Ten Madison College roommates who met as freshmen in 1966 will sail off together Feb. 5 to the Caribbean, all expenses paid by the ABC-TV show, "Good Morning America." The Madison Roomies, as the 10 call themselves, entered an essay contest for a "Girls' Week Away" cruise aboard the Norwegian Jewel. The 10 women who roomed together at then-all girls' Madison College (JMU today)—when dust bunnies were a major campus offense, according to their essay—were selected as one of 15 winning teams, and are to appear live from aboard ship. In the interim years after leaving Madison—seven of the 10 graduated from the college in June 1970—the 10 "never lost contact," keeping in touch year-round "by phone, in person, and in thoughts," and meeting up for annual reunions. In the essay, 10 lives over 40 years were tabulated: "18 marriages, 10 divorces, premature death of a spouse at 27, kids, grandkids, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child abuse by a spouse, cancer of a young sibling, a spouse struck by lightning, sibling suicide and early deaths of our parents from breast cancer, AIDS, lung cancer, heart attacks. It goes on and on. But, alas, the good times are too numerous to mention: kayaking, ski lodges, white-water rafting, hiking, beach walks, kids' weddings, master's degrees, professional careers, raising great kids, turning 20, 30, 40, and 50 — together." The 10 women are: Linda Chester Armistead of Virginia Beach, Va.; Kristen (Kris) Keller Clark of Alexandria, Va.; Rhonda (Ronni) Bilotti Miller of Alexandria, Va.; Carmen Wray Warfield of Richmond, Va.; Nancy Franklin of Denver, Colo.; Helen Schaumburg Quinn of Denver, Colo.; Bonnie Back Berner of Rye, N.Y.; Carolyn Schutz Bowman of Amherst, N.H.; Christine (Chris) Cruse Butcher of Chester Springs, Pa.; and Karen Doane Davenport of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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Three alumni joined 10 JMU staffers in winning awards in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education's 2005 District III awards program. Barbara Burton Powell ('97), Ginjer Norris Clarke ('94) and Tiffany Gricher ('05) and Madison magazine staff won an Award of Excellence for the series, "Professors You Love," which is written by alumni and edited by magazine Editor Pam Brock and Assistant Editor Michelle Hite ('88). Powell wrote about music Professor Eric Ruple; Clarke wrote about theater Professor Pam Johnson; and Gricher wrote on business Professor Steve Welpott. Hite also won a Special Merit Award in the speechwriting category for her "2005 JMU Distinguished Service Award Acceptance Speech." Staffers from University Advancement—writer Bill Gentry, graphic designer Rinn Siegrist and photographer Diane Elliott ('00)—and from Admissions, Sarah Carlson, won a Special Merit Award in the Student Recruiting Publications category for the "One" Recruitment Print Series. Gentry, Siegrist, Elliott and Tisha McCoy from the Orientation Office won a Special Merit Award in the Visual Design: Improvement in Design category for the "Transfer OneBook" publication. Staff from the Centennial Celebration Office won a CASE III Award of Excellence for Web Home Page Design and Implementation for the Web site at www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration, created by celebration Director Fred Hilton ('86M), Web site designer Debbi Long ('04) and Madison Art Director Bill Thompson.

The Chicago-Area Alumni Chapter held its first 2006 event, "Bowling into the New Year," at 10pin Bowling Lounge in downtown Chicago Jan. 26. The event was the chapter's most successful ever and a first-time event for many Chicago alumni. At the one-year-old chapter's planning meeting in January, members decided to use online e-vites to publicize upcoming events and to poll alumni on favored activities. Chicago Dukes will organize a regular monthly happy hour, Purple Thursdays, for the second Thursday of each month at various watering holes throughout the Windy City—the first, Feb. 9 at Tilli's at 7 p.m. Check the chapter's Web site at www.ChicagoDukes.com for news and upcoming events.

The Tidewater Chapter's tradition of Third Thursdays continues Feb. 16 at Baxter's Sports Bar on Granby Street in Norfolk. And the date is set for the chapter's third annual beach party: June 10, 1-4 p.m., at the Ocean View Fishing Pier in Norfolk. The Beach Party is the chapter's marquee family-friendly event. "It's a great opportunity for alums of all ages to welcome new grads back home, get old friends back together again, make those oh-so valuable connections, or just kick back and enjoy the sand between your toes," says chapter President Kelly Stefanko ('94). With the help of generous donors, sponsors and raffle-ticket buyers, the beach party is also the chapter's largest annual scholarship fundraiser. Admission is $22 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to 12; children 5 and under are admitted free. Tickets must be purchased by June 7. For more information, contact Kelly Stefanko at (757)664-4047 or send e-mail to TidewaterChpt@alumni.jmu.edu. For details, go to the JMU Online Community at www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/JMD/eventscalendar.html. Check out the beach party's new location at www.oceanviewfishingpier.com/virtual.html.

The Baltimore/Annapolis Chapter is planning a Crabfeast event in Annapolis at Sandy Point Park for late summer 2006, and chapter leaders seek volunteers to serve on a committee to help plan the event. Can you or your company help sponsor this chapter event? Contact Alison Pardalis at alison_pardalis@hotmail.com or Lauren Bronich-Hall at mailto:Lbronic1@jhmi.edu if you are able to assist. The chapter's calendar of events is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JMU_Baltimore/.

The JMU community mourns the recent deaths of three faculty and two alumni leaders and benefactors:

• Geoffrey Morley-Mower—Morley-Mower passed away Dec. 16. The professor of English, often seen tooling around campus and town on his moped, is remembered for his generous spirit and exceptional teaching. Morley-Mower "was a warrior, a poet, an entertainer, a devoutly religious man and an educator on many levels, including English literature and poetry," wrote department colleague Judy Good. "In his lifetime, he published two memoirs involving his personal experiences in the Royal Air Force in World War II. He taught at JMU until the week preceding his unexpected death, living his life fully until the very end."
• Julius B. Roberson—Roberson, who held several administrative roles at Madison, died Dec. 9. He joined the Madison staff in 1972, and served as dean of admissions and records, dean of the College of Education, dean of Health and Human Services and associate provost of the College of Integrated Science and Technology. He retired in 1996.
• John Wells—A physics professor and astronomy pioneer, Wells died Dec. 18. He joined the Madison faculty in 1947 and was instrumental in bringing a planetarium to JMU in 1950. As department head from 1955 to 1974, Wells was key in building JMU's physics program. The planetarium in Miller Hall carried his name beginning in 1975. He retired in 1979, but stayed on as part-time planetarium curator for many years. Wells' death came a month after the JMU planetarium's final show in November. This spring, to honor Wells, the physics department will begin a new outreach program of twice-a-month stargazing for the public.
• Ralph Roop—The longtime JMU benefactor died Jan. 21 in Richmond. He is survived by his wife, Inez Graybeal Roop ('35), alumna leader and Madison icon. In 2005, JMU bestowed an honorary degree to Ralph Roop for his leadership in educational, church, business and philanthropic affairs. His alma mater, Virginia Tech, presented him with its highest alumni award, the William H. Ruffner Medal, in 2003.
• Jean Louise Shelley—An Alumni Association board of directors member in the 1980s and '90s, Shelley ('49) of Baltimore died Dec. 11. JMU honored her with the 1975 Inez Graybeal Roop Distinguished Alumni Service Award for dedication and volunteer commitment that significantly enhanced the goals and mission of the university and the Alumni Association. She was a retired Baltimore County physical education teacher and guidance counselor, who also coached many girls' sports. She was a longtime donor to JMU athletics and the Class of 1949 reunion giving program.

• March 15: James Madison Day, http://www.jmu.edu/birthday/
• April 7-9: Spring Reunion Weekend for the classes of 1966, 1961 and 1956, as well as all Bluestone Society members. The Class of 1956 will be inducted into the Bluestone Society during the weekend. Members of the classes of 1957, 1958 and 1959 also will be invited.
• April 21-23: JMU Black Alumni Reunion Weekend: For more information, contact chapter President Vanessa Evans at vevans26@earthlink.net.
• Sept. 2: First home football game against Bloomsburg (Pa.) State, www.jmusports.com
• Oct. 7: Family Weekend, www.jmu.edu/parents.
• Oct. 21: Homecoming 2006, www.jmu.edu/homecoming

For more detailed information on any of the above listed events, call the JMU Office of Alumni Relations, toll free 1-888-JMU-ALUM (also visit www.jmu.edu/alumni/calendar/index.html).

Madison placed at No. 17 nationally in The Kiplinger 100, a listing of best values in public colleges—schools that offer a first-class education at a reasonable price—published in the February issue of "Kiplinger's Personal Finance" magazine. JMU is one of five Virginia public universities ranked in the magazine's top 25. The Kiplinger 100 are selected for "their combination of top-flight academics and affordable costs," the article said. Academic-quality measurements included 2004-05 freshman SAT/ACT scores, admission rates, freshman-retention rates, student-to-faculty ratios and graduation rates. The magazine also ranked colleges by in-state student tuition and fees, average cost per student with and without need for financial aid, the percentage of need met by aid, and the average debt students accumulate before graduating. More than 500 public colleges were considered.

The Peace Corps ranks Madison No. 2 in its top-25 list for medium-size schools for 2006, moving JMU up two spots from No. 4 in 2005 in the category, and just behind the University of Virginia. The volunteer-service agency recognizes colleges whose graduates serve in the Peace Corps in its annual rankings, released Jan. 30. Currently, 65 JMU alumni serve as Peace Corps volunteers. With 288 Madison alumni having joined the ranks of the Peace Corps volunteers since the program's inception in 1961, it makes JMU the No. 138 producer of volunteers of all time. For the 20th year in a row, the University of Wisconsin at Madison took the top spot with 104 volunteers; it is also the No. 1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers overall. For the first time, Dartmouth College took the top spot for small schools with 37 alumni serving. Among the all-time top producing schools, the University of California at Berkeley continues to be No. 1—it's the only school to have produced more than 3,000 volunteers since 1961. Michigan State broke the 2,000-volunteer mark for the first time, becoming only the fifth university to do so. Schools are ranked by the size of the student body. Small schools are those with less than 5,000 undergraduates, medium-size schools are those between 5,001 to 15,000 undergraduates, and large schools are those with more than 15,000 undergraduates.

Madison's Marching Royal Dukes performed in Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's inaugural parade Jan. 14 in Colonial Williamsburg. The 365-member marching band, led by Director of Bands J. Patrick Rooney, performed "The American Finale," down Duke of Gloucester Street from the Colonial Capitol to Nassau Street. The parade followed the noon inaugural ceremony at the Colonial Capitol in which Kaine, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Bob McDonnell took their oaths of office. Kaine is only the third governor of Virginia—along with Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson—inaugurated in Williamsburg, the first capital of the commonwealth. The Kaine inauguration was held in Williamsburg due to renovations under way at the state capitol in Richmond.

The School of Theatre and Dance and School of Music will present the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winner "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" Feb. 14-18, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. at Latimer-Shaeffer Theatre. The musical's guest director, Andy Leech, has worked as a professional actor and director since graduating from JMU in 1983. He performed in national tours of "Singin' in the Rain," "My One and Only" and "No, No Nanette." He was the artistic director for the three-year national tour of "Ziegfeld: A Night at The Follies." He has directed "Ziegfeld" in Chicago, "Fiddler on the Roof" in Washington, D.C., and "Alone Together" at the famous Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod. For the past eight years, Leech has taught acting and musical theater in New York City for New York University, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and Eugene Lang College. He also created original shows and taught acting at Bennington College for six summers.

Four now-graduated JMU studentsbwon a bronze prize and $500 for a video they created for a national campaign to raise awareness of and increase computer security at colleges and universities. Stephen Hockman, John Sease, Erin Shulsinger and Christina Manikus—all May 2005 graduates of the School of Media Arts and Design—won a third place in the "single topic videos" category for their entry, "Act Now, Stay Current." The six winning videos were from Savannah College of Art and Design, the College of William and Mary, Idaho State University, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Wake Forest University and JMU. The then-students created the winning JMU video in their "Advanced Digital Post Production" class, taught by SMAD Professor John Woody. The awards were sponsored by EDUCAUSE. The JMU and other winning videos may be viewed at www.educause.edu/SecurityVideoContest/7103.

Visiting fine art photographer Richard Faut will literally print on the walls of New Image Gallery in the gallery's final exhibition in Zirkle House. To create "Upon Itself," Faut will use silver gelatin photographic emulsion to print directly on the walls of the gallery for the Jan. 30-Feb. 25 exhibition. New Image Gallery, as well as JMU galleries showcasing student artwork, will move to the Grace Street Center during Spring Break, March 6-10. Zirkle House, which was built in 1920 by the Lewis A. Zirkle family and purchased by JMU in 1949, will be torn down to make room for the future university arts center.

The annual James Madison Week events, marking President James Madison's birthday and founding of the university, will be held March 14-15, and will include a soon-to-be-announced special guest. Confirmed events include: a public lecture by George Mason University historian Robert Hawkes on "George Mason: An Uncommon American Hero"; debates on the place of intelligent design in education between 12 or more college debating teams competing for the Madison Cup and a public presentation on the issue of intelligent design by Dr. John A. Campbell, a professor and specialist in the rhetoric of science; and the annual James Madison Day lecture by historian and writer Michael Beschloss. Check the JMU Web site for details and updates.

Poet Nikki Giovanni will join the voices of five regional gospel choirs in in a free, public concert in Wilson Hall Auditorium at JMU Monday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. The concert commemorates the 35th anniversary of the release of Giovanni's classic album, "Truth Is On Its Way," in 1971. Giovanni's original album was one of the first of its kind, combining traditional gospel spirituals with Giovanni's own contemporary poetry. Choir members include students from JMU, Virginia State University, Eastern Mennonite University, Mary Baldwin College and Washington & Lee University. The concert will be available via Web cast and podcast.

Coach Mickey Matthews has signed 24 players to JMU football scholarships. The signing class includes 23 scholastic and prep-school players and a junior college transfer now enrolled at JMU. Eighteen players are from Virginia; five other states are represented: Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. "This is by far the best group we've signed," Matthews said in evaluating the overall class at a Feb. 1 news conference at JMU's Plecker Athletic Performance Center. "When you look at the players we signed and who we recruited against, there's not a close second." For more on the recruits, visit the Web site at www.jmusports.com/.

JMU football players Harry Dunn and Clint Kent signed contracts with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and are scheduled to report to the team's rookie camp May 18. Both Dunn and Kent were seniors on JMU's 2005 team and members of the Dukes' 2004 NCAA Division I-AA national championship squad. Dunn played offensive tackle and Kent cornerback at JMU.

The JMU football team presented its annual team awards for the 2005 season at its team banquet Jan. 14. The following were honored:

• Dean Ehlers Most Valuable Player Award—senior cornerback Clint Kent
• Gary Clark Most Valuable Offensive Player Award—junior tailback Alvin Banks
• Charles Haley Most Valuable Defensive Player Award—sophomore free safety Tony LeZotte and junior linebacker Akeem Jordan
• Challace McMillin Special Teams Player Award—sophomore wide receiver/kick returner L.C. Baker
• Bob Yetzer Award—junior quarterback Justin Rascati
• Doug West Memorial Scout Team Award—sophomore linebacker Michael Brown and true-freshman running back Scotty McGee
• Casey Carter Academic Achievement Award—senior defensive tackle Demetrius Shambley
• John Kraus Memorial Award—senior offensive guard Matt Magerko.

Senior Chris Cvitan trimmed teammate and junior Brandon Scott 5-4 in the finals to win an individual title Jan. 7 at the Virginia Intercollegiate State Wrestling Championship, hosted by JMU in Sinclair Gym in Godwin Hall. Cvitan became JMU's first state champ since 2003. Old Dominion won the five-team tournament Saturday at James Madison University's Sinclair Gym in Godwin Hall.

JMU baseball coach Spanky McFarland and his coaching staff signed five players to scholarships during the first signing period of the school year:

• Matthew Browning of Mystic, Conn.— 6', 190 lbs., Third Base
• Dustin Crouch of Amherst, Va.— 6'2", 210 lbs., Right-Handed Pitcher
• Michael Fabiaschi of Torrington, Conn.— 6'1", 175 lbs., Middle Infield
• Alex Foltz, Mathias, W.Va.— 5'11", 180 lbs., Infield/Outfield
• Trevor Knight, Charlottesville, Va.— 6', 175 lbs., Right-Handed Pitcher

Several JMU players won Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors in January:

• Redshirt senior and graduate student Christine Filak was named the CAA Women's Swimmer of the Week Jan. 24.
• Freshman forward Juwann James was named the CAA rookie of the week Jan. 10 and Jan. 24 for his play in basketball games in January. James leads the Dukes in both scoring and rebounding for the season.
• Junior Allison Keel and sophomore Brian Freitag were named the Swimmer of the Week for their respective genders by the CAA Jan. 17.