A Heart of [Purple and] Gold
A $500,000 gift from Ralph and Inez Roop ('35) establishes an English professorship, bolsters three scholarships and adds to a lifetime of giving -- both in dollars and participation in the JMU community.

Dining Dynasties
Two couples have taken the South by its palate. Diners are flocking to Bruce and Susan Molzan's successful chain of Ruggles restaurants in Houston and to Joe and Dottie Ryan's South End Brewery and Smokehouse restaurants in the Carolinas.

Making the Rent
Trey Ellet ('92) knows what it means to make the rent. He's been living in New York City, where the price is high, but where his prize is the lead role in Broadway's Rent.

The Last Founding Father
Montpelier's five-part series on James Madison concludes as the retired president and last remaining founding father compiles his notes on the Constitutional Convention and dispenses sage advice to younger generations and distinguished visitors.

Making the Grade -- Since 1908
Amid a national debate over the woes of public schools and teacher testing, the report card for education is actually improving. Since 1908, roughly 20 percent of JMU's graduates have been teachers, and today they count among the best in the nation.

Best Teachers Ever
As America faces the longest teacher shortage in history, JMU remains committed to producing the best teachers ever, says President Linwood H. Rose. But to keep them, society must respect and reward teachers for inspiring young minds and preparing our next generations.

The Art of Living
Former art department head Crystal Theodore has spent a lifetime making the hard choices and mastering the challenges.