CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WEBSITE NOW ONLINE.

Packed with historical photographs, anecdotes from Madison’s rich history and a calendar of the exciting events in 2007 and 2008, the Centennial Celebration website is now online. This site will become the central point for online news and exchanges of information about the coming yearlong celebration of Madison’s 100th birthday.

Created by the Centennial Office in the division of University Advancement, the site will continue to evolve as the celebration nears. Director of the Centennial Office Fred Hilton said, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the university to celebrate its history. And many people are unaware of just how interesting the history of Madison can be.” That is why the site also includes many links to the Carrier Library’s historical collection and other resources. Visit Centennial Celebration and enjoy learning more about the university’s history and get excited about this momentous event in our institution’s lifetime.

SUZANNE LUCK (’71) ESTABLISHES WITH HER WILL A $100,000 ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR ART STUDENTS.

Suzanne Luck's 1971 yearbook photo.

“Suzanne always had a smile – she was beautiful inside and out. She always put others first – even in the later part of her life when she was sick,” said Steve Smith (’71) of his good friend and Madison classmate. Sadly, Suzanne Luck died of cancer on August 28, 2004.

Luck was very involved in student government while at Madison and she served as senior class vice president. Smith also was involved in student government. He said, “She cared deeply about Madison. Suzanne said that she always felt as if she was given an opportunity at Madison that she wouldn’t have received elsewhere.” According to Smith, Luck’s relationship with several of her art professors was very close. And she was very active in her sorority Zeta Tau Alpha.

Suzanne Luck graduated with a degree in art education and taught for a while in Richmond, her home town. She then went to University of Southern California to work in their continuing education program. It was there that she became very involved with computers and eventually went to work for Apple Computers. Later, she moved to 3Com, creators of Ethernet technology.

She moved back to Richmond in 2000 to be closer to her family in Richmond. Her dad was sick then and she missed her family. Tragically, Luck contracted cancer in 2003. Smith said, “I remember visiting Suzanne a couple of months before she passed away. She moved slowly and spoke very quietly. But, as usual, the conversation was all about our friends and my family – she didn’t dwell at all on her illness. And even though she was sick and had lost a lot of weight, she still had that beautiful smile.”

Students will receive financial support in the arts forever now because of Suzanne Luck. This past August – just shy of the one year anniversary of her passing – the trust set up by her will gave JMU $100,000 to create an endowed scholarship for students of the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS SITE PURCHASED.

Late last week it was reported by local Harrisonburg media that James Madison University had reached a purchase agreement with Kyger Funeral Home for 1.3 acres directly across from the Quad on Main Street. Madison will purchase the property for $5.5 million and plans to close on the deal in October.

The way will then be clear to complete a site plan for the much-anticipated Center for the Performing Arts. A $51 million portion of this $61 million state-of-the-art facility will be funded by a bond established by Virginia voters in a 2002 referendum. The $10 million balance of construction and build-out costs will come from private fundraising. Already at $3 million, the fundraising effort will now intensify as drawings of the proposed design become available.

EMPLOYEE GIVING RECEPTION THIS THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8.

Employee giving at JMU rose an incredible 50% in fiscal year ’04-05. The coordinated “Madison Needs EveryONE” campaign, which included efforts by each of the four university divisions coordinated by a steering committee, elevated employee participation from just under 10% to 15%.

A reception for all participants will be held at the Great Room in the Leeolou Alumni Center on September 8 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. President Rose will be on hand and if you’ve not yet RSVP’d, please contact Diane Dovell at 568 3863 or dovelldl@jmu.edu.

UNIVERSITY UPDATES POLICY ON SOLICITATION FOR PRIVATE FUNDS.

As the level of fundraising activity at Madison continues to intensify, the division of Advancement has been working to create a clearer organizational structure and operational guidelines to handle the increased effort. Joanne Carr, Senior Vice President for University Advancement, said, “With more people all across campus becoming interested in fundraising, it is Advancement’s responsibility to lay the institutional groundwork that will coordinate all the varied activities.” So, university policy #5101 – which had not been updated since its creation in 1996 – was revised and approved in July by JMU President Linwood H. Rose.

The revisions mainly add more detailed guidelines in the procedures portion. “It’s our desire to help create a setting in which even more fundraising will take place on campus,” Carr added. “So the revisions are not designed to create any new obstacles.” The policy may be reviewed at: Policy 5101.

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