JMU Alumni Association

2024 Inez Graybeal Roop (’35) Alumni Service Award: Wilma Cairns Bowers ’83

Wilma Cairns Bowers (‘83) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the School of Media, Arts, and Design with a concentration in Organizational Communication and a minor in Business.

As an undergraduate, Bowers interned for Dr. Ray Sonner in University Relations writing for Montpelier–the former name of Madison Magazine. After her internship, she was offered a part-time position working on the magazine and supporting Dr. Ron Carrier’s President’s Cabinet Club, the precursor to what is now the Duke Club.

In her junior year, Bowers worked alongside her advisor–Dr. Mae Franz–to start a JMU chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Bowers was elected president of the chapter, and in the first year 125 members joined, and the organization was awarded the IABC Student Chapter of the Year for the United States.

In addition to a 20-year career at Verizon culminating as the VP of Corporate Advertising, running an award-winning architectural services and construction business, Bowers Design Build, with her husband Bruce, and raising a family, volunteering plays a large role in Bowers’ life. Over the past decade, the main avenue of her volunteerism has been with Women for Madison.

Bowers has been a key figure at JMU in engaging the female alumni of the university in its philanthropic efforts. In her time with Women for Madison, she has been integral to meeting its goal of raising one-million dollars every two years, founding the Amethyst Circle, and creating the Dolly Madison Dukes Pay It Forward Endowed Scholarship.

Her advice to students and alumnae, “Don’t be afraid to reach out and make connections; get involved and create positive change.”

History of the Inez Graybeal Roop (’35) Alumni Service Award

Inez Graybeal Roop ('35) Alumni Service Award

The Inez Graybeal Roop Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni who have performed notable service to the university and/or the alumni association. Created in 1971, the award is given on an annual basis to an individual on the basis of distinguished service, meritorious achievement and/or meaningful contributions in promoting the mission of either James Madison University and/or the JMU Alumni Association. This includes, but is not limited to, serving on official university boards and providing effective support of the university, its students, faculty, staff and alumni. All JMU alumni — with the exception of current university students, employees and trustees — are eligible.

The award is named in honor of Inez Graybeal Roop (’35), a former member of the JMU Board of Visitors and the JMU Alumni Association Board of Directors, who in 1977 made the formal motion to change the name of Madison College to James Madison University. A State Teachers College alum who graduated with degrees in English and History, Roop’s public service work included serving as chair of the Alumni Fund Drive, president of the Richmond Chapter of the JMU Alumni Association and an officer in the Bluestone Society. In 1994, the university named Roop Hall in her honor. Aside from participating in almost every university milestone — including representing the Class of 1935 at JMU’s centennial celebration in 2008 — Roop and her husband, Ralph (’05H), demonstrated their commitment to JMU through a lifetime of giving, providing funds for student scholarships and faculty advancement. At the time of her death in Nov. 2010, 142 Roop scholarships had been awarded to students.