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September 2005 |
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 ALUMNI NEWS |
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| ALUMNA, PROFESSOR RECEIVE ALUMNI AWARDS |
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Kim Hutto, executive director of the JMU Alumni Association, announced the association's 2005 Alumni Awards at the Fall Faculty Meeting Aug. 26. The 2005 James Madison Distinguished Service Award for advancing the mission and goals of JMU was presented to Michelle Hite, a JMU graduate and assistant editor of the university alumni magazine, Madison. The 2005 James Madison Distinguished Faculty Award for professional achievement both in and outside the classroom was given to Dr. Joanne Gabbin, executive director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center and director emeritus of the JMU Honors Program.  |
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Dr. Joanne Gabbin (left) and Michelle Hite (right) |
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| TWO ASSISTANT DIRECTORS ADDED TO ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF |
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| The Alumni Relations office announced two new assistant director appointments in August. Beginning Sept. 6, new Assistant Director Paul Campbell will oversee reunion programming, Homecoming activities, alumni awards and other special events. Campbell holds degrees from Virginia Tech and JMU, and has worked in various capacities at JMU for several years. Carol Swinehart joined Alumni Relations Aug. 22 as assistant director for communications and marketing. Her responsibilities include managing the alumni Web site, the online alumni directory, alumni chapter mailings and alumni career-networking services. Swinehart, who received a bachelor of science degree from Virginia Tech, was a graphic designer at JMU for six years. |
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SPECIAL ALUMNI RECEPTION BEFORE KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT |
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| The JMU School of Music will present "September Sonatas" Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., featuring JMU faculty Wanchi Huang on violin and Gabriel Dobner on piano, and the world premiere of "Rant," written by faculty composer Jason Haney and performed by Huang. Tickets are $25 for the 7:30 p.m. concert; or $50 for the concert and a 6 p.m. reception with hors d'oeuvres and open bar across the street at the Watergate Hotel. To purchase combination concert/reception tickets, call the JMU Alumni Association at (888)JMU-ALUM; reservations are required by Sept. 19. For concert tickets only, call the Kennedy Center at (800)444-1324 or order tickets online at The Kennedy Center. |
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CLASS OF 2009 LEGACIES MEET
Alumni Relations staff hosted about 300 people at the annual “Welcome to JMU” for freshmen who are legacies — those students who are the children or close relatives of other JMU alumni. Nearly 100 freshman legacies joined their parents and families for lunch in the Leeolou Alumni Center on Freshman Move-in Day (Aug. 24). More than 20 of the freshman legacies earned Legacy Scholarships for the 2005-06 academic year. The scholarships are funded by alumni and friends who support Madison by purchasing a JMU license plate in Virginia. JMU receives $15 of the $25 annual Department of Motor Vehicles fee for its scholarships. The program generated $28,035 for legacy scholarships in the past year. JMU license plates are available through the Virginia DMV, where the new commemorative JMU Seal plate is available. |
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| Nicholas Pascarella, Class of 2009, earned a 2005 Legacy Scholarship through JMU's Virginia license-plate scholarship program. Pascarella is a double legacy: Both of his parents are JMU alumni. Nicholas attended the Legacy Luncheon at the Leeolou Alumni Center Aug. 24 with his parents, Jonathan "Jed" Pascarella ('79) and Kristi Angel Pascarella ('78). photo by Casey Templeton ('06) |
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MADISON IS COMING,
MADISON IS COMING
The new university magazine, Madison, should arrive in mailboxes in mid-September. The first issue of Madison, which replaces Montpelier , features new departments and opportunities to interact with fellow Dukes and the university. To keep your address up to date and ensure you receive the magazine, click on: Alumni Address Update.
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ALUM TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM AT REDSKINS GAME
Christmas Eve will find JMU alumnus Doug Segree ('92) at FedEx Field performing The Star-Spangled Banner before the kickoff of the Dec. 24 Washington Redskins game vs. the New York Giants. Segree also sang the national anthem prior to the Redskins' Aug. 26 game. He has performed at the MetroDukes Crabfest for the past two years and is scheduled to perform again at this year's Crabfest at Fort Belvoir's Castle Park, Sept. 24. Tickets can be purchased for Crabfest by calling toll free, (888)JMU-ALUM; this event usually sells out, so call today. Click to learn more about Doug Segree. |
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| HAVE GREENS BEFORE GAME |
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| Before the National Champion Dukes tackle the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sept. 10, why not get a little time on the greens? Join JMU alumni and friends Sept. 9 for the Coastal Carolina Golf Outing (Captain's Choice), 1 p.m., shotgun start, at Wild Wing Plantation, Wood Stork Course, 1000 Wild Wing Blvd., Conway, S.C. Make reservations today and join your fellow alums for a weekend of golf, tailgating and rooting on the Dukes. Game ticket: $15, tailgate: $20, golf tournament: $75; any combination of these may be purchased by calling (540)JMU-DUKE. Suggested hotel accommodations: Wild Wing Plantation, 2-bedroom unit (sleeps up to four people) $93.08/night, plus a one-time housekeeping fee of $40, call (888)398-9464 to make reservations (based on availability); or, Hampton Inn, 4551 Hwy 501, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 29579, $79/night, call (843)236-0045 to make reservations (reference JMU to receive this rate). |
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| DUKES, MARK YOUR CALENDARS |
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| Sept. 3: Open house for the new Robert and Frances Plecker Athletic Performance Center
Sept. 3: First home football game, JMU vs. Lock Haven (6 p.m.)
Sept. 24: Metro DC Crabfest at Fort Belvoir's Castle Park (noon to dusk), www.metrodukes.com
Oct. 28-30: Homecoming Weekend
Oct. 29: Dedication of the new Physics-Chemistry Building
Jan. 6: MetroDukes JobFair in the Washington, D.C., area.
For detailed information on any of these events, call toll free, (888)JMU-ALUM. |
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| TAILGATE WITH THE BEST OF THEM – JMU DUKES! |
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Join your national championship team on the road this fall at four Pregame
Tailgates, sponsored by the Duke Club:
Sept. 10 @ Coastal Carolina
Oct. 1 @ Hofstra
Oct. 22 @ Delaware
Nov. 5 @ William and Mary
For tickets and information, call (540)568-6461 or visit DukeClub. |
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| GOLF TOURNEY TO BENEFIT WTC VICTIM/ALUMNUS SEPT. 17 IN CHANTILLY |
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| The Craig Blass Memorial Golf Tournament, open to all JMU alumni, friends and families, takes place Saturday, Sept. 17, in Chantilly, Va. Tournament proceeds will go directly to benefit the Craig Blass Memorial Scholarship at JMU. Visit the tournament Web site. Blass attended Madison in 1992-96, was an active member of Theta Chi fraternity and an avid athlete. After graduating with a finance degree, he returned to New York to pursue his dream of being a stock trader at Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center, where he was killed Sept. 11, 2001. The Craig Blass Memorial Scholarship was founded in November 2001 by his friends to honor his memory. More than $90,000 has been raised for the scholarship. |
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| HELP RECRUIT PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO JMU |
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| Who sold you on Madison ? Your parents? A high-school counselor? Alumni, you know the value of the Madison Experience, and you can help JMU recruit and retain the best and brightest future Dukes. The Office of Admissions is unable to send admissions counselors to every college fair, so JMU is looking for alumni to help reach out to areas where Admissions is not able to visit. If you would like to be considered for a college fair near you, go to register here! Check out the list of upcoming college fairs. |
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| UNIVERSITY NEWS |
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A RECORD 3,800 FRESHMEN START FALL SEMESTER
James Madison University welcomed 3,800 freshman students to campus at the annual 1787 August Orientation, held Aug. 24-28. JMU, which received 19,000 applications to attend the university, planned for 3,500 freshmen, but due to its popularity, 300 more than expected accepted admission to JMU. President Linwood H. Rose said at the Fall Faculty Meeting Aug. 26 that JMU enrolls 16,450 students this fall, and remains on target to grow no more than the state-approved enrollment of 17,398 by 2012. |
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1787 August Orientation events on the Quad. |
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FOR 12TH YEAR, JMU IS NO. 1 PUBLIC MASTER'S UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH Making it an even dozen, Madison is the top public university in the South among master's-level universities for the 12th consecutive year in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. Madison moved up a notch to second place in the combined ranking of public and private Southern master's institutions in the national newsmagazine's 2006 America 's Best Colleges guide. JMU sits just below No. 1 Rollins College, a private Florida school with considerably higher tuition and smaller enrollment than JMU, in the overall regional ranking. JMU also had the highest graduation rate — 80 percent — overall in the South, public or private. The ranking "reaffirms what we witness every day at JMU," said President Linwood H. Rose, "that is, the excellence and dedication of our faculty and staff and the high performance of our students in the classroom, in the labs, as well as the success of our alumni after they leave Madison." Additionally, in the annual guide's section, "Programs to Look For," Madison was one of 43 institutions nationally (one of 22 public colleges) spotlighted for superior programs in "First-Year Experiences," that is, colleges that follow up strong freshman orientation programs with seminars and other academic programs for students during their first year of college. Madison is the only Virginia institution in the listing. |
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JMU IS GREAT PLACE TO EAT, THEN EXERCISE
Breaking into college cuisine's Top 10, Madison jumped up five chef's hats to No. 6 in the nation for "great campus food," based on student surveys, in The Princeton Review's annual college guide for 2006, Best 361 Colleges . JMU had ranked 11th in last year's 2005 guide, and 18th in 2004. To counter the great food, which this fall will include a new Tidewater Seafood restaurant, a Mongolian Grill, a Starbucks and the Madison Bread Company, students reported in the survey that the University Recreation Center "is always packed." Students also are quoted as recognizing the school's "welcoming environment," "well-ranked academics" and ability to deliver "more fun than you can have anywhere else." Students touted "a good business school," "solid health services programs," the "unique integrated science and technology major," the "exceptional" physics department and a "small, research-oriented environment." JMU faculty are praised for their "willingness to extend learning outside of the classroom" and their "realistic method of teaching to prepare students for real-world job applications." On the downside, JMU appeared for the first time, at 18th, on the list for "students dissatisfied with financial aid," based on students' assessments of how satisfied they are with their financial-aid package. |
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| JMU IS ALL-STEINWAY — THANKS TO MUSIC LOVER'S $1 MILLION GIFT |
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Thanks to a $1 million gift from a music-loving, but anonymous, donor, JMU's School of Music joined other distinguished schools of music displaying the seal of an All-Steinway School, a designation awarded by the N.Y.-based firm of Steinway & Sons to schools of music that exclusively use its pianos as concert and practice instruments. "Every serious school of music has acquired this designation," said music school Director Jeffrey Showell. Adding to 28 Steinways already owned by JMU, the first 12 new Steinways — all grands — were delivered in Harrisonburg Aug. 10. Another 55 upright pianos, also purchased with the private donation, were to be delivered Sept. 2. Madison will eventually own about 112 Steinway pianos. The donor, a Harrisonburg-area professional, pianist and frequent JMU concertgoer, "looked in the practice rooms and saw some of the junkers we had in there," Showell said. The donor "wanted to see the students have the best preparation possible." The head of Steinway & Sons will be a special guest at the JMU concert gala Sept. 28 at Washington's Kennedy Center that will celebrate the $1 million gift. The event will be the first concert of a three-year, nine-concert series of JMU artists performing at the Kennedy Center. See the Alumni story above for information on tickets for the concert and pre-concert reception. |
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Dr. Jeffrey Showell (center, without tie) oversees delivery of Steinway grands. |
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| ATHLETICS NEWS |
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LET THE BIG DUKE DOG EAT
In the dog days of August, a bronze and ferocious-looking Duke Dog was installed at the entrance to the newly opened Robert and Frances Plecker Athletic Performance Center. The statue, donated by University Outpost in Harrisonburg, is approximately five feet tall and seven feet long and weighs about one ton. Paver stones with the names of contributors to the Plecker Center building project are being located around the pedestal supporting the Duke Dog statue. Other final touches are being made to the center, which houses most of JMU's football-related activities, an academic support area for all of the university's 28 intercollegiate athletic teams and state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength-and-conditioning facilities. Murals depicting key events and individuals in JMU's athletic history have been added to the Hall of Fame area on the Plecker Center 's second level. The area also includes a listing of JMU's athletic Hall of Fame members, a display case with the Dukes' national championship trophies from football in 2004 and field hockey in 1994, a letter of commendation from President Bush and several of the football team's championship rings. The center will be dedicated Sept. 3, noon-2 p.m.  |
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Duke Dog stands guard in front of new Plecker Center. |
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U.S. SENATOR VISITS PRESEASON NO. 1 DUKES |
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| Defending national champion James Madison was ranked No. 1 in The Sports Network's preseason Division I-AA football poll in August, released just prior to the JMU team receiving a visit from U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) during its first practice in preparation for the 2005 season. JMU's No. 1 position in the poll after winning last season's national crown is the only other time the Dukes have appeared at the top of the poll. Allen, a former player at Virginia and the son of professional football hall of fame member and Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams coach George Allen, addressed the team during the practice. Allen later toured JMU's recently completed Robert and Frances Plecker Athletic Performance Center, a facility that houses various facets of the JMU's operation. “All of Virginia is so proud of you being national champions,” Allen said, adding that, as national champions, “you aren't going to sneak up on anybody. You're going to have to work harder.” The Dukes open their season Sept. 3 at home against Lock Haven. A pep rally to open the season will be held Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. on the Commons. |
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U.S. Sen. George Allen talks with Dukes Head Coach Mickey Matthews. |
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| WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE REVEALED |
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| A Thanksgiving tournament at Long Island University and non-conference games against four in-state opponents are on the 2005-06 JMU women's basketball schedule. The Dukes open Nov. 18 at home against Richmond, travel to Virginia Tech Nov. 20, then take part in the Thanksgiving Tournament Nov. 25-26. JMU will play 18 games in the Colonial Athletic Association, which expands from 10 to 12 teams this year. The Dukes meet seven CAA opponents, and single games against Drexel, Georgia State, Hofstra and North Carolina-Wilmington. "I am excited about the 2005-06 schedule, said fourth-year coach Kenny Brooks. "There will be many challenges that will prepare us for a vigorous season in the CAA." The Dukes return all five starters from last year's 18-11 CAA semifinalist team. The freshman class includes three players ranked among the top 206 in the country by All Star Girls' Report. Additionally, Kenny Brooks promoted Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, who joined JMU's program in 2003 following a successful high-school coaching career in Georgia , to associate head coach in August. |
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| COACH MATTHEWS GETS WOMEN IN THE GAME |
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| The JMU football coaching staff conducted a ladies' football clinic Aug. 24 at the Plecker Athletic Performance Center . Head coach Mickey Matthews, the Division I-AA national coach of the year, and his coaching staff explained various aspects of football with a general overview of the basic rules and regulations of the game to the women attending the clinic. |
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| JMU ARCHERS HELP U.S. TEAM TAKE SILVER |
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| Two JMU archers helped lead the U.S. men's compound bow team to the silver medal in the archery team competition at the Summer World University Games Aug. 15 in Turkey . The team of Madison sophomores Braden Gellenthien and Jedd Greshock and Idaho State's Logan Wilde advanced to the finals with wins over Turkey and France before falling to Korea by a score of 23-21 in the gold-medal match. |
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| WOMEN'S SOCCER ASSISTANT COACH NAMED |
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| Whitney Paynter Sajko, a former two-time Colonial Athletic Association soccer tournament most valuable player, has been named assistant women's soccer coach at JMU. The 1999 William and Mary graduate was an assistant coach at Dartmouth in 2000, the head boys' coach at Broadway (Va.) High School in 1999-2000, and assistant girls' coach at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax from 2001-04; Robinson won the 2002 Virginia group AAA state championship. At William and Mary, Sajko was voted to the Virginia Sports Information Directors' all-state team in 1996 and 1998, won the team's Coaches Award in 1997 and received the school's President's Award for sportsmanship, citizenship and leadership in 1999. Sajko served as a team captain during her senior season in 1998. A native of Chantilly, Va., Sajko holds a bachelor's degree in history from William and Mary and a master's degree in education leadership from George Mason University in May 2005. |
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NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS:
By subscribing to this online publication and providing James Madison University with your e-mail address, it is understood that you are directing the University NOT to share your e-mail address with any parties outside the University community.
To unsubscribe from this publication, send an e-mail to: listserv@kookaburra.jmu.edu and type the words – signoff Alumni-L – in the body of the e-mail.
To update or change your e-mail address, go to "e-news" in the left-hand column of the JMU Alumni Association Web site at http://www.jmu.edu/alumni/newsletter/index.html (alumni) or send an e-mail to matthess@jmu.edu (non-alumni).
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Training Director Diane Yerian gives President Rose a big check from JMU employees.
MADISON NEEDS ALUMNI TOO: JMU employees contributed $209,302 to the 2004-05 Employee Giving Campaign, "Madison Needs EveryONE." Madison alumni can support talented JMU professors who inspire a multitude of students, or can provide a much-needed scholarship for a student to share in the Madison Experience. Listen to JMU students tell in their own words what scholarship and financial support means to their lives by logging on to Student Video (requires Windows Media Player). Learn more about how you can contribute to JMU and help provide the Madison Experience for the next generation of Dukes by calling the JMU Development Office at (800) 296-6162 or visiting the JMU Development Web site .
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Madison Scholar
Gas prices are going up and other energy issues are coming to America's attention. Some of the answers are blowing in the wind, says Dr. Jon Miles, who advocates the use of wind energy. Miles led the development of a computerized map that spots the best places for wind farms in Virginia. Also, meet a young mathematics professor who has won national honors as well as raves from students for her demanding math instruction. To read more about research at JMU, visit the Web site.
Advancing Madison
Want to know who cares enough about Madison to donate to the university? You can subscribe to the new online newsletter, Advancing Madison.
Why Gift Planning?
Working on a college savings plan for your children or grandchildren? Looking for ways to build a retirement savings fund? Working on preserving the retirement fund you spent years creating? Every stage in life presents the need for careful planning when it comes to money…whether it's financial planning, estate planning or gift planning. When you decide it's time to do something special in support of Madison, charitable gift planning can help match your desire with creative ways to make your gift a reality. Perhaps you are holding highly appreciated securities in your portfolio. Selling such assets creates capital gains tax liability, but a gift of such assets gives you the benefit of the appreciated value while avoiding tax liability on the gain. Or, you can creatively balance tax liability on the gain against an income-tax deduction for a gift via a plan involving the sale of part of the assets and a gift of the balance. Perhaps you're interested in a steady stream of income for your retirement years — a guaranteed and fixed rate of return. A charitable gift annuity provides the assurance of such an income source for the rest of your life — and allows you to create a special gift at Madison. If you'd like more ideas on how to incorporate charitable gift planning into your overall financial and estate planning, contact Ted Sudol, J.D., in University Advancement at sudoltj@jmu.edu . Or call him at (540)568-1776 or toll free at (800)296-6162. You also can look to the JMU Web site for more information at Planned Giving.
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| Dukes fans can relive the 2004 Division I-AA National Football Championship season again and again via the Football National Champions DVD. How do you get a copy? If you join the JMU Duke Club at the Purple Club level or higher, or, if you purchase 2005 season tickets, you'll receive a complimentary DVD in the mail. Go to the Web at JMU Sports Media. |
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