. It is the future professionals for the federal gov- Hanson (’01). first alumni chapter at JMU dedicated to professional develop- ernment through the university; and ment in a specific field. creating a robust workforce of people in “We believe that the various stages of their careers who are all “We want to build on the tradition of JMU helping each other,” said Johnalumni who work in the interconnected. son, who serves as interim president. “We By preparing JMU students for the federal government workforce, Federal Dukes hopes to help believe that the alumni who work in the federal government could be a great help to the JMU brand within government could be a great help elevate each other, if only we knew each other. ” circles. Employers will know to expect to each other.”

The six alumni who co-founded Fedgreat things from JMU graduates. With eral Dukes are Johnson, Mike Battle (’81, new employees coming into the field with — ANN-MARIE JOHNSON (’87) ’83M), David Grant (’83), Tim Hartman prior knowledge of the government’s mis(’00), James Hanson (’01) and Jamie Jones Miller (’99). All had sion and core values, it is a field guaranteed for success. previously been working toward the same goal when they teamed Johnson’s biggest aspiration is to create a virtuous circle where up to make something bigger. “everyone is benefiting and everyone is helping each other out Battle laid the foundation for Federal Dukes a couple of years ago in different ways, at different times in the career cycle, at differwith his formation of DHS Dukes, a LinkedIn group for alumni ent times in our lives.” By having a network of communication, working in the homeland security field. Although the group was alumni will be able to pay it forward and help other Dukes, who needed, it was very niche and had trouble gaining momentum. DHS can then turn back and help more.

Dukes kick-started the process, bringing the core group together to The chapter has hit the ground running. Its website has stothink about expanding the concept into what is now Federal Dukes. ries featuring prominent JMU alumni in the federal govern“We started to really brainstorm all the different aspects that ment, all written by student interns who work with the chapter.

JMU alums are involved in relative to the public sector,” Battle In the future, the co-founders hope to have engagement and said. “Because this is such a significant employer in the area, why opportunities for people to connect or hear from successful aren’t we working more closely with the university to give more alumni in the industry. visibility to the opportunities that exist in the federal governBeyond encouragement from JMU, many alumni in the federal ment marketplace?” government have reached out with interest. “The support from After meeting with the JMU Alumni Association, the core six the university has been fantastic,” Battle said. “The early impact set their sights on creating a chapter dedicated to professional of going from zero to 800 folks who are now interested and a part development and networking within the federal government. of this community on LinkedIn is truly impressive. And we’re With their hard work and dedication, the dream became a reality. just getting started.”

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 02 1

53

A LU M N I

FOR

L I F E

Virtual Homecoming reveals true spirit of JMU

W

atching Dukes across the globe celebrate Students on campus rolled up their sleeves to take part in some Homecoming reveals the true spirit of JMU. classic Homecoming Madison traditions.

Despite having to celebrate HomecomDuring the Homecoming Duke Dog Dash, more than 800 ing apart, we had Dukes from five coun- Dukes from around the globe dashed their way to the finish line tries, 29 states, the District of Columbia and helped us smash our collective goal of 1,908 miles in honor and Puerto Rico come together and participate in this year’s of the year our university was founded. Proceeds from the Duke digital festivities.

Dog Dash benefit Madison for Keeps, an emergency scholarship Online, alumni and students competed with one another in the fund established to help students affected by COVID-19. From the Homecoming Scavenger Hunt.

Dash’s proceeds, we were able By creatively snapping photos, to donate more than $17,000 to recording videos and answering the fund. Thank you for movquestions, participants not only ing for a good cause! earned points, but showed how Once again, this year has they bleed purple every day. been hard on all Dukes, but Dukes also headed back to we at the Off ice of Alumni class with some of our distin­ Relations are proud that we guished professors—and whip­ are strong, we are resilient, ped up some classic homemade we strive for community, we pizza with the help of the Hart partner for success, we have School of Hospitality, Sport and lots of laughs, we look out Recreation Management. for one another, we run the The Black A lumni, Har­ extra mile. We are alumni. risonburg Alumni, Col­u mbia We bleed purple. We are the Alumni and Lavender chap­ Dukes of JMU. ters connected to share their For the most up-to-date list unique Madison Experiences of events and ways to stay conand to support future gener­ Students paint their hands and place handprints on the Spirit nected to fellow Dukes, please ations of Dukes.

Rock to create something special for Homecoming week. visit alumni.jmu.edu.

DUKE DOG DASH

Dukes dash their way to the finish line to benefit the Madison for Keeps scholarship fund.

54

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

S PI R I T RO C K PH OTO G R A PH S BY E LI S E T R I S S E L ; D U K E D O G DA S H 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

MixedMedia BOOKS, MUSIC

& FILM

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr

BY LAURA LEE GULLEDGE (’01, ’02M) Amulet Books ISBN-13: 978-1419742002

Laura Lee Gulledge (’01, ’02M) tells the story of Mona Starr, a young girl struggling to deal with her tumultuous teenage years and her depression, which seems to take on a physical form she calls The Matter. The Matter seems to follow her wherever she goes, telling Mona she isn’t good enough or that she won’t succeed. With therapy, art, writing and the help of good friends, Mona begins to discover how to channel The Matter into strength, instead of fear. The Dark Matter of Mona Starr is a bold and original graphic novel about mental health and finding one’s own creative outlets.

FOR

L I F E

Planet Auschwitz: Holocaust Representation in Science Fiction and Horror Film and Television

BY BRIAN E. CRIM (’94) Rutgers University Press ISBN-13: 978-1978801608

Brian E. Crim’s (’94) Planet Auschwitz explores the diverse ways in which the Holocaust influences and shapes science fiction and horror film and television by focusing on notable contributions from the last 50 years. The supernatural and extraterrestrial are rich and complex spaces with which to examine important Holocaust themes—trauma, guilt, grief, ideological fervor and perversion, industrialized killing and the danger­ous afterlife of Nazism after World War II. Planet Auschwitz explores why the Holocaust continues to set the standard for horror in the modern era and asks if the Holocaust is imaginable here on Earth, at least by those who per­p etrated it, why not in a galaxy far, far away? The pervasive use of Holocaust imagery and plotlines in horror and science fiction reflects both our preoccupation with its enduring trauma and our persistent need to “work through” its many legacies.

Bus Stop Prayers: Praying the Psalms Over Your School-Aged Children

Chasing the Sun

BY MELANIE HOOYENGA (’97) Left-Handed Mitten Publications ASIN: B08CCGNDT6

BY LAUREN GROOMS GOLIS (’03) Christian Faith Publishing Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1645151180 As a mother of three, Lauren Grooms Golis (’03) invites readers into her own genuine prayer journey for her children. Turning to the Psalms for guidance, she created a collection of prayers to inspire readers to pray for their own children each day.

The Wandering Investor

BY BRENDAN HUGHES (’12) BookBaby ISBN-13: 978-1098320317

Brendan Hughes (’12) takes readers on a unique journey around the world in a discussion about various economies, per­ sonal adventures, business outlooks and observations for each country visited. The book includes lists of recommended activities in each country, with a focus on outdoor adventure experiences, and lessons learned in terms of both travel and business. His book reads like a thriller by detailing extreme activities such as skydiving over Queenstown, New Zealand. He details his travels across 17 countries spread out across six continents. His book is the culmination of five years of work and thousands of hours of research, country-specific macroeconomic data, information about local laws and regulations, historical facts about specific countries and recommendations for mostly adventure-related activities to do while in a country.

SHOW YOUR JMU PRIDE!

The first book in The Campfire Series, Chasing the Sun is a lighthearted romance with space puns, Portland shenanigans and enough feels to totally eclipse your heart. The young adult novel takes place during the 2017 Great American Eclipse.

Equipped: Equipping and Empowerment for Christians and Lay Ministers (Volume III)

BY CAROLYN DUNCAN CECIL (’68) InstantPublisher ISBN-13: 978-0578214474

Equipped: Equipping and Empowerment for Christians and Lay Ministers is a threevolume comprehensive curriculum to train ordinary Christians to minister in their churches and communities. The focus of this workbook series is to train Christians to overcome struggle in their own lives and gain knowledge to help others. Volume III builds on the previous volumes and covers marriage, family, tithing, blessings and curses, fixing the breach between God and man, discovering the truth about the enemy, enemies of the church, dealing with mental strongholds and bondage breaking. It concludes with lessons on faith, angels, open heavens, divine healing and transformational revival.

To show your Madison pride wherever you drive and sup­port scholar­ships for Vir­ginia stud­ents, visit www.dmvNOW.com to get your JMU license plate today.

LI C E N S E PH OTO G R A PH 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 02 1

55

Class Notes STAFF EMERITI 57 SCHOLARSHIP THANK-YOUS 58 CELEBRATIONS 59 C L A S S N O T E S FACULTY EMERITI 61 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 63

In November 2005, JMU students and faculty mem­bers removed debris and drywall from storm-­ravaged houses in Bayou La Batrie, Alabama, and Biloxi, Mississippi, dur­­ing a Hur­ri­cane Katrina relief trip. JMU’s Office of Community Service-Learning coordi­ nated the trip through the National Relief Network.

56

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

P H OTO G R A P H BY J E N N Y B A K E R ( ’ 0 8 )

C L A SS

59

The Class of 1959 Endowed Scholarship has distributed $55,300 to recipients since 2005, according to Kay Daggy Neff, class representative.

Since 2012, the endowment has awarded three scholarships per year, the maximum allowed by the agreement. In the 2019-20 academic year, each scholarship recipient received $2,000. Neff encouraged classmates to remember that the larger the principal in the endowment, the more money each scholarship recipient could receive.

68

Carolyn Duncan Cecil earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Kingsbury Bible College in July 2019, an accomplishment that was chron-

I

icled in her hometown newspaper, the Vinton (Virginia) Messenger, Aug. 13, 2020. Cecil earned the degree at age 73 after retiring from her teaching career at William Byrd High School and William Byrd Middle School in the Roanoke, Virginia, area. While teaching, she wrote Sunday school lessons for her church that developed into a 12-week course, and later a 42-lesson curriculum for Christians and lay ministers.

“Her curriculum was so thorough that when she presented the work to Kingsbury Bible College as a possible teaching curriculum, Kingsbury President Jerry Dotson and former Jacksonville Theological Seminary instructor Roger Graves said that it was the most comprehensive lay min-

NOT E S istry resource they had ever received and that it was equal to a doctoral dissertation,” according to the Vinton Messenger article.

“And so, Carolyn’s lifelong work earned her a doctorate degree.”

Cecil has self-published her book series, Equipped: Equipping and Empowerment for Christians and Lay Ministers as well as seven children’s books. (See “Mixed Media” on Page 55 for book details.)

97

Pro basketball playerturned-trainer Holly Rilinger is featured in Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers, and Unstoppable Athletes by Haley Shapley.

Rilinger graduated from JMU as the Dukes’ all-time leading scorer before playing professional bas-

Carolyn Duncan Cecil (‘68) with her framed Doctor of Ministry diploma.

ketball. Published by Simon & Schuster, the book chronicles the stories of women pushing the bounds of their physical capabilities from ancient times through today and includes portraits of 23

SEA membership looking forward to the new year

BY TINA UPDIKE (’73), SEA Steering Committee chair

t is clear to the Staff Emeriti Association Steering Committee that any resumption of meetings will probably be in early- to mid-2021, at the soonest.

The pandemic continues to be a public health crisis in our community, state and country. When vaccines are safely available and accessible, or a successful treatment is identified, we can begin to look at what lies ahead for SEA. At that point, we can project how our monthly lunch meetings can be held, as well as our other activities, such as tours and volunteer opportunities.

On the positive side, our organization continues to be sponsored by the JMU Office of Human Resources. We are very thankful, especially for the support of Director Chuck Flick and Tiffany French, retirement specialist. Kathy Sarver, director of planned giving, continues to be our liaison to that office and a wonderful mentor. Our thoughts are with the staff, faculty and administrators at JMU and all area educators as they face these challenging times.

Also, we have an exceptionally fine group of SEA Steering Committee members, who provide leadership and vision for our growing membership. Since our last face-to-face

meeting in March 2020, 24 classified staff retirees have earned the staff emerita/us designation and are now members of our assoc­­ia­tion. We are looking forward to welcoming these new members at a SEA event in 2021. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let any member of the Steering Committee know.

On behalf of the SEA Steering Committee, our best wishes to you for continued health and well-being.

Steering Commit- SEA members enjoy tee: Christina Updike, fellowship and lunch at Rocktown Kitchen.

(SEA Chair), Jane Beach, Rosemary Brenner, Norma Burkholder, Alma Hale-­Cooper, Gail May, Barbara Monger, Louise White, Milla Sue Wisecarver

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

Some photographs were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the imagery you see on these pages, life looks much different than it does during the pandemic.

S E A P H OTO G R A P H C O U R T E S Y O F S TA F F E M E R I T I A S S O C I AT I O N

W I N T E R

2 02 1

57

S C H O L A R S H I P T H A N K -Y O U L E T T E R S The James Madison Scholars— Donald and Frances (’49) Litten Scholarship The scholarship was established in April 1991 in honor of Ronald E. Carrier’s 20th year as president of JMU by Donald and Frances (’49) Litten. Donald Litten attended Madison College from 1950 to 1952, and was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1957. He served on the JMU Board of Visitors from 1981 to 1984. Frances Litten graduated from Madison College in 1949 with a degree in home economics. Madison Scholars awards are made to outstanding entering freshmen in the Honors College.

Dear Litten Family, I am very honored and thankful to receive this award from the James Madison Scholars–Donald and Frances (’49) Litten Scholarship. I have worked extremely hard throughout high school, and this award helps to show that my dedication has paid off. It only took one visit for me to fall in love with JMU and the people in its community. I have never felt so welcomed or appreciated by an institution. I plan to study biology with a pre-physician’s assistant concentration. I hope to get into a good PA school so that I am able to study medicine and eventually emerge into the medical field as I have dreamed of for so long. I believe my purpose in life is to help people, and that is exactly what I want to do, especially at a time like this in our world. At JMU, I also hope to get involved with volunteering, playing tennis and joining a variety of clubs and organizations. I am so excited to get the opportunity to get involved in such a warm and uplifting community. I truly believe that JMU will be the best four years of my life. Thank you again for selecting me as a recipient of this award. It certainly means a lot to my college education.

Sincerely, Sydney B. Bruns Seven Fields, Pennsylvania

The Althea L. Johnston Scholarship The scholarship was established in 1982 by Johnston’s daughter, Jacqueline Rice (’32), and her husband, W. Thomas Rice, in honor of former faculty member Althea L. Johnston.

Jacqueline Whalen and Grace Rice are the late Jacqueline Rice’s daughter and daughter-in-law, respectively. Johnston retired from Madison College in 1951. Johnston Hall, named for her husband, was later renamed the James C. and Althea L. Johnston Hall. Althea Johnston was named to the JMU Athletes Hall of Fame in 1988.

Dear Mrs. Whalen and Mrs. Rice, I am so thankful for receiving the Althea L. Johnston Scholarship. I have always wanted to attend JMU because of the beautiful campus and amazing education it offers. My parents both attended JMU and it is where they met. I am a quantitative finance major and I plan on being an investment banker. After graduation from James Madison, I want to help others by giving back to my community. I am so appreciative for this scholarship, as it represents my focused work in school and it will help me financially. I am in men’s club soccer and I am a part of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Also, during quarantine my brother and I created a trick shot account for our friends with all the time we had on our hands. We currently have 270,000 followers on TikTok. Creating a trick shot account was an amazing way to use our time in a fun, interesting way and bond with my brother. @dndhulett is the account name, if you want to watch our videos.

I am so grateful for this scholarship. Thank you again!

Sincerely, David Hulett Great Falls, Virginia

58

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

modern-day athletes from a range of athletic disciplines. n Claudine Ebeid McElwain is the host of the Broken Ground podcast by (L-R): Franklin D. Rosenblatt (’98), Mich­ the Southern Environ­ ael Boblitz (’00) and Todd Jones (’01) mental Law Center.

She studies and researches ney. As a defense attorney from environmental-related stories in 2014 to 2018, Rosenblatt served the South. After working as a as lead military defense counsel producer and editor for NPR, for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in the she joined Southern Environmost-publicized court-martial mental Law Center’s communiin American history. cation team in Charlottesville, Virginia, nearly five years ago.

Michael Boblitz, a Broken Ground was featured on health care profesApple’s top environmental podsional with experience in stratcasts on Earth Day. The curegy, marketing and business rent season, which launched last development, was appointed summer, centers around comCEO of Reagan Medical Cenmunities in Norfolk, Virginia, ter in February 2020. Reagan is and Charleston, South Carolina, a health and wellness company that are struggling to cope with with six locations in the Greater rising sea levels and other emiAtlanta area. nent climate changes.

Todd Jones was appointed Franklin D. Rosenchief investment officer blatt has joined Butat Gratus Capital, a wealth manler Snow’s Ridgeland, Missisagement firm in Atlanta, Georsippi, office and is practicing in gia, in September 2020. Jones the law firm’s commercial litiga- hosts a weekly podcast, Two Mintion group. After graduating from utes with Todd Jones, in which he JMU, Rosenblatt earned a Juris discusses headlines in investment Doctor degree from the Univertrends. The podcast is available sity of Virginia School of Law and every Monday via Spotify, Apple a Master of Laws from the Judge Podcasts and Google Podcasts. n Advocate General’s Legal Center David Yergin-Doniger, president of and School. He retired as a lieuWG Construction Co. in Manastenant colonel with more than sas, Virginia, was recognized in 12 years of experience serving in 2019 as a Top Young Professional the U.S. Army Judge Advocate

by Engineering News-Record General’s Corps as a prosecutor, and one of “40 under 40” by legal adviser and defense attorCONTINUED ON PAGE 60 >>

00

98

01

While space is limited in issues of Madison magazine, the Alumni Online Community gives you a chance to tell your full story, share your photos and communicate with other alumni!

To sign up and start sharing your news, visit

alumni.jmu.edu

1

Celebrations W E DDI N G S , HO N OR S & FUTURE DUKES

3

2

4

5 1 Mary Reese (’17) and Carlton Seward (’17) were married on Aug. 17, 2019, at Marblegate Farm in Friendsville, Tennessee. About half of their wedding party consisted of JMU alumni. The woman on the far left is Ally Blanchetti (’17). Other fellow Dukes are (from far right): Cameron Ritcher (’17), Dom Palumbo (’19), Rachel Denison (’17) and Trae King (’17). 2 Ashley Peyton (’11) and Richard Golden (’11) were married on July 31, 2020, on campus, where they began dating in 2009. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced changes in their wedding plans, “We immediately knew there was no better place to have our intimate ceremony than JMU,” Ashley said.

“Despite the craziness of this year, it led to this beautiful moment for us at JMU.” 3 Allegra (’09) and Brandon (’08) Lapetina welR E E S E /S E WA R D P H OTO G R A P H BY A B I G A I L M A LO N E P H OTO G R A P H Y

comed a daughter, Molly Mae, on June 19, 2020. She joins her big brother, Nathan. 4 Emily Ann Winch (’16) and Christopher Wesley Bell (’15) were married on the steps of Wilson Hall on May 30, 2020.

“Our little party stood in line waiting for several graduates to get their graduation pictures taken before we got center stage in front of Wilson,” wrote Brenda Chandler Bell (’80), the groom’s mother.

“Our family watched on the live cam on the Quad from their computers at home.” The groom’s grandfathers, Wallace L. Chandler and Francis Bell Jr., met at Madison College while serving on the Board of Visitors. 5 Brittany (’09) and Eric (’09) Van Brunt welcomed their third child, Eleanor Grace, on July 20, 2020. She joins Rose, 3, and William, 18 months. The family resides in Seattle, Washington.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

59

C L A SS

NOT E S

6

7

8 6 Jennifer Walsh (’07) and Allen Glor were married on Sept. 21, 2019, at Walden Hall in Culpeper, Virginia. Among her five bridesmaids, all members of the Class of 2007, was Caitlin Slaughter, who organized a surprise appearance by Road Dawg. 7 Marissa McCormick (’16) and Logan Jordan (’16) were married on Aug. 1, 2020, at Bryce Resort in Basye, Virginia. More than 40 JMU alumni

were among the wedding guests. 8 Kellie Kirstein (’00) and Kevin Grunkemeyer (’98) were married on June 13, 2020, in a private backyard “COVID-19 style” wedding. Thirty guests were in attendance, including five JMU alumni. The couple is planning a one-year vow renewal ceremony in anticipation of a time in when more family and friends can safely gather.

>> FROM PAGE 58

cancer biology and treatthe JMU Department ment in the Department of Biology,” he said. n of Radiation Oncology Clint Morse is among the and Molecular Radi21 Brooks Pierce attoration Sciences at Johns neys recognized by their Hopkins School of Medpeers for inclusion in the Jonathan B. icine and joined the fac2020 edition of Business Coulter (’04) ulty as assistant proNorth Carolina’s “Legal fessor of urology at the James Elite” and Hall of Fame, a listing Buchanan Brady Urological Insti- of the state’s top lawyers in busitute at Johns Hopkins in January ness-related categories. Morse was 2020. “I am thankful for inspiselected for inclusion in the bankration, passion and support from ruptcy category. Members of the

Washington Business Journal. He was featured in Virginia Business in December 2019 as one of “100 People to Meet in 2020.” A former emergency medical technician and crew leader for a local volunteer fire and rescue squad, Yergin-Doniger was cited for applying his organizational skills to professional and nonprofit work. He serves as president of the Heavy Construction Con60

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

tractors Association, the professional organization for which he created a leadership development institute in 2013. He has shared his expertise with students in George Mason University’s civil environmental and infrastructure engineering program as a guest lecturer.

04

Jonathan B. Coulter completed a research fellowship focused on prostate

S C H O L A R S H I P T H A N K -Y O U L E T T E R S The Flora Morris (’43) Scholarship Established in 2010 with a gift from the estate of Flora Morris (’43), the scholarship assists students in need of personal aid with a major in the English department and follows the university’s guidelines for the awarding of scholarships.

To the family of Ms. Flora Morris, Thank you so much for choosing me as a recipient of your scholarship; I am so grateful for this award! This scholarship means so much to me because I am paying for college on my own, and this will help reduce the amount of loans that I need to take out.

I chose to attend JMU based on its stellar academic reputation, and I loved the atmosphere as soon as I set foot on the campus. In addition to my English major, I am minoring in writing, rhetoric and technical communication, with my career goal being to work in the field of publishing as a book editor. My ultimate goal in this field is to publish stories by and about minorities in order to help diversify our published literature. These stories are an important part of our history and our world that often go untold. It is important to me that every voice be heard, and an influential way to do this is through writing and literature. I have worked very hard to achieve academic success because I believe that higher education is an important step in getting to where I want to go in my career. I have focused mainly on school activities throughout my time at JMU, but I have enjoyed getting to meet new people here who I know will be lifelong friends. In my free time, I like to read and paint. Again, thank you for this opportunity.

Sincerely, Edana Colegrove Roanoke, Virginia

The Elmon T. Gray General Scholarship Fund The annual scholarship, established in 2014, was funded from the estate of Elmon T. Gray and provides general scholarship funds to students with preference given to students from Sussex County, Virginia, and the City of Suffolk, Virginia.

To the family of the Honorable Elmon Gray, I wanted to first thank you for this opportunity as I really appreciate any help with furthering my education by awarding me with the Elmon T. Gray Scholarship Endowment. I chose JMU because of its excellent biology department with many research opportunities. I want to work in a research lab after graduating, so it’s really important to get experience before joining the workforce. I want to give back to the science world in any way I can, as it’s made me appreciate the world around me. I am involved in a ski club, Boarderline, as well as the Environmental Management Club. I’m looking toward going into research with a professor, as well as joining the biology honors society in the upcoming school year. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I want to put my time here at JMU to good use.

Thank you so much, Madeline Bunting Suffolk, Virginia

11

Jared Antin is one of 79 honorees for Crain’s 2020 list of Rising Stars in Real Estate.

Jonathan Tilelli He is director of sales at was recently Elegran Real Estate in promoted from manager Jared Antin New York City, where he to senior manager at the (’11) is involved in the recruitMaher Duessel accounting firm ing and retention of agents, as in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. well as customized training. n He began his public accountKatherine Charin and Devin Borum ing career in 2008 and joined Lawrence (’04) work at the AusMaher Duessel in 2010. tin, Texas, headquarters of North Carolina Bar Association who are residents of the state are the voters.

07

N E V E U P H OTO G R A P H BY M I K E M I R I E L LO ( ’ 0 9 M )

Faculty Emeriti Association news

Professor Andre Neveu of Economics is the recipient of the 2020 JMU Faculty Emeriti Association Legacy Grant.

Initiated in 2004, the grant is awarded annually to a deserving full-time tenured faculty mem­ber to further the recipient’s professional development or enhance instruction at JMU. The grant rotates among the university’s colleges and is funded, in part, by contributions from emeriti faculty.

Neveu, who has taught at JMU since 2009, is the founder and coordinator of the College of Business Research Experience for Undergraduates. This innovative program started in 2015 and has grown to include 203 students and 79 faculty members. Students apply and are assigned to faculty members who complement their strengths. They work together on projects to build the student’s research skills and advance the faculty member’s research program. Response to the program by students and faculty advisers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Shelia Moorman, president of the Faculty Emeriti Association, announced Neveu’s selection at the August 2020 faculty meeting that opened the 2020-21 academic year.

Charles G. Arnold, 93, assistant professor emeritus of physical education, died Aug. 10, 2020. He began his college teaching and coaching career in 1955. He established a men’s swimming team at JMU and the Charlie Arnold Swim School, where countless numbers of children and adults learned to swim. He retired in 1992.

Professor Iona Black of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry died Aug. 4, 2020. Since joining the JMU faculty in 2013, she served as instructor and coordinator of the department’s student support program. Her influence was broad on campus, and she was a member of Sisters in Session and a participant in the Center for Faculty Innovation’s programs. An internationally known STEM educator and activist, Black conducted research on transition metal com­plexes in cancer therapy at Yale University before joining JMU. Carol Kefalas, 77, assistant vice president for university relations from 1990-99, died Aug. 27, 2020. She enjoyed travel, and had visited much of South America, Europe and parts of Asia.

Anne S. McFarland, 85, catalog librarian emerita and assistant professor emerita, died July 10, 2020. She worked at JMU for 23 years and donated her collection of ancient Roman coins to the university before retiring in 1999.

George Sparks, 70, dean emeritus of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, died Sept. 13, 2020. He joined JMU in 2008 as dean and spent his first two years on campus working toward the June 4, 2010, opening of the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts. A clarinetist and conductor, Sparks was a champion for all of the arts. He established an Arts Learning Com­munity and residence hall for on-campus arts students. He retired in June 2020.

The Dr. George E. Sparks College of Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship Endowment is accepting donations in his memory.

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.

W I N T E R

2 02 1

61

C L A SS

NOT E S

Kristen Woolard (’18) and Dan Kent (’16) at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The Preston Scot Creech (’02) Memorial Scholarship Endowment

The scholarship, established in December 2006 by Scot N. and Patricia G. Creech and the Charles Barker Champions for Char­­ity, honors the memory of their son. Preston S. Creech (1979-­2002) received his Bachelor of Business Admini­stration from the Col­ lege of Business, majoring in computer information systems.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Creech, Thank you for selecting me as the recipient of the Preston Scot Creech (’02) Memorial Scholarship Endowment. My name is Cameron and I am a nursing major with a minor in chronic illness.

I decided to attend JMU when I fell in love with the beauty of the campus. I lived in Virginia Beach my whole life, so I was intrigued by being surrounded by mountains instead of the ocean. At JMU, I work as a resident adviser to help freshmen transition to JMU. I am also involved in two environmental clubs to help protect our planet, a big passion of mine. After graduating from JMU, I hope to return to the Hampton Roads area to work as a nurse. My goal is to help in the long-term care for children with chronic diseases so that they are able to live long and healthy lives.

I have the deepest gratitude for receiving this scholarship. As a student who is paying her own way through school, I appreciate any help and support that helps me achieve my academic goals with as little student loans as possible. I only hope that with this scholarship I may be a Duke who properly respects the memory of Preston.

Thank you, Cameron Renee Bottoms Virginia Beach, Virginia

Comm­Unity Care, a community health center serving people in central Texas. They write: “Please wear your masks and stay safe, y’all!”

pany, 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was one of two soldiers stationed at Fort The Rev. Sarah Bliss, Texas, selected for Lyon Hess (’13) the division’s Best SapThe Rev. Sarah Lyon Hess was installed per Team. While precautions as the pastor of Redeemer Luth­ for COVID-19 canceled this eran Church in Bristol, Virgi­ year’s event, the annual com­ nia, on March 22, 2020. After petition tests the mental and earning a sociology degree from physical tenacity and grit of top JMU, Hess earned a Master of combat engineer soldiers from Divinity degree from United across the Army. “Physical fitLutheran Seminary in Gettysness is key, but a large part of burg, Pennsylvania. the competition is to solve problems engineers might see on Kristen Woolard and Dan the battlefield,” Jean Han (’07) Kent (’16) reached the wrote about the competition for summit of Mount Kilimanthe Defense Visual Information jaro in Tanzania, the highest Distribution Service. mountain in Africa at 19,341 feet above sea level, during a seven­ day trek in March 2020. “We enjoyed hiking and camping in the Shenandoah Valley area since our time at JMU, which inspired this trip in the first place,” Woolard said. “We continued to train in the Shenandoah Valley in preparation for our trek to Tanzania.”

13

18

19 Katherine Charin (’11) and Devin Borum Lawrence (’04) 62

M A D I S O N

M AG A Z I N E

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Kevin Steiner, a reconnaissance officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Com-

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Kevin Steiner (’19)

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

F

Alumna gives back to JMU in whatever ways she can

BY BRITTANY BELL, alumni relations student writing assistant

or Bettina Mason (’87, ’95M), giving back has Now, as an active member in the Black Alumni Chapter always been a key component of her life. Her and the Richmond Alumni Chapter, Mason continues to give mother, Peggy Sue Mason, taught Bettina and her her time and effort to JMU. In May 2019, Mason attended the sister from an early age the importance of helping Women for Madison Summit and met with other alumna in varothers and showing kindness. That’s why, 25 years ious career industries to discuss topics of empowerment. That after graduation, Mason continues to give back to the university summer, she also instructed a mindfulness and poetry course, through her involvement in organizations and campus events.

“Kaleidoscope Eyes,” for the Furious Flower Poetry Camp that Mason came to JMU in JMU holds for children 1983 with financial assisin the area. Mason has tance from the Virginia attended Diversity Day War Orphans Education and made a presentation Program and pursued a at t he Unleashed : The major in communications.

Campaign for James MadA f ter g radu at ion, she ison University event in began working as a subWashington, D.C. stitute teacher and found “I’m a proponent of a passion in helping chilJMU all the way; I always dren succeed. Mason came have been,” Mason said. back to JMU in 1995 to “I love that school because earn a master’s degree in I love what it brought me human resource training and I love what it gave me. and development to furIt gave me the opportunity ther her career in educato meet some of the best tion. Since then, she has people I have ever met in balanced teaching jobs in my entire life and continue Roanoke, Chesterfield and to meet.”

Midlothian, Virginia, as Currently, she is workwell as various other jobs. ing with JMU’s new Task “I tend to do things Force on Racial Equity t h a t w i l l, y ou k no w, and other JMU alumni spread the net, so that I to create a mentorship can be a resource to as prog ra m for m inorit y many people as possible,” Bettina Mason (’87, ’95M) (second from left) with Furious Flower Poetry students that connects Mason said. Her mission Center staff volunteers at the 2019 poetry camp. (Inset): Mason with Kaththem with members of erine Wintsch (’99) at a Women for Madison event in Richmond, Virginia. is to help as many as she the Black Alumni Chapcan with the knowledge and skills she has acquired over the years. ter. Even though COVID-19 has put some JMU events on hold, Mason’s company, Mason Education Solutions Group LLC, is Mason intends to continue visiting and assisting with events an embodiment of her giving mindset. As an educational consul- when they resume. tant, she hopes to instill change and improve the Virginia educaOne of Mason’s strongest beliefs is that people should give back tion system for students and professionals alike—all while continu- to the places and individuals that helped them along their path to ing to help the JMU community in her free time. success, whether through monetary means, time or effort. “In order As an undergraduate at JMU, Mason assisted with minority for something to continuously be successful, you have to be a part recruitment efforts. As a graduate student, she also developed a of that success and do whatever you can and give back,” Mason mentorship program called Pathways to Success that received grant said. She plans to continue offering her expertise and labor to JMU funding and supported minority students. in whatever ways are necessary.

“I’m a proponent of JMU all the way; I always have been. I love that school because I love what it brought me and I love what it gave me.” ­— BETTINA MASON (’87, ’95M)

P H OTO G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y O F B E T T I N A M A S O N ( ’ 8 7, ’ 9 5 M )

W I N T E R

2 02 1

63

B R AG

S H E E T

Talking points As loyal Madison readers, you are also brand ambassadors for James Madison University.

This feature is a one-stop shop of JMU’s recent rankings and recognitions. Use it to brag about JMU and help spread the word!

No. 1 in post-grad employment For the second year in a row, JMU has been ranked the “Top College in Virginia for Getting a Job,” according to U.S. Department of Education statistics compiled

by Zippia. Not only does JMU have the highest post-graduation employment levels out of all Virginia institutions, but our graduates earn the 13thhighest median income nationally for small- and mid-sized universities.

—Based on U.S. Department of Education data

Among The Best 386 Colleges in 2021 JMU continues to be recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best institutions for higher education with its inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best 386 Colleges.

The guide does not rank the 386 colleges overall, but it profiles about 13% of the country’s 3,000 fouryear colleges. The book 64

M A D ISON

M AG A Z I N E

does include a number of rankings, and JMU came in at No. 12 for best campus food in a survey conducted with students.

Best on Instagram JMU earned the No. 2 overall ranking and the top spot on Instagram in the 2020 Higher Education Social Media Engagement Report compiled by Rival IQ, a social media analytics company. JMU ranked No. 4 in 2019, No. 1 in 2018, No. 3 in 2017 and No. 7 in 2016.

Rival IQ surveyed all 357 Division I colleges and universities on social media between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2020, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Using that data and a weighted formula, an overall engagement ranking was generated for each school.

A Forbes Best Employer for Women JMU was recognized

by Forbes as a Best Employer for Women in

2020. Forbes surveyed a sample of 75,000 U.S. employees working for companies with at least 1,000 people in the U.S. Factors included diversity in top executive positions.

Connect with us

For a complete list of all university social media links, please visit j.mu/socialmedia JamesMadisonUniversity @JamesMadisonUniversity James Madison University JamesMadisonU @JMU Madison magazine jmu.edu/madisonmagazine

CO M M E N C E M E N T PH OTO G R A PH BY E LI S E T R I S S E L

Be an investor-judge • Attend all or part of the day • Enjoy focused time in project breakout rooms • Evaluate faculty-staff pitches • Engage with other investor-judges Safely participate via Zoom. Call or email now to get your link to the online event.

CONTACT John Meck, executive director 540-568-4122 • meckjh@jmu.edu

Friday, March 5, 2021

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

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

Harrisonburg, VA 22807-0002

U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit 4 Harrisonburg, VA 22801

HELPING THE

NEEDY

The phrase “labor of love” can get tossed around so much that it eventually becomes a cliché. But Shelby Brown McDowney (’93) truly embodies the axiom through her work with the “Mission From the Heart” initiative.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown McDowney has sought to meet the needs of those around her in Richmond, Virginia. Brown McDowney, a broadcast journalist and reporter for Richmond’s CBS affiliate, led a two-week telethon donation campaign that raised more than $100,000 for residents in and around Richmond to use toward their rents and mortgages.

“I was truly humbled by the community outpouring to help us help families facing eviction stay in their homes,” Brown McDowney said. “There was so much gratitude and appreciation from the families, and I felt truly blessed to be able to help. I was moved to tears with each story of families who didn’t know where they would go if they hadn’t received our assistance.”

Brown McDowney’s nonprofit organization serves and supports the surrounding area. But her volunteerism doesn’t stop there. She also partnered with her JMU alumni friends and several churches to distribute nearly 2,000 boxes of fresh produce, milk and other perishable items to local residents in need.

“I believe that to whom much is given, much is required,” Brown McDowney said of her efforts with Saint Paul’s Baptist Church. “I have been blessed with a wonderful family, great friends and a fantastic job, and realize how fortunate we are. Growing up, it was just instilled in us to help others. I am No. 12 out of 13 children!”

— Khalil Garriott (‘04)

Follow Brown McDowney’s selfless efforts on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ MissionFromTheHeart

See more inspiring stories at j.mu/beingthechange PH OTO G R A PH S CO U RT E SY O F S H E LBY B ROW N M c D OW N E Y (’ 93)