A Summer of Cities — Alicia Pettis

To my fellow Dukes whom I have missed a ton, we’re almost back! Even after having a very eventful summer I am definitely ready to be with you all at the greatest University in America, JMU.

My summer began after finishing my Chemistry exam on the last slot for finals.  Racing through my dorm I packed and cleaned with my parents, leaving my freshmen year behind.  I then left the U.S. two days later, arriving in Florence, Italy with 21 other honors students for our study-abroad experience.

Looking back on my three weeks in Florence, I would say it was everything I hoped for and more.   There are too many amazing memories to write about so I will just name a few out of the main categories: food, art, literature, politics, and seminar class.

Italian food is absolutely delicious, mainly because they use only fresh ingredients.  We ate pasta, pizza, paninis, gelato (a lot of it!) and more.  While we were there, Florence was having a gelato festival, in which we definitely partook!

The art was definitely my favorite part of the trip.  The amount of famous artwork in Florence is astounding.  We saw Donatello’s “Mary
Magdalene,” the Baptistry doors, Brunelleschi’s dome, Michelangelo’s “David”, Botticelli’s “Primavera” and “Birth of Venus” and so much more.

I am an enthusiast for politics, but had not yet been exposed to Renaissance politics.  I discovered the incredible impact that one family had on investing in and basically starting the Renaissance.  The Medici (med’-eh-chee) family was probably mentioned at least 100 times a day, due to their involvement in just about every part of life in Florence.

And finally I must mention studying and classes, since this was a “study” abroad
program.  The seminar class was entitled “Art & Politics in Renaissance Florence.” We had class every day of the week for at least 3 hours and ventured out to multiple sites all over the city to get hands-on experience in what we were
discussing in class.  The best part about the class was that I learned not only from lectures given by our expert professors, but also from my fellow classmates who were extremely enlightened.  I guess studying the Renaissance can do that
to you!

We even were able to explore other cities in Italy.  The entire class went on a day-trip to Sienna, which is a medieval city just 2 hours away.  And on our long weekend we travelled either to Rome, Venice, or the Amalfi Coast.

Our final exam was long and grueling but we made it through and spent the last
night in Florence reminiscing on the eye-opening experience we had encountered here in this beautiful Renaissance city. The next day, we all went our separate ways; some heading home, others heading to further destinations in Europe.

I met up with my family in Paris, France for a 5-day frenzy of trying to see as much as possible in the city of lights.  Highlights of Paris included: the Louvre, which I spent 8 hours walking around wide-eyed, the grand Eiffel tower, the Musee d’Orsay in which my sister and I encountered impressionist paintings and flirty French boys, delicious & long 5 course meals, and inspiring modern art at the Pompidou center.

We headed out of Paris on a train to the countryside to stay with family friends in Brain-sur-Allonnes in the Loire valley.  This is where I got a more
intimate taste of French culture.  We met with many French people with whom we dined and conversed for hours on tons of topics.  We went to a grand market in town, which had stand after stand of intricate pastries, meats and cheeses.  We also visited the famous Chateau d’Usee, which inspired the Sleeping Beauty fairytale.

After an amazing month in Europe I headed home to the U.S. where I immediately began my internship in the House of Representatives working for my Congressman, Representative Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11^th).  Work on Capitol
Hill is long days and debates, grueling decisions and the opportunity to serve
the American people. As an intern I mainly did office work, in which I organized hard-mail and email, answered phones, wrote memos, gave Capitol tours
and ran errands.

The “great event” of my internship was definitely the two weeks of debate on raising the debt ceiling.  The amount of phone calls, emails, hard-mail
and any other medium of response we received from our constituents was
astounding.  My office was very happy with the feedback we got from our constituents, in which we, of course, answered and read every single comment.  (The office prides itself on being very receptive in Constituent Services). The work in the office included phone system overloads, an extremely over-worked and slow email server, and energetic debates over the many details and consequences of the decisions.  I consider myself lucky to have seen a part of a debate of such magnitude and power from the inside of Congress.

I enjoyed very much working for a Congressman and staff who take their jobs of representing their constituents very seriously.  Unlike other offices, I interacted with the Congressman on a daily basis, accompanying him to constituent events, hearings, floor debates and working with him in the office. One of my favorite part of the internship was being involved in the Congressman’s rationale process for voting on or co-sponsoring a bill and not once did I hear talk of parties; it was about the issues.

When I was not working I got to catch up with my best friends from home and my family.  I celebrated my 19^th birthday, went to baseball games, saw the final Harry Potter on opening night at midnight, spent a weekend at the lake, caught up on my reading list, and spent time with people I care deeply about.

This summer has definitely been very eventful and probably my best summer yet.

I am now packing and getting ready for JMU.  I am also working on the SGA
Minor Elections for the incoming freshmen. I can’t wait to meet our new Class Councilors, Senators and Representatives from the Class of 2015.  This
year my fellow Sophomore Class Councilors and I will be able to put on a
dazzling Ring Premiere and hope to serve our class in the best way possible. Here’s to an awesome year at JMU.

– Alicia Pettis

@JMUClassOf2014 Class Council Secretary, @alicia_marie725

Once a Duke, Always a Duke — Rheanna Martino

A few weeks back, I found myself sorting through and organizing all of the things
I’ve brought to and from as well as acquired in my last three years at JMU. As
daunting as the task was, it was one I found enjoyable in a sense because it
allowed me to revisit memories that I had forgotten as well as reminisce those
ones that I’ve loved. From little things I’ve received from friends– birthday
cards, little notes of well wishes for rough days, congratulatory cards for the
milestones that have come up, to things that will forever remind me of my time
at JMU– my freshman year Mappy (which, I proudly admit, to this day– stays in
my backpack and goes EVERYWHERE with me), my name tag from when I was a 2009 FrOG and my fight song t-shirt given to me at my freshman orientation – I found myself moving along a path of tokens and nostalgia that brought upon me many bittersweet feelings. Of course I was happy—I was looking at things from JMU—things that brought my insurmountable joy and memories and would continue to do so for years to come. I was getting ready to head back to JMU—back to friends that have become family, my favorite professors, back to what I consider one of the greatest places on Earth.

But of course, blended into those feelings of joy, were the ones that stemmed from the fact that in just a few days, upon my arrival back to this wonderful place, I will begin my 4^thand final year as a JMU student.  I will begin my last year of football games on the weekends, long nights of studying in Club Carrier, impromptu lunch dates on the Quad, having doors held not because people feel like they have to, but because they want to and my last year of being a Duke. Being an overly sentimental person, I let the negatives get the best of me and I became overwhelmed quickly. I knew that I the best thing to do was get myself something that would help me get through the rest of my work. Of course, being a college student, one of the best ways to fuel my productivity is to fuel it with coffee.

Proudly sporting my Purple Out t-shirt, I dragged myself out of my house and away from memory lane and dropped in to my local coffee shop for my little pick me up. There I stood in the line, patiently awaiting my turn so I could move on with my seemingly normal day. Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turned expecting to see someone from my hometown looking to say hello while we waited together. However, to my surprise, my attention was being requested by a young couple whom I had never seen before. The first thing the man said to me, with a joyous grin on his face, was “Go Dukes!”  Smiling, I repeated his statement and began asking him how he knew of JMU.  As he and the woman glowed with happiness, he began to inform me that he and the woman - whom I learned was his wife - met during their freshman orientation at JMU before graduating in 1999, and then marrying a few years later. My heart instantly grew 10 sizes as I listened to them talk of their time together that led them to fall in love and return to homecoming in 2000, where he proposed to her on the kissing rock and how it has been history ever since. Heart a glow, I eventually I order my drink and attempt to pay, when the man behind me jumps in and insists that this one be “their treat”. Grateful, I thanked him kindly as he proceeded to tell me: “You’re welcome. But please, we are Dukes. We believe in paying it forward and only wish we could go back, even just for a few days. Please, allow us to pass this one on.”  Completely shocked and
taken back, I accepted this kind act and simply moved aside. As I received my
drink, with tears almost forming in my eyes, I said my goodbyes and final thank
you’s to my fellow Dukes and was soon on my way.

Back in my car, ready to head back to my mountain of memories and belongings, I found myself frozen for a moment. The man’s words “We are Dukes”, streamed repeatedly in my mind, and it was only in that moment that it clicked:

I am going back to finish my time at JMU, but that does not mean that I am done being a Duke.

In that moment, it was as if every part of the world aligned perfectly. These kind
people—ones whom I shamefully admit I never even exchanged names with—just gave me every bit of assurance I needed to move forward and begin the end of my journey through college. Yes, it is true that in a few days I will begin my
last year at JMU. It’s true that there will be no more meal plans, dining
dollars, or afternoons on the Quad. Yes, my friends and I will move on to live
distances apart, erasing the ability to hang out at any given moment. And yes,
much as I try to avoid the inevitable, I will being to take more and more steps
to adulthood, therefore releasing the younger years of my life that I’ve
enjoyed hanging on to so for long. But the one thing that will not be changing,
the one thing that will never be taken from me no matter how far away I move or
how old I grow, is the fact that I am a Duke.  I am now and forever will be a JMU Duke.  The learning, giving, growing and sharing that you learn during your time as a JMU student don’t stop just because your undergraduate career does—they simply move on with you, waiting to be applied to the newest verse of your life. With a rejuvenated smile on my face, and a glow in my heart, I headed home to move myself further along memory lane.

It’s surreal to think that the last three years have gone so fast. If you ask my parents, they still see me as the little girl sprinting off down the hallway in her
dress to her first day of kindergarten, anxious to take on the world. While I
can’t see exactly that far back, I can however see myself as the nervous
freshman moving into Wampler Hall, starting a new journey 5 hours from home,
ready to write a new chapter of her life. And now, as I sit here and type this,
belongings sorted, packed and ready to head back to the last layer of my JMU
experience, I see myself as the young adult who is ready to write a perfect
ending to this chapter of her life before joyously beginning another one. I
don’t know where this year will lead me, or what adventures are in store. It
will be sad, for sure, knowing that each experience of something will be my
last– my last Homecoming weekend as a student, my last punch in DHall, my last time walking through campus on a beautiful day just to faces smiling back at
me.  However, dealing with these lasts will be made less painful knowing that I have my friends beside me, the entire class of 2012 experiencing these things with me and a long line of Dukes that will be there to help me along every step of the way.

So here’s to us, JMU class of 2012. We’ve got a short time
left; let’s make it the best one of our lives.

In the spirit of Madison and all things JMU. Keep smiling
and Go Dukes!!

- @RheannaMartino, @JMU_2012 President

New York, New York — Kenzie Fisher

I’ve had a busy summer, from having guests visit to going to concerts to traveling
and more, it has been quite an adventure.  I have to say my favorite summer experience would be going to New York City.

My journey begins around 3 AM leaving from my house headed to DC to meet up with my friend, Courtney to catch a train to New York. After a while of sitting in the train station I was able to find Courtney and get in line to board our train, only to find out it was delayed an hour. Well after more waiting we were able to board our train and make our way to the city that never sleeps.

After about a three-hour train ride filled with listening to Frank Sinatra’s New
York, New York on repeat; we pulled into the station, met up with another JMU
friend, hailed a cab, and made our way to Times Square. We went into the corner
1515 Broadway office to visit my cousin and drop our things off while we walked
around the city. As we got permission from the security desk we walked to the
elevators and pushed the 42^nd floor button and zoom up went the
elevator traveling at speeds that lifted you off the ground, stopping on the 40^th
floor to let another passenger off and to reveal the VH1 logo. Then we arrived
in the MTV studio offices, said hello to my cousin and hit the streets.

Being in Times Square of course we had to go to the four-story Forever 21 and H&M and for a sweet treat we headed to a nearby Pink Berry’s for some delicious frozen yogurt. We decided to take a break on the red stairs and soak in the atmosphere. This place was great! All the people and buildings that touched the sky, it was just like being in a movie. After running around in the city, we went back to my cousin’s apartment which had rooftop access and a view of the nearby park. We then scurried down the street to a restaurant so that I could awaken my taste buds with my first taste of Thai food. And after a good meal and a very long day it was time to go to Courtney’s house to prepare for the next day’s adventures.

Day Two in New York started with my first subway experience, where someone almost fell onto the tracks, but luckily the caring JMU spirit can be found other places than Harrisonburg and people quickly helped the person up. After arriving at our stop, we headed to the museum that Night at the Museum was filmed at. After meandering around, we strolled over to Central Park for lunch, where we saw some boaters and were able to be in the right place at the right time and get a free carousal ride. With the day still young, we headed into FAO Swartz to look around and passed by the Plaza Hotel on our way.  We made a
wardrobe change and stopped by Tiffany’s for a picture and ran into the Trump
Tower for Starbucks, which brought up memories of studying at Carrier library
only minus having a giant waterfall, escalators, and marble floors.  Then we were off to the Broadway Comedy Club for a comedy show.  We had gotten tickets
on the streets of Times Square the day before and were very excited to see the
show. We got front row and were in the club that was seen on the Jerry Seinfeld
show where he did his stand-up.  It was a great time and we couldn’t stop laughing.

Day Three consisted of more shopping and finding cute boutiques in the central of Soho. Then it was mission get a purse. We did the whole walking on the street meeting up with different ladies and finally purchasing a purse on the street. Then we decided to take a break from shopping and walked to the Williamsburg Bridge and got some ice cream, which was such a great way to escape the heat. We then headed to Little Italy and found ourselves in a back room buying more purses. It felt like they had those kinds of shops everywhere. While wandering the streets we ran into a fortune-teller and all got our fortunes told. Dinner time finally rolled around and we headed to a cute little side street café called Café Napoli. We were able to meet up with another JMU friend there and shared some delicious fettuccine alfredo. For dessert we hit up a cute bakery and indulged in some chocolate covered cannoli’s. My time in New York was coming to an end, so once in Jersey again I made an effort to see another JMU buddy and then was able to leave feeling accomplished.

I had the best time in the City and can’t wait to go back again! I really have to be thankful that I met some great people at JMU that allowed to me to be able to travel and spend time with them outside of school and now I have some great memories to last me a lifetime. It was a great summer vacation!

Some Last Minute Summer Memories

With summer drawing to an end and everyone getting ready to greet the class of 2015, here are some last minute summer memories from your SGA members to get you reminiscing as well:

Keith Zirkle visited Madison, Wisconsin where he not only participated in a biostatistics paracticum, but also enjoyed some of the things Madison had to offer.  For example, the fireworks he saw might just be one reason to move to
the Midwest. Also, there is a giant Abe Lincoln statue on campus where graduating seniors climb into his lap and pinch his nose because its considered unlucky if you don’t do it before you graduate! Madison also has a FREE zoo. He alos went to Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI and
saw Michelle Branch and the Goo Goo Dolls!  Madison is also called the Four Lakes City because of the four huge lakes, of which one I lived on (Lake Mendota)!

Kathleen Murphy went on a mission trip to build houses in Vicente Guerrero, Baja Mexico. A couple of students from Presbyterian Campus Ministry at JMU went through the Shenandoah Presbytery. There were 50+ people from the Shenandoah Valley who went (including the JMU group) and they
divided into 3 teams, building one house each. She  had an amazing time and said it really was fulfilling to give someone a home and know you built it for them.

As the members of SGA begin to flood Harrisonburg again, there will be more adventures to share as well as some start of school info!

Presidental Phone Call Part II

Yesterday I joined a conference call between other student leaders and senior White House advisers, plus President Obama himself.  Our topic of conversation was the stalemated negotiations in Washington and the looming debt crisis.

 

We meant not to add our voices to the continuous babble about one plan vs another, or one party vs another. But instead to urge all leaders to cut it out and to start making tough decisions, it’s why we put them there.

The President seemed to get our message- that we’re not interested in the political game anymore- we want to see a country headed for financial stability, and that we know it won’t be easy for anyone.

 

How to get there? Agreeing on something seems to be Washington’s problem… if only our leaders had the courage to BE THE CHANGE.

 

Help us get the word out- say “DO SOMETHING!”Contact your rep or senator
https://writerep.house.gov​/writerep/welcome.shtml
http://www.senate.gov/gene​ral/contact_information/se​nators_cfm.cfm

And visit http://www.dowehaveadealye​t.com/ to keep tabs on and share the student movement. Join the conversation on Twitter #DoWeHaveADealYet.

-Pat

The JMU Nation

Total enrollment for the 2010 Fall semester: 19,434

• Total number of Virginia students: 13,957
• Total number of Out-of-State students: 5,477
• Total number of International students: 290 from 78 countries

Knowing that every single one of them Bleeds Purple: Priceless.

Being in Charlotte, North Carolina the city is dominated by Chapel Hill, Duke and South Carolina paraphernalia.  You don’t really expect to see any Virginia school stickers on the bumpers of cars, on vanity licence plates, or on flags in yards.  But this morning, on my way to work, I saw all of those things. 

When pulling out of my neighborhood, one of the houses had a JMU flag posted in their yard waving in the breeze.  I started to think about how soon the semester starts and began to miss my friends.  Then I looked in front of me, and the Honda Civic waiting to turn at the stop sign had not one, not two, but FOUR JMU stickers on it! I couldn’t belive it.  One was an alumni sticker, one was a Duke Dog and the other two simply spelled out James Madison University.  I was so overcome with pride for my school that I immediately thought of my role in SGA and how I was setting out to improve the functionality of the organization.

As the Director of Public Relations, my job is to ensure that SGA works for YOU the students.  I am constantly on Twitter (@SGAjmu), Facebook (Student Government Association [JMU]) and this blog to keep you up-to-date and involved in what we are doing.  I want you to feel like you can go to any of those outlets and be apart of the conversation.  I encourage you to express your ideas, thoughts and ways to improve our already amazing University.  I want to feel as connected to you all as I did to the house in my neighborhood and the man driving the Civic in front of me. 

We are the JMU Nation. And we always will be.

A Little Bit of London–Abby Ware

How’s it going JMU?! We’re about halfway through the summer after a great 2010-2011 year and I’m already anxious to get back to school. I hope you all have been enjoying time relaxing, working, volunteering or studying abroad. For the incoming Class of 2015, I hope you are all excited to begin your 4 years at JMU! Get pumped because you all are going to have a blast. Who knows, maybe I will be your First YeaR Orientation Guide for 1787 August Orientation.

While I’m excited to get back to JMU, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before the 2011-2012 school year begins. I have been working on a couple of things since classes have ended and the summer has begun:

• SGA Fall Retreat: is always a great time for SGA members to get to know one another, establish new goals, and set an exciting and ambitious tone for the new school year. The date has been set for September 23-24 and I’m already really excited! We’re ready for new members with new ideas so get ready to see some big things come out of this retreat. Please let us know if there are specific things you would like SGA to discuss at the retreat and we’ll get right to them!

My biggest effort this summer has been put into my study abroad experience in London. I am taking a course on Diversity in the British Workplace. Though I have to say, the best part about studying abroad in London is that I am also interning at the British Parliament. I have been interning for Member of Parliament, Graeme Morrice, who is quite the jokester. He actually almost had me curtsy in front of the Speaker of the House of Commons, telling me it was what I had to do when he walked by. By that point I didn’t understand British humor. I certainly do now!

Through interning at Parliament, I have gained a lot of insight that I plan to bring break to JMU dealing with how government works in the UK. At the beginning of each day the House of Commons goes into “Parliamentary Questions.” Members of Parliament ask on-the-spot questions to elected and appointed government figures, like the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister. I would like this style of questioning to be considered with SGA. We could have a time designated in SGA meetings and possibly time expanding outside SGA meetings to have non-SGA members and SGA members ask questions. These on-the-spot questions will be directed to the SGA Executive Board, Staff, Committee Chairs, or Senators about what they are doing and the impact they are providing. This could give insight on how SGA is getting its goals accomplished as well as provide students an outlet to express their voices. This is one of the many ideas I hope to bring back!

Besides all of the fun Parliamentary business, London has been incredible. I love going on runs in Hyde Park, eating lunch in Parliament, going to local markets, and exploring the many facets and neighborhoods of London. I also have had the amazing opportunities to travel to Ireland, the Netherlands, and on July 8th I go to Paris! Here is a piece of advice that I have to offer: If you have the opportunity to study abroad, then DO IT! JMU has so many great opportunities to study abroad inside and outside of the country, so take advantage if possible.

That’s all from me JMU!! Thanks for reading and please comment with any questions! If you have any cool study abroad, volunteer, or work stories, then feel free to post them. While London is amazing, I have been missing the JMU love so don’t be shy

Go Dukes!

Abby