At Homecoming, Angie Krum Drakulich ('98)
finds old friends, winning football, a still-great marching band --
and a few surprises
Working in the hustle andbustle of NewYorkCity, I needed a breath of fresh air -- and what better place than the Shenandoah Valley in autumn? From the southern taste of late-night Waffle House to the red, orange and yellow leaves draping the hills of I-81, the six-hour drive from New Jersey to JMU's Homecoming was well worth it.
After graduating in 1998 and getting engaged to my JMU boyfriend of three years, Petar Drakulich ('98), I moved to New Jersey to begin my first job in the Big Apple. I spent nearly five years writing and editing for magazines such as Parenting and Rosie and earning my master's degree before joining the United Nations Association of the USA as managing editor. At this nonprofit educational organization, I deal with national and international issues on a daily basis -- issues that, in this election year, provided plenty of food for thought -- and debate -- with my liberal and conservative friends.
Petar and I left Jersey Thursday night to break up the 365-mile trip by staying at my parents' home in Maryland before heading to the 'Burg on Friday. The weather was not cooperating initially, but fortunately, the good ol' Valley weather pulled through.
The first stop after pulling into town: the Leeolou Alumni Center for a campus tour. Designed specifically for previous students, this tour wasn't just about where the dorms are and what classrooms look like -- we were able to see the changes JMU had made to campus since our college days. It had been a few years since we'd come home, and we were pretty impressed, and jealous, of some of the additions, such as the remodeled D-Hall, which now features Chick-Fil-A. We were also impressed by the new brick walkway in front of Wilson Hall that begins by Varner with a statue of Mr. James Madison and ends with a sundial near Burruss.
The most impressive campus change was across I-81. When we left JMU, UREC and the ISAT building construction had just finished. Now there are restaurants and air-conditioned residence halls. Student Ambassadors Matt Demartis and Karyn Swift, juniors leading the tour, told us about the breathtaking sunsets from "new campus." You can see sunsets from UREC while taking Pilates or yoga classes. JMU luxury has taken new life and the view of the surrounding mountains was enough to put me in awe.
One thing that struck me was the passion of the Student Ambassadors, who work as volunteers connecting current students with previous and prospective ones. "When I was looking at JMU, I loved my tour guide, and knew I wanted to give other kids that same experience," Karyn told me.
After chatting with both students and alums, and
taking in all the physical changes of campus, Petar and I were off
to meet our friends. The old crew shared everything from beer-pong
competitions and late-night cramming to wedding planning and
mortgage advice. The crew included Laura White ('98), my former
roommate and maid of honor; Alan Causey ('99), Petar's former
roommate and best man; friends Bryan Ensall and Sam Bogan ('00);
and Sam's girlfriend, Debbie, of Penn State. With a condo rental in
Massanutten's Summits just 15 minutes from campus, we were set.
Of course, despite the cozy fireplace and Jacuzzi at the villa, we couldn't resist the temptation to hit one of our old hangouts -- the Beanery (the Boston Beanery that is). It wasn't long before all the old stories -- from the romantic and funny to the downright embarrassing -- started to pour out. We felt like we were back at school again.
The next day began early with gathering chairs, food, drinks and the grill and heading down to the Homecoming Tailgate. We grabbed a spot on Hansen Field to enjoy the soft grass and open space. The smell of barbecue soon filled the lawns looking up to Hillside, McGraw-Long and Bell halls, where Petar and Alan had once resided.
It was great to see not just old friends gather around us, but also to see current students. We met Bryan's younger sister, Kelly ('05), a current senior; and we saw parent alums introducing their families to their old stomping grounds. The best part was the overall friendliness; JMU hasn't changed a bit.
After countless plates of hot dogs, macaroni and cheese and chocolate chip cookies, we headed to the game to watch JMU defeat VMI, 41-10. I've watched my share of JMU football games, but the Bridgeforth Stadium experience was never quite like this. From the new scoreboard with a jumbotron display to the 30-foot-tall blow-up Duke Dog to the food vendors and cheering Student Duke Club members, every fan was brewing with spirit. The Marching Royal Dukes rocked the field as usual in their half-time and post-game shows. My husband, a former trumpet player, was eager to watch the band to see what, if any, tweaks they had made to their marching or rhythms. When they were done, he agreed that they were still solid and hadn't missed a step.
With the game over and the weekend nearly done, I had to stop at The Breeze, where I got my start in journalism, with my best bud, Melissa Palladino ('98), then photo editor, now a CNN producer. Aside from some new equipment and a larger ad/sales staff, it looked and felt the same, right down to the smell of leftover production-day pizza. I didn't have a chance to meet the student editors, but I was very impressed by the look and content of the paper -- which I admit, I visit online weekly to read Darts & Pats.
As Petar and I said goodbye to friends and to campus, we couldn't help but feel a little sad. We had always cherished our JMU days, and this trip not only brought back fond memories, but in a way, made us wish we could do it all over again. Our Homecoming trip provided more than just a breath of fresh air, it reminded us of who we are, how important our friends are, and how JMU helped us get through it all.