 |
![]() |
January 2006 |
|
 |
 ALUMNI NEWS |
Alumna Wins Piece of Nobel Peace Prize
JMU alumna Cindy Coolbaugh ('70) is a team leader with the International Atomic Energy Agency that, along with its director
general, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, won the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize for its work toward preventing nuclear energy from being used
for military purposes and for peaceful applications of nuclear science to fight poverty, disease and pollution. "The
recognition given the IAEA by the Norwegian Nobel Committee was the best team award that any organization can be awarded,"
said Coolbaugh, IAEA's section head for conference services. "We are grateful that the Norwegian Nobel Committee has
recognized the challenges ahead for the agency. These included the fight against nuclear terrorism and significant expansion
of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes." The Nobel Peace Prize was presented Dec. 10 to the IAEA and ElBaradei in
Oslo, Norway.
Class of '93 Alumnae Connect with Christmas Tradition
For the 12th year, Monyette Foreman Martin ('93) and eight of her JMU classmates celebrated their own "Christmas connection"
tradition in December. "We all shared a very unique experience while at JMU as African-American students, and we grew
together as a result," said Martin, the Richmond regional assistant director of JMU's Office of Admissions. "We all entered
JMU in 1989 and all hail from the Richmond and Northern Virginia areas. While a few of us knew each other from our hometowns,
it wasn't until we were at JMU that we all truly met and got to know each other. We have become lifelong friends and have
made a pact to not lose contact with one another." The group first got together at Christmas in 1993 in Alexandria and agreed
to an annual gathering. "We also decided to rotate among each other's homes and between Richmond and NoVa," Martin said. "We
started off using this time to catch up on each other's lives, and each of us brought a dish so we wouldn't over extend the
hostess. Now, in our 12th year, we play games, reflect on our JMU days and JMU photos, and have a Chinese gift exchange. With
families and careers it is often very difficult for us to keep up with each other throughout the year, but we all look
forward to knowing that during the Christmas holiday season we will be together to reminisce and reflect on our many
blessings. We are very happy for our bond and longstanding friendship and look forward to sharing many more years getting
together." They've already made plans for Christmas 2006 and to meet at the Northern Virginia home of Erica "Angel" Jackson
Gonzalez.
The Christmas Connection alumnae group, all Class of 1993, gather at the Richmond home of Monyette and Brandon Martin.
Left to right are: Monyette Foreman Martin, Patrice Johnson, Alease Johnson, Vanessa Evans, Erica "Angel" Jackson Gonzalez,
Vonya Alleyne, Janet Lee, Rhonda Jackson and Eleanor Ferguson Lewis.
Chapter of the Month: Meet Boston-Area Alumni
After moving to Boston, 2004 JMU graduate Blu Nordgren wanted to meet new people, but was saddened to find no active JMU
alumni chapter there, though one had once existed in the Boston area. Nordgren set out to change that and, last summer,
formed the Boston-Area JMU Alumni Chapter. "It was a little slow at first," she said, "but more and more people keep showing
up to events and more are showing an interest in helping out and organizing events." Nordgren remains the main organizer,
backed by a couple of other "very active members," she said. Her aim is to allow members to organize activities based on
their interests. "For instance, Allison Miracco ('02) came up with the great idea of a scavenger hunt, and she was very
interested in organizing that, so she and I worked together." The pair created 75 "missions" — from collecting take-out menus
from Newbury Street restaurants to taking pictures of a team member pouring a Guinness beer at an Irish pub. Teams even took
photos of members forming the letters J-M-U with their bodies. "The scavenger hunt was a huge success," Miracco said. "I
thought it would be a great way to get to know other alumni, by having to run around the city with them. Blu collected
prizes, and we decorated lunch bags and stuffed them with prizes, including a lot of purple and gold Mardi Gras beads." The
Boston alumni have met for a few happy hours at bars, and to cheer on JMU's football team. The former Dukes also carry on the
Madison tradition of community service: Miracco and Nordgren are compiling a list of monthly volunteer opportunities for the
chapter "because we feel like people would like to help out their community," said Miracco. The Boston-area alumni will
volunteer with meals at the St. Francis House Day Shelter Jan. 28 and 29. For more information on the chapter, contact Blu
Nordgren at JMUinBoston@yahoo.com.
Story by Erin Pettit ('05)
Blu Nordgren (center) celebrates a little bit of JMU in Boston with some JMU pals.
Two Alumnae Fitness Gurus Lauded in Print
Felecia DeBerry |
Felecia DeBerry ('92), known professionally as Mocha Lee, was featured on the October 2005 cover of Oxygen magazine. Lee, who
is the first African American to win the Ms. Galaxy title, is a fitness expert and model and founder/CEO of Fitness Fanatics,
a personal-training and fitness-consulting company based in the Washington, D.C., area. She also appeared on the March 2005
cover of Max Sports and Fitness magazine. Lauded by Natural Muscle Magazine as "among the shining new stars in the fitness
sky — the creme de la creme," Lee has attracted a large following through her TV show and from appearances and articles in
various publications, including Heart & Soul, Today's Black Woman, American Health & Fitness, Essence and Women's Fitness.
The business management major also volunteers for Special Olympics. Learn more at www.mochalee.net/.
One of Lee's former college roommates, Mary Loumeau ('93) of Norfolk, is also a fitness expert and was featured in the
April 2004 issue of Marie Claire. Loumeau earned her B.B.A. in international business. She began taking personal Pilates
training in San Francisco and got "hooked." She auditioned and was accepted into the intensive 600-hour training program at
Power Pilates in Manhattan. She taught for both Power Pilates and Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York and Long Island before
returning home to open her own training center. Loumeau is a certified personal trainer. Learn more about her at www.pilatescentralstudio.com/.
— Submitted by Kelly Stefanko ('94)
December Graduates Keep Their JMU E-IDs
In a major step toward keeping closer relationships with alumni and friends of Madison, December graduating seniors will be
the first group to keep their JMU electronic IDs after leaving the university. "Moving to an online environment where we can
maintain lifetime relationships with graduates, as well as cultivate new relationships with prospective students, has been
one of our top priorities for the last several years," said David Taylor ('85), director of marketing in University
Advancement. "For at least the last two years, we've been working closely with folks in (Information Technology) to achieve
this. It's an exciting first step." Giving graduates access to university online services, such as e-Campus to acquire
transcripts, is the first of a variety of online offerings to alumni. "Most graduates will likely have more than one or two
different careers," said Taylor. "By giving them access to tools, information and services that help them along the way, we
can maintain a closer relationship with alumni. That's good for them and good for Madison." In addition to their electronic
IDs, December graduates will also be given e-mail forwarding capability from their original JMU account that allows graduates
to enter a forwarding address for all their JMU e-mail. Since graduates may have several e-mail accounts, e-mail forwarding
from JMU allows for the e-mail to follow students wherever they go. Don't feel left out, though, JMU grad — if you graduated
before December 2005, you may also sign up for a permanent JMU e-mail address by registering at JMU's online community at
www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/JMD.
Fall 2005 graduates celebrate after the Dec. 17 commencement in the Convocation Center.
Tidewater Alumni Chapter News, Events
The Tidewater Alumni Chapter, JMU's 2005 Chapter of the Year, celebrated the holidays in style with an exclusive four-course
dinner prepared by one of the most renowned chefs of the Hampton Roads area, according to chapter president Kelly Stefanko
('94). The Blue Hippo served as the backdrop for 20 alums and guests, who indulged in everything from key lime martinis to
flourless chocolate cake. The most talked about delicacy was a handmade Duke Dog gingerbread house made by Tassie Pippert,
major gifts officer in the JMU Office of Development and former host of the public television show, "WVPT Cooks." Brooke
Neilson ('01) won the drawing for the gingerbread house. The Tidewater Chapter's tradition of Third Thursdays continues Jan.
19 at 6 p.m. at ShoreBreak Pizza-Sports-Billiards (2941 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach). The Feb. 16 location is Baxter's Sports
Bar on Granby Street in Norfolk.
Hey, Dukes, Mark Your Calendars
SAVE THE DATES:
- Jan. 6 — Sixth Annual Metro Dukes JobFair, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Tysons Corner Holiday Inn, 1960 Chain Bridge Road,
McLean, Va.
- April 7-9 — Spring Reunion Weekend for the classes of 1966, 1961, 1956 and all Bluestone Society members. During
the weekend, the Class of 1956 will be inducted into the Bluestone Society. Members of the classes of 1957, 1958 and 1959
will also be invited.
- Oct. 7 — Family Weekend
- Oct. 21 — Homecoming 2006
For more detailed information on any of the above-listed events, please call the JMU Office of Alumni Relations, toll free
1-888-JMU-ALUM, or visit www.jmu.edu/alumni/calendar/index.html.
|
| |
|
| |
|
UNIVERSITY NEWS |
Former Physics Head, Planetarium Curator John C. Wells dies
Dr. John C. Wells, professor emeritus of physics and planetarium curator emeritus, died Dec. 18 in Harrisonburg at 91. Wells
taught at Madison College/JMU from 1947 to 1979, and he headed the physics department at Madison from 1955 to 1974. Wells
helped to establish a planetarium at Madison College in 1950, and, after retirement, continued his association with JMU as
the planetarium curator until August 1988. The planetarium, named for Wells in 1980, was moved from Burruss Hall to Miller
Hall in 1975. Wells' special interests were astronomy and science education. Born Jan. 12, 1914, in Philadelphia, Pa., Wells
earned an A.B. degree from Colgate University in 1937, and an M.A. in 1941 and an Ed.D. in 1951, both from Columbia
University.
Geology Department Moves into New Digs
JMU's department of geology and environmental sciences moved from Miller Hall to its new facilities in Memorial Hall, the
former Harrisonburg High School, in December prior to the Winter Break. The JMU department has five teaching labs, one
classroom, eight research labs and 14 offices. JMU is leasing the school property from Harrisonburg; Harrisonburg High opened
its new campus earlier in the year. Miller Hall will be renovated; plans are for the building to become the new home of the
psychology department.
JMU Students Develop 'Amistad' with Local Latinos
Every other Wednesday last fall, 20 JMU students and 20 local middle-school students came together in small groups under the
banner of "amistad" — the Spanish word for friendship — to foster connections between the university and the growing local
Latino community. Through activities ranging from the creation of flags expressing personal and cultural identities to a
program by an inspirational Chicano poet, the JMU volunteers and the middle-schoolers were learning about each others'
cultures in the new exchange program established by Karina Kline-Gabel, a lecturer of Spanish in JMU's foreign languages and
literatures department. The JMU volunteers do not receive academic credit or payment for their participation in the program,
which has the goal of "building bridges through friendship." "By doing so, we not only offer our students an opportunity to
internationalize their college experience," Kline-Gabel said, "but the alliances between our faculty, students and the
greater community will undoubtedly become stronger." Funded by a JMU Internationalization-at-Home Initiative grant of
$10,000, the yearlong Amistad project has drawn student volunteers from JMU's Latino Club and Spanish Club and from academic
classes. In the spring semester, the middle-schoolers will tour JMU's campus and learn about the importance of staying in
school and preparing for college.
Pre-Health Students Spend Winter Break in Central America
A group of 23 pre-health students from JMU spent 12 days of their Winter Break in Costa Rica and Nicaragua providing a
variety of health-care services. The students, studying in pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-optometry and pre-pharmacy programs,
were to help examine, diagnose, distribute prescriptions, extract teeth, prescribe eyeglasses and give vaccines and
injections alongside pre-medical students from UCLA, Texas A&M, Columbia and other universities. Organized by the
International Service Learning agency, the trip cost $1,985 per student. Students raised some dollars through fundraisers,
while others were sponsored by families, friends, churches and other non-profit organizations. The students departed Dec. 27
from Dulles Airport; they are to return Jan. 7.
Maryland University President to Speak at JMU's Dr. King Celebration
Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, is to be the guest speaker at JMU's 2006
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration program, to be held Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium. The university's
celebration of the life of the late civil rights leader also will include: a March and Speak Out, Jan. 12 at 3:30 p.m. at the
James Madison statue and in Warren Hall; a performance by the Harlem Gospel Choir, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Wilson Hall
Auditorium; University Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11 a.m. in Taylor Hall; Unity Day on the Commons, Jan. 18; and Poetry Night, Jan.
19 at 8 p.m. in Taylor Down Under. Additionally, a Warm Clothes Drive will be conducted Jan. 9-20 and a community service
project with Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia is planned for Jan. 21.
Israeli Spokesman to Discuss Media, World Opinion Jan. 18
David Baker, senior foreign press coordinator for the prime minister of Israel, will speak on "The Other Middle East
Conflict: Israel, the Palestinians and the Battle for the Media and World Opinion" Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at JMU. Admission is
free. Baker has worked as senior foreign press coordinator since August 2000, serving the administrations of Ariel Sharon and
Ehud Barak. Baker also will participate in a faculty roundtable discussion of the 2005 book, "The Other War: Israelis,
Palestinians, and the Struggle for Media Supremacy." Baker's presentation is the inaugural event for the Guardian Lecture
Series, sponsored by the Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs at JMU. The series, named after James
Madison's observation to his friend George Thompson that "the advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of
true liberty," brings to JMU scholars and practitioners to discuss issues in four principal areas: terrorism and national
security; Africa; religion and global politics; and international ethics and justice.
Funny Physician Patch Adams to Lecture, Visit Classes Jan. 24
Patch Adams, the physician-humorist made famous by the Robin Williams movie that bears his name, will give a public
presentation Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium. He also will talk with students in various classes during the day.
Adams, the founder and director of the Gesundheit Institute, a holistic medical community that has provided free medical care
to patients since 1971, will speak about "What is Our Love Strategy?"
|
| |
|
| |
|
ATHLETICS NEWS |
Senior Magerko Named Atlantic-10 Student-Athlete of the Year
Madison senior guard Matt Magerko was named the Atlantic 10 Football Conference’s Student-Athlete of the Year in December
after voting conducted among the conference’s sports information directors. Magerko was the top performer on an offensive
line that helped the Dukes rank second in the Atlantic 10 and 13th nationally in rushing and second in the A-10 and 12th
nationally in scoring in 2005. Off the field, Magerko had a 3.78 grade-point average as a kinesiology undergraduate. Now in
graduate school, he is pursuing a master's degree in sports administration. JMU players joining Magerko on the All-Academic
team were senior center Anderson Braswell, an accounting major; senior tight end Sean Connaghan, a marketing and finance
major; junior quarterback Justin Rascati, a kinesiolgy major; and senior placekicker Paul Wantuck, a marketing and
kinesiology major.
LeZotte, Magerko Named to Two All-America Teams
Madison safety Tony LeZotte, the 2005 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, was among nine standouts from the Atlantic 10
Football Conference named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation I-AA All-America Team. Senior lineman Matt Magerko of
Madison was named to the offensive team. Walter Camp, the "Father of American Football," first selected an All-America team
in 1889. Additionally, LeZotte was named to the first team and Magerko to the third team on The Sports Network’s Division
I-AA All-America Football Team.
Senior Soccer Player Named to Women's Scholar All-America Team
Senior Kim Argy was named to the 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Women's Scholar All-America Team.
Argy is an accounting major with a 3.68 cumulative grade-point average. This season, she also was named to the NSCAA
All-Mid-Atlantic Region first team, the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team and the CAA all-tournament team. The
forward completed her career ranked third on the Dukes' career goals list (34) and fourth on the career-points list (78). The
50 Scholar All-America Team honorees are invited to the NSCAA All-America Luncheon held Jan. 21 in Philadelphia. Argy and two
other Madison women's soccer players were named to the 2005 All-State Women's Soccer Team Dec. 22. Argy was named to the
first team, and sophomore forward Annie Lowry and senior goalkeeper Jessica Hussey were selected to the second team. The
awards were voted on by Virginia Sports Information Directors Association members.
Versfeld Named to All-America Team in Field Hockey
Madison field hockey player Baillie Versfeld was selected to the 2005 Dartfish/National Field Hockey Coaches Association
All-America Team. The junior midfielder/back was named to the second team. Versfeld earlier was named to the South Region
first team and the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team, and she earned All-South and All-CAA honors for the third
straight year. She has also been voted to the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star Team. Versfeld, red-shirt senior
goalkeeper Lori Amico and freshman forward Ashley Walls were named to the 2005 Virginia Sports Information Directors
All-State Field Hockey Team. Versfeld earned all-state honors for the second year in a row, while Amico and Walls were
first-time honorees. The all-state honorees were selected in voting by members of the Virginia Sports Information Directors
Association.
Soccer Midfielder Morsink Named to Coaches All-South Team
JMU midfielder Kurt Morsink was named to the 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-South Atlantic Region
Men's Soccer Team. Morsink earned all-region first team honors for the second year in a row. He was also an All-CAA
first-team selection for the second season.
Senior Saunders is CAA Cross Country Athlete of the Year
Madison senior Shannon Saunders was selected as the Colonial Athletic Assocation women's cross country Athlete of the Year
for the second straight season in voting by the league's cross country coaches. Saunders captured her second consecutive
individual title at the CAA Cross Country Championship, winning the 6,000-meter race by seven seconds in a time of 21:04. The
four-time All-CAA selection went on to post an 11th-place finish (21:08) at the NCAA Southeast Region meet, which earned her
a berth in the NCAA Cross Country Championship for the second year in a row. Saunders is the fifth runner in CAA history to
earn Athlete of the Year honors twice.
|
| |
|
|
|
POST YOUR 'CLASS NOTES' ONLINE!
Keeping in touch with fellow alumni and sharing your career and personal news is easier than ever with JMU's newest Online
Community feature, Class Notes. Tell your friends about recent marriages, births, career news and more, and see your notes
online. Via the online feature too, alumni can look up classmates and friends, use career-networking services, upload
pictures, see what events are happening in their area and sign up for a free permanent e-mail forwarding address. Membership
is free and exclusive to JMU alumni. Online 'Class Notes,' however, will not replace notes that appear in the university
magazine, Madison. Your submissions will still be forwarded to the magazine, which will continue to publish career and
personal news. Check out the new online tool here.
You must be a registered user to submit a Class Note or to use the advanced features of the JMU Online Community.
|
|
Life Insurance as a Charitable Gift . . . . . . A Creative Use for An Often Forgotten Asset
As you think about financial resources you may have available to make a charitable gift for Madison, one set of assets
that may not come to mind quickly — if at all — is the life insurance policies you may have collected over the years. Yet, a
life insurance policy can be an ideal asset to fund the special gift you've wanted to make for a while now.
In fact, whether you have several life-insurance policies or just one, once you determine that the need you once had for
life insurance has passed, a charitable gift can be the best way to put such an asset to good use.
If you have a paid-up whole or universal life policy, you can make a gift of the policy to the James Madison University
Foundation Inc. — and, both the accumulated cash value and the ultimate death benefit can be earmarked by you to fund a
generous gift that helps your alma mater in a special way.
And, it's easy to do. Your insurance representative can provide you with the forms you'll need to name the JMU Foundation
Inc. as the beneficiary and owner of the policy. Once the paperwork is completed, you would have made a thoughtful gift using
an asset that you no longer need.
Even policies for which you are still making annual premium payments can be used to make a charitable gift for Madison. In
fact, when you name the JMU Foundation Inc. as the beneficiary and owner of such a life insurance policy, you are able to
make an annual charitable gift to Madison for the amount of the premium payment — and then, the JMU Foundation will use each
annual gift to keep the premiums paid. Turning a premium payment into a charitable gift is an extra advantage of such a gift
of life insurance.
If you have a question, or would like more information about opportunities for creative charitable gift plans that take
advantage of existing or new life insurance policies, please contact Ted Sudol, J.D., director for the Office of Charitable
Gift Planning, by phone at (540) 568-1776 or (800) 296-6162, or by e-mail at sudoltj@jmu.edu.
You also can turn to the JMU Web site for more information. Click here.
|
|
WANT TO TALK JMU SPORTS?
While www.jmusports.com is the official Web site for all JMU
sports, www.DukesDomain.com is the unofficial Web site for
discussing JMU sports. The site offers updates on JMU sports — and connects JMU's most fervent fans in discussion and
camaraderie, offering them the chance to talk JMU sports with other JMU fans.
|
|
