Dukes show their star power on awards night

JMU Alumni Association President Tripp Hughes (’09) presented the alumni awards, starting with scholarship donor and Ronald E. Carrier Alumni Award recipient Nora Newton Crouch (’82). In her acceptance remarks, Crouch said old JMU relationships have continued to grow while new JMU relationships have flourished years after she graduated. “I’m proud to have been part of the team that helped create the Old School’s internship and job placement program. It’s really amazing to me to see the outcomes this program has achieved by doing something as simple as sharing my professional network.”

Chrishana M. Lloyd (’92), recipient of the Social Justice Award, encouraged alumni to stay challenged. “As you think about social justice, … it’s not something that just happens, it’s day to day, and then every single day and then every single moment of the day, we make decisions about what to do, what to challenge and what to let go.”

After serving on the College of Business Economics Advisory Board, Young Alumni Award recipient Daniel Blevins (’17) moved to Seattle and revived the Seattle Alumni Chapter. “I didn’t want my JMU spirit to end simply because I was 3,000 miles away from Harrisonburg. … I must say the best thing about the chapter has been the fact that the JMU spirit lives on through Seattle alumni, no matter what age, no matter when they graduated from JMU.”

Scholarship donor and Inez Graybeal Roop (’35) Alumni Service Award recipient Wilma Cairns Bowers (’83) elicited cheers as she demonstrated at the podium her dedication to Women for Madison and its scholarship effort. “We want you to join us, so I’ll just put this QR code right here. … And we have, most importantly, over 25 students on campus today who would not be here without the support of the JMU Women for Madison Amethyst Circle.”

Hugh Vecchietti McFarlane (’24), recipient of the Student Today, Alumni Tomorrow Award, shared an emotional message, crediting his mother, Stacie Vecchietti (below). “You know, I’ve gotten to bear witness to how you face this world with compassion, love, empathy. And it has a profound impact on my character as a whole.”

John Anderson (’70) accepted the Presidential Award from JMU President Jonathan R. Alger on behalf of his late aunt and scholarship donor, Col. Frances Weir (’49). Weir broke ground as a distinguished leader in the Army and did so again when she bequeathed $6 million to JMU, all to support scholarships. The evening was also a special time for Anderson and his son, Jake Anderson (’23).