First impressions of Madison and jumping into the Madison Experience as a volunteer for SafeRides

Story by Tamra Cornwell ('08), Centennial Duke
Erin Pettit ('05) contributed to this article

Entering James Madison was not as intimidating for me as it might have been for most. Having an older sister, who graduated in May from U.Va., really enabled me to see what the college experience was like before I made the trip to Harrisonburg. Though it is quite obvious, simply from visiting the two campuses, there are distinct differences in the universities. The biggest difference would be the student body as a whole. This sole reason is why I decided to attend JMU. I'm blessed to be a part of the new traditions and old ones, but more importantly to simply be a part of the Madison Experience. There is nothing more invigorating than walking around campus on a beautiful day and feeling welcomed and empowered.

Centennial Duke Tamra Cornwell ('08) -- first row, far right -- is a volunteer for SafeRides, a student group that has dedicated their time to educating about and preventing drunk driving.

In high school, during our spirit assemblies, our football coach gave the same motivational speech year after year. His message was to "be somebody, to strive, persevere, and win," because we can, not because it is a feat to overcome. That speech came into my mind while sitting in the stadium during football games last season. During one crazy Saturday game, the entire student body and more, rushed the field with the football team to celebrate the win. That moment will forever stand in my mind, because even though I was only one of the hundreds of people standing on the field -- and I had no part in winning the game other than being a cheer in the crowd -- I felt that I had accomplished something. Since that day, I have made every effort to become "somebody."

This campus is huge and there are thousands of incredible students who go here, but I don't want to be just another student, so I'm making small contributions and steps to achieve that goal.

My main goal upon entering JMU was to get involved. The extra attention given to "involvement" by Madison staff during Orientation Week was very motivating. After Orientation Week, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Centennial Celebration. The energy of this campus has filtered through to my class, and I am so honored to be a part of it.

My first involvement was volunteering for SafeRides, and this year I am also a resident adviser for McGraw-Long Hall and a member of the ORL team. I'm also a member of the Centennial Dukes, as well as one of the few members of the Student Advisory Committee for the Centennial Celebration. I plan to get involved with even more activities around campus, and I can't wait for the opportunity. While the extra-curricular experiences are essential to my success here, academics (of course) are a huge part of why I am here. I am a business management major, and I want to minor in marketing. The business program here is phenomenal, and I have already seen some of its benefits.

If I could offer one piece of advice to incoming freshman it would be to take full advantage of what James Madison has to offer. Don't miss out on any offered experiences because there is something for everyone. The things I did outside of the classroom as a freshman are what I carried with me into this year at James Madison -- and what I will remember forever.

SafeRides

More than 20 core student volunteers have dedicated their extra-curricular time to educating and helping prevent drunk driving around campus. These students make up the service organization SafeRides.

"SafeRides created a designated driver program for JMU students," according to the director of membership, Jake Miller ('06). "We aim to educate and reduce drunk driving here at JMU. We ran the major membership drive last fall and received well over 250 applications for general membership."

JMU students must be at least 18 years old and in good academic standing (at least a 2.0 GPA) in order to volunteer. Members are expected to attend weekly meetings and are required to be a designated driver four times per semester. They can also sign up for the nights they prefer.

SafeRides executive director Meredith Funstein ('06) says, "The JMU administration supports SafeRides ... They have worked with us [on liability issues], and there have been a lot of people collaborating on the idea."

Miller Brewing Co. is the club's primary sponsor, and students are trying to get local bars to sponsor them as well. The Pub participated in the group's Rock Off, which was a "battle of the bands" event. The audience chose their favorite band by filling their jar with money, and the proceeds benefited SafeRides. The band with the most cash at the end of the night won a spot, donated by The Pub, to play at the bar.

Last year, the club hosted a SafeRides week of educational and fundraising activities. They posted a New Year's Resolution banner to encourage students to make the right choice when it comes to drinking and driving. Throughout the year they have informational campaigns and put a table on The Commons to raise awareness.

Funstein stresses that club drivers take students home. "We don't take them to other parties. We take them to a safe place. We even take them home from the library if they don't want to walk alone at night. Our goal is to give back to JMU in a way that hasn't already been done. Another goal is to decrease drinking and driving. It happens even at a wonderful place such as JMU."

About the Author:

Centennial Duke Tamra Cornwell is from Virginia Beach and in addition to SafeRides, she volunteers for JMU's CHOICES and as a resident adviser for McGraw-Long Hall. She is also a member of the Centennial Steering Committee's Student Advisory Subcommittee.

Learn more about SafeRides at: http://orgs.jmu.edu/saferides