News about Alumni




Be the Change

Honors Alumni are featured on JMU's Be the Change site because of their achievements and service. These include: Ginjer Norris Clarke (1994), Kai Degner (2003, 2005), Barbara Hall (1982), and Michael Peretich (2006). To find out more or to nominate a JMU world changer, go the JMU Be the Change website: http://www.jmu.edu/bethechange/

Alumni in the News

In September 2007, Nicole Martorana (2007) aired her documentary, "Changing Landscapes: Growth and Development in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County," in the local Court Square Theater. For a full report, read the Daily News Record article, "Focusing on Local Growth," by Heather Bowser.

In February 2006, Kenneth Driver (1989)returned to JMU to give a lecture on current changes in energy law and policy. A full report was featured in the Daily News Record article, "JMU Alumnus Discusses Energy Policy" by Lee Zion.

Have you been in local, regional or national news? Please send reports about you or other JMU Honors alumni to honors@jmu.edu or call us at (540) 568-6953.

Alumni Notes

Matthew Armstrong ('01), received his law degree with Cum Laude honors from the University of California, Hastings College in 2006. While in law school, Matthew was elected to the Order of the Coif, was a member of the Thurston Society and Notes Editor of Hastings West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law & Policy. He currently is an Associate at Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP, San Jose, CA, where he is a member of the Commercial Litigation Department and the Environmental Practice Group. (Posted 7/08)

Mary Bikowski (‘06), is a registered nurse at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters.  (Posted 7/08)

Lauren (Bronich) Bronich-Hall ('98), lauren_hall@comcast.net, earned her Masters Degree in Health Sciences with concentration in Healthcare Administration in 2004 and is currently Director of Education at WellDoc Communications, Inc. Lauren lives in White Marsh, Maryland with husband Daniel. (Posted 1/08)

Sharon (Glesner) Brown ('89), first_wizard1@yahoo.com, is a full-time mom in charge of organizing the Brown family, which includes husband Barry and sons Dustin and Trevor. The Browns reside in Lousia, Virgina. (Posted 1/08)

Sarah (Heller) Calihan, ('06), sarah.calihan@richmond.edu, married JMU alum Sean Calihan ('04) in 2006. Sarah is a first year law student at the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law. She recently participated in the Moran Kiker Brown Trial Advocacy Competition, making it to the semi-final round. Sarah was also invited to join the University of Richmond's Trial Advocacy Board. (Posted 1/08)

Russell Carlock ('01), rcarlock@gmail.com, received a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Virginia in 2005. He has spent the last two years in El Salvador creating and developing the non-profit organization The Sister School Project (http://www.sisterschoolproject.org/). Russell married Marcela Courtade in El Salvador in December 2007. (Posted 1/08)

Judith (Sampson) Chimon ('78), lynchim@optonline.net, is an RD, DCE, and CDN at Winthrop University Hospital. Judith lives in Woodbury, New York. Her family includes husband Eric and sons Jason and Ryan. (Posted 1/08)

David Dalton ('98), dave@davedalton.org, resides in Brooklyn, New York, with wife Deirdre O'Connor. David is a theater director (www.davedalton.org). His recent adaptation of HMS Pinafore was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. He has a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from Columbia University. (Posted 1/08)

Melissa Dobosh ('01), melissadobosh@gmail.com, received her Master of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of Delaware and is now working toward her Ph.D. in Organizational Communication at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. (Posted 1/08)

Lisa Dudzinski (‘02), graduated from New York Law School in 2005 and is currently Assistant Prosecutor at the Union County (New Jersey) Prosecutor's Office.  Lisa was previously employed as an attorney at the Morris County Prosecutors Office and as a law clerk.  (Posted 7/08)

F. Jason Duncan ('99), duncanfj@hotmail.com, is a Graduate Research Associate at The Ohio State University's College of Medicine. He resides in Columbus, Ohio with wife Erin. (Posted 1/08)

Kimberly Fitzgerald ('04), fitzgekl@gmail.com, lives in Richmond and is a Judicial Clerk at Henrico County (VA) Circuit Court. (Posted 1/08)

Tracy (Lambert) Griggs ('00), tlambert@unca.edu, recently completed her Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia. She is currently employed as Assistant Professor of Management and Accountancy at the University of North Carolina - Asheville. Tracy lives in Hickory, North Carolina, with husband Christopher. (Posted 1/08)

Karin Hamilton (‘02), graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006.  She is currently in her third year of being a veterinarian for the US Army.  This past year, Karin was deployed to the Horn of Africa, where she helped treat over 36,000 animals.  She will be moving to South Korea for the next year to continue her work as an Army vet.  (Posted 7/08)

C. Owen Highfill ('06), cohighfill@gmail.com, expects to complete her Masters Degree in English at the University of Georgia in May 2008. She is currently on the executive board of the Athens-based nonprofit organization, Safe Campuses Now, and editor of their magazine, The Informer. In addition, Catherine is a team leader for the student organization, Invisible Children United, and Treasure of the University of Georgia's chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an English Honor Society. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in nonprofit humanitarian work, preferably associated with East Africa. (Posted 1/08)

Chris Holmes (‘88), received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia in 1993 and graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1997.  Chris is currently Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, where she leads a platelet translational research laboratory program focused on the delineating the role of activated platelets in cancer, angiogenesis and thrombosis.  (Posted 7/08)

Olin Hoover ('72), redbudhill@wcgnet.us , a charter member of the Madison College Honor Society, received his Masters Education Administration Degree from Madison College in 1976. Now retired, Olin spent most of his career teaching (Broadway High School, Broadway, VA; Franklin High School, Franklin, WV) and as an administrator (Pendleton County Board of Education, WV) in the public school systems of Virginia and West Virginia. He currently resides in Brandywine, WV with wife Donna and enjoys traveling, hunting/fishing, and spending time with grandchildren Ty and Carrie, among other things. (Posted 1/10)

Nicholas Howenstein ('02), howenstein@gmail.com, lives in Washington, D.C. and is a Senior Program Associate for the U.S. Institute of Peace (www.usip.org ). (Posted 1/08)

Matthew Keller ('97), matthew.1.keller@gmailcom, married fellow JMU honors graduate, Jill (Walworth) Keller ('99) in 2006. The Kellers live in Oakton, Virginia, where Matthew is a Business Unit Manager at Corsec Security, Inc. Matthew also sits on the Advisory Board for the Institute for Infrastructure and Information Assurance at JMU's College of Integrated Science and Technology. (Posted 1/08)

David Letson ('83), dletson@rsmas.miami.edu, is Professor of Marine Affairs and Economics at the Univeristy of Miami. David resides in Key Biscayne, Florida with wife Erin Marcus and children Zachary and Amelia. (Posted 1/08)

Remy Luerssen ('99), onlyremy@hotmail.com, lives in Largo, Florida and is a Mapping and Education Specialist for JMU's Virginia Energy Consortium (VCERC). (Posted 1/08)

Elise (Toomey) Merenda ('99), etmerenda@yahoo.com, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Substance Abuse Professional employed with an employee assistance program. Elise's family includes husband Christopher and daughter Juliana. A second child is due summer 2008. The Merendas reside in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. (Posted 1/08)

Cara Modisett ('96,'98), cmodisett@leisurepublishing.com, is editor of the award-winning Blue Ridge Country magazine (www.blueridgecountry.com) and is a producer and reporter for WVTF public radio. Her radio interviews have included journalists Sam Donaldson and Ted Koppel, poet Nikki Giovanni, author Sharyn McCrumb, and performers Joan Baez, Bela Fleck, Bill Frisell, Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush, and Chick Corea, among others. Cara remains active as a musician and has made a number of recent chamber music appearances. Cara and husband Phil Atkins reside in Roanoke. (Posted 1/08)

James Owens (‘94), is an associate in the Washington office of Sidley Austin LLP.  Prior to joining Sidley, he was associated with another law firm, clerked for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and was a Temple Bar Scholar.  He focuses his practice in civil, criminal, and constitutional litigation.  He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law, was awarded the Hardy Cross Dillard Prize for his student note, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  He earned a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in European history from the University of Virginia.  (Posted 7/08)

Christina Razionale ('06), Car9x@virginia.edu, lives in Charlottesville and is employed as a Registered Nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Virginia hospital. She is taking courses at the University of Virginia in hopes of pursuing a Masters Degree in Nursing. She is engaged to Alex Menze. (Posted 1/08)

Danielle Rockwood (‘02), received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Delaware in 2008.  (Posted 7/08)

Theresa Romeo (‘05), is a Senior Audit Associate at the Reznick Group.  (Posted 7/08)

Jennifer Beth Sellers ('01), bsellers@harrisonburg.k12.va.us, teaches students with multiple disabilities in the Harrisonburg school system. Jennifer is completing a Masters of Education program at Eastern Mennonite University. (Posted 1/08)

Catherine Sherman's (‘93), chapbook of poems, The Fox and the Sunflower, is soon to be released by Finishing Line Press, based in Georgetown, Kentucky.   (Posted 7/08)

Nick Simpson ('07), nicks.simpson@gmail.com, is a graduate student at the University of Virginia's School of Medicine. He resides in Charlottesville with wife Kate. (Posted 1/08)

Erin Snider (‘99), received an MSc degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.  She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Social and Political Science at Trinity College, Cambridge University.  (Posted 7/08)

Justin Solomon (‘03), is a corporate associate in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2006.  (Posted 7/08)

John Suits (‘04), graduated in 2008 with a Masters Degree from the California Institute of Arts in Film Production.  His thesis film is the fourth full length feature film that John has written, directed, edited and produced. He was selected as one of the Top 10 Student Filmmakers in the U.S. and was a finalist in the MTV Student Filmmaker contest last year.  (Posted 7/08)

Christina Ulllo ('99) lives in New York City and is employed as a Labor Relations Attorney with the New York State Unified Court System. (Posted 1/08)

Wendy Warren ('92), wwarren@phillynews.com, is Assistant Managing Editor of the Philadelphia Daily News. Wendy, husband Daniel Robinson ('92), and daughter Sarah Margaret live in Havertown, Pennsylvania. (Posted 1/08)

Hillary Zahm ('98), hillzahm@gmail.com, resides in Washington, D.C. and is a Planning Manager for the U.S. Department of State. (Posted 1/08)

Class Notes

Class of 2008...Coming Soon!

Class of 2007

The graduating Class of 2007 is composed of 115 students who completed senior honors projects. Graduating seniors reported that they have had their papers accepted or that they are submitting their work to journals such as: Journal of Athletic Training; American Poetry Review; Analytical Chemistry; Journal of Neuroscience; and Journal of Health and Social Policy. Students have presented their research in many contexts, both undergraduate honors conferences and disciplinary conferences, all of which are great advertising points for prospective students. These include presentations at: Southern Regional Honors Conference; JMU's Madison conference; JMU's departmental symposia; American Criminal Justices Sciences; Eastern Psychological Association; the Southeast American Physical Society; Colonial Academic Association (CAA); American Speech Language-Hearing Association; Society for Neuroscience; Maryland Plant Biologists; the MARCUS conference at Sweet Briar College; Phi Alpha Theta; American Chemical Society; Geological Society of America; American Fisheries Society. Plans for graduate and professional school at JMU and other leading institutions around the country include acceptance to the following programs: Columbia University (film production); New School for Social Research (French philosophy); Oregon State/UC Irvine (environmental science); VCU/Drexel (medical school); Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; William & Mary (archeology); UNC-Chapel Hill (chemistry, physics); University of Michigan (psychology, education); Elon School of Law; University of Delaware (in early American culture with full scholarship); Colorado State (veterinary medicine); Denver (psychology); and University of Texas (psychology).

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