A New Kind of Organizational Consultant

Thanks to the generosity of our Madison Trust donors, Madison Community Consultants (MCC) is a new program that is comprised of a cohort of interdisciplinary students that are paired up with local businesses and nonprofits that require assistance. Working under the supervision of SPCE Associate Dean, Dr. Nick Swartz, MCC is giving students experience working with local organizations with an emphasis on experiential learning opportunities. The program is designed with a focus on student development that will help the students build skills that organizations desire in new hires.

Students are placed into groups that consist of one graduate student paired with at least 2-3 undergraduate students. The students listed below will work throughout the Spring semester for 3-5 hours a week to aid their clients with specific needs. Teams for various clients are decided by skills and desired areas of growth. Graduate students serve in a mentor and leadership capacity within the teams as they all gain exposure to both the private and non-profit sectors.

We are excited to introduce you to our 2022 Madison Community Consultant pilot cohort! 

Dancer Heebner 

• Senior Undergraduate: Psychology major, Environmental Humanities/Non-profit minor
• Involvement on and off campus: Leader of Compassion in Action, Mindfulness Instructor at UREC, volunteer at Willow Run Farm
• Hobbies/interests: Painting, ceramics, modern dance, yoga, climbing, hiking, community building, energy healing, curating spaces, organizing events
• Planned field after graduation: Eco-Therapy and Sustainability/Regeneration
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? Growing relationships with community organizations and forming a team with the student consultants and leaders of MCC.

Jonathan Morris

• Junior Undergraduate: Independent Scholars Leadership Development major
• Involvement on and off campus: Completed "Make Your Mark on Madison" Leadership Development Program, Accounting Assistant at Douglas Wright DDS, Certified Life and Health Coach
• Hobbies/interests: Reading, hiking, yoga
• Planned field after graduation: Community Development, Coaching and Facilitation
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? The first thing that really grabbed my interest about MCC was the fact that I'd get to work with local businesses and organizations to help support their growth and development. Being able to use some of my own knowledge and skills in coaching and business development, as well as the opportunity to develop my character and mindset to be able to serve businesses and organizations is something that I was quick to jump at, and I'm grateful that I did.

Morgan Rhudy

• Sophomore Undergraduate: Independent Scholars Entrepreneurial Strategic Communications and Rhetoric
• Involvement on and off campus: JMU Student Ambassadors, Consultant at JMU Communication Center, Intramural Soccer, Delight Ministries, InterVarsity, Honors College Ambassador, Spring 2022 Intern at Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance
• Hobbies/interests: Traveling, cooking, concerts, outdoor walks
• Planned field after graduation: Public Relations / Strategic Communications Consulting
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? My passion for community building stems from unique nonprofit experience as the founder and former director of a Richmond-based grantmaking organization, Girl Power Grants. This experience has given me invaluable insight into community issues and the work of local entrepreneurs that has sparked my enthusiasm for giving back and offering support however possible. As an intern at Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, I am continually amazed at all that our local businesses owners and nonprofits give to this community. I am delighted at the opportunity to support, promote, and collaborate with local businesses and nonprofits and to make meaningful connections through these projects.

Amanda Brandao Garbim

• Senior Undergraduate: International affairs major, Business Spanish minor
• Involvement on and off campus: Study Group Global Student Champions Network Team, 2021 Language Tutoring - Spanish, 2021 Student Advisory Board, 2020 - 2021 Leaders for International Networking and Knowledge (LINKERS), 2020 Vice-president of Madison Motorsports (car club at JMU)
• Hobbies/interests: My hobby back home is racing motorcycles at racetracks. I love cars and basically anything with engines attracts me. I love food from different countries and I like to interact with people
• Planned field after graduation: Importation and Exportation
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? The reason why I wanted to join MCC is that I saw a great opportunity to learn by doing it, in other words, this program is not like a class in which we learn the theory and not the practical part but MCC will give me the change to learn the practical part. I'm inspired by the fact of being able to help the community and learn at the same time.

Hanna Dunn

• Senior Undergraduate: Political Science and Spanish double major, Humanitarian Affairs minor
• Involvement on and off campus: Humanitarian Student Association, Dancing Dukes, Relay for Life, Alzheimer's Walk
• Hobbies/interests: Human rights activism, dance
• Planned field after graduation: Political science field with a focus on issues regarding human rights and policies that affect it. I would probably start out doing research or working for a nonprofit in DC but eventually would like to do more hands-on field work.
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? Working for a nonprofit is a goal of mine in the future and I want to be more engaged in the community.

Marcus Hubbard

• 3^rd year Doctoral student: PhD Strategic Leadership Studies, BS in Psychology, MS in Education
• Involvement on and off campus: real estate investments, writing thoughts for first book, random non-academic research, Co-facilitator of discussions for JMU Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship, delivered MBTI workshop
• Hobbies/interests: Real estate investment, singing, writing thoughts for my first book, random non-academic research
• Planned field after graduation: Industrial Organizational Psychology related field, to enhance workplace culture and productivity.
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? I am interested in business and leadership consulting as my full-time job after obtaining my Ph.D. The MCC experience is perfectly aligned with what I wish to do post-graduation. I expect to gain valuable experience while contributing my services to the local business community and the MCC program 

Bobby Lohr 

• Graduate: Masters in Public Administration
• Involvement on and off campus: Madison Center for Community Development GA
• Planned field after graduation: Public sector (Local or State)
• Hobbies/interests: Public sector organizations
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? Get to work in the real world with organizations

 Daniel George

• 2^nd year Graduate: College Student Personnel Administration major, BS in Psychology
• Involvement on and off campus: Intervarsity, Young Life, I bartend at Valley Pike Farm Market in Weyers Cave, and go to church at Horizon Christian Fellowship
• Hobbies/interests: I love art, video games, eating out, martial arts, and mostly spending quality time with friends
• Planned field after graduation: Higher Education or local government/educational policy
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? I wanted to learn more about subjects and topics in local governance and economies, how the university campus can maintain a positive and symbiotic relationship with the community, and I wanted to practice the art of professional consulting more in business-oriented arenas

Stephen Robinson

• 1^st Year Graduate: Masters in Public Administration, Bachelors in Political Science, Modern European Studies and Honors Minors
• Involvement on and off campus: Graduate Assistant for SPCE and Madison Center for Community Development
• Hobbies/ interests: Sports (soccer and lacrosse), film and TV, video games, reading
• Planned field after graduation: Public Sector (state or local government)
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? I think it will be a good opportunity for me

Olivia Beach

• 1^st Year Graduate: MS in Sport and Recreation Leadership, Bachelors in Sport Management and minor in coaching from Slippery Rock University
• Involvement on and off campus: I am the Marketing and Communications Graduate Assistant at the School of Professional and Continuing Education. I am also an intern with the JMU athletics compliance office and a tutor in the Student-Athlete Services department. 
• Hobbies/interests: I love any type of college athletics and being outdoors/active
• Planned field after graduation: College athletics (specifically compliance)
• Why did you join MCC? What sparked your interest? The opportunity to work with local businesses to improve their branding and online presence

We are excited to see the positive impact that these students will have on the businesses and nonprofits of the Harrisonburg and surrounding communities!