All Together One Awards 2017

Please join us on Tuesday, April 11th, 2017 from 12pm to 1pm at the Grafton-Stovall Theatre to witness the ceremony and celebration as we honor the 2017 All Together One Award recipients:

• Carson Yandira Lonett
• Chase Dunn
• Daroon Jalil
• Joe Urgo
• Debra Kay Turner

During President Rose's inauguration address in 1999, the phrase "all together one" was born. "All together one" describes the atmosphere that JMU is well known for—an overwhelming sense of community. This sense of community is displayed all over campus—whether it is a random stranger holding a door, a professor staying on-campus beyond the typical work day to help a struggling student, or a housekeeper that greets every student with a smile. As a result, the All Together One Awards were created to recognize and thank the individuals who embody the spirit of community at JMU. The All Together One awards were conceived, planned, hosted and organized by JMU's Madison Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), a National Leadership Honor Society. The first awards ceremony was held in the spring semester of 2000, and ODK has recognized superb members of the JMU community every year since.

Unlike other awards ceremonies held on campus, the All Together One Awards boast a unique difference: any one can nominate, and anyone can win. The nominators and honorees are not limited by any sort of organization, class, department or role on campus. "You can have anyone from a housekeeper or bus driver to a President on the same stage. And that is really special," says Dave Barnes, the University Unions Director. Student members of ODK are in charge of selecting the award winners. Each year, ODK receives countless nominations from every corner of the school, and it is their goal to select the people who best embody the spirit of JMU. To help their decision process, the selection committee looks at several aspects of the nominee and their contributions to JMU. Inspiration, community building, dedication to learning, a caring attitude, teamwork, and uniqueness are just a few of the qualities that are considered. The committee aims for approximately five recipients each year; however, the number is flexible. The goal is quality, not quantity. In the past, anywhere from four to six people have received the award.

The awards recipients are recognized at a ceremony and receive a pin and certificate.They also are honored with a stone, on the Commons outside of D-Hall, engraved with their name and year received to commemorate their contributions. This year, the awards ceremony takes place on April 11, 2017 at noon in Grafton-Stovall Theatre. So, keep an eye out or that one person who you believe truly embodies the spirit of JMU, and don't hesitate to thank them for what they do by submitting their name to odk@jmu.edu for an All Together One Award.