A scholar since 1985, Dr. Gabbin directed JMU’s Honors Program for 19 years and launched the Furious Flower Poetry Conference—pivotal to literary scholarship on campus. Alongside her husband Alexander, she endowed multiple scholarships and helped bring about Gabbin Hall on the Quad. This award recognized her exceptional commitment to students, literature, and community.

Co-founder of the student‑led Dukes Against Childhood Cancer, LeAnna was honored as the inaugural recipient of Women for Madison’s Outstanding Young Philanthropist Award in recognition of her leadership, resilience, and unwavering dedication to pediatric cancer advocacy—efforts that began during the pandemic, extended to Capitol Hill, and continue post-graduation through ongoing support for JMU and childhood cancer causes.

At the 2023 Women Who Madison Amaze Summit, JMU celebrated the indomitable spirit of women’s philanthropy embodied by Judith Shreckhise Strickler (’60). Alongside her late husband Charles, Judy’s contributions to the university community, in terms of financial support and personal dedication, exemplify the true essence of giving back. 

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On May 11, 2019, Kathy Mueller Thomas (’78) received this prestigious award. Her daughter, Julie Thomas, along with President Jon Alger and First Lady Mary Ann Alger, presented it to her at the Women for Madison Summit. She and her husband, Mike Thomas (’76, ’77M), have been key philanthropic partners with the university, and in 2016 they established the Dukes Pay It Forward scholarship program at JMU. 

Leslie Flanary Gilliam (’82) was a member of the JMU Board of Visitors, a founding member of the Women for Madison Advisory Council, and a founder of The Madison Trust. With her husband, Richard, she was a major donor to the university. Leslie died in December 2016. She embodied compassion in action and believed in the power of women working together to effect positive change. She once said, “Rallying around a common cause increases our sense of community and helps us accomplish big goals.” The inaugural Spirit of Philanthropy Award was presented to Leslie Gilliam posthumously in 2017.