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James Madison University - Index
James Madison University - Madison Magazine - Summer 2009 - Index
[Madison Connection]
Making the call
Senior helps alumni and students
choose to support JMU
By Paula Polglase (’92, ’96M)
Several days a week
Nicole Hrusovsky
(’09) heads to work at
Madison Connection,
the campus call center staffed
by students that solicits and
thanks alumni donors to the
Madison Fund. A beige, onestory
building on
the outside opens
to a bustling, highenergy,
colorful
workroom full of
students talking to
alumni. “I usually
ask alums if they’ve
been back to campus,”
say Hrusovsky.
“Most haven’t been
back in years, so I
like to ask what it
was like when they
were here.”
Among her favorite
stories alumni
have shared in
the past two years
are steak night in
D-Hall, alumnae
who were required
to wear skirts and
the many love stories
of alumni who
met their future
spouses at JMU. “I even
talked to the first Duke Dog,”
says Hrusovsky.
“I don’t consider myself
a very talkative person,” the
senior adds. “But, the job’s
schedule and the opportunity
to talk to alumni intrigued
me. I get to talk to really
great alumni, hear great stories
and sometimes get some
pretty good advice.”
During her second semester
as a Madison Connection
caller, Hrusovsky was asked
by a classmate to get involved
in the Madison Student Giving
Campaign. Formerly the
Senior Class Challenge, the
campaign has expanded its
mission to ask all students
to give to JMU. The mission
really resonated with
Hrusovsky, who says it is very
similar to her work with the
Madison Connection. “If I’m
asking alumni for donations,
I think it’s important that
Madison Connection caller
Nicole Hrusovsky (’09) enjoys
talking to alumni and students
about giving back to JMU.
‘I don’t consider myself a very talkative
person, but the opportunity to talk to
alumni [through the Madison Connection]
intrigued me.’
— Nicole Hrusovsky (’09), Madison Connection caller
I give back, too,” she says.
“Alumni expect to be asked to
give back, but with students
it’s a lot more work.”
Hrusovsky accepted the
challenge, and last year she
was the top campaign captain
for the student giving campaign.
This year, she is the
MSGC Steering Committee
member in charge of recruiting
and training campaign
captains. Her work and the
MSGC Steering Committee’s
efforts are paying off.
A recent survey of students
showed that a majority had
heard of the Madison Student
Giving Campaign.
Hrusovsky believes teaching
students to give to JMU
connects to alumni giving.
“I’ve had the best four years
here. I’ve had the opportunity
to grow and
learn more about
myself while making
absolutely amazing
friends. JMU has
been a big part of
my life, and I want
future students to
have the same, if
not better, Madison
Experience. I hope
that by giving back
and telling other
people about it, I
can influence others
to do the same.”
The Ashburn, Va.,
native gives back in
more ways than Madison
Connection. She
serves as a first-year
orientation guide.
Each fall FROGs
assist the JMU orientation
team. “I
know the importance
that private dollars make to
programs like FROGs,” Hrusovsky
says. Her fellow Madison
Connection callers are never
far from her mind. “Informing
students about the importance
of giving makes future callers’
jobs easier.”
Hrusovsky graduated on
May 9 and has been accepted
to the University of Virginia
law school. While she will
miss JMU, she is looking forward
to her alumni status and
hearing from the Madison
Connection. “I can’t wait to
get a phone call.” M
✱ Learn more about at www.jmu.
edu/MadisonConnection/
Connections
@
Connections
ONLINE
✱ JMU’s front door: www.jmu.edu
✱ Everything alumni: www.jmu.
edu/alumni
✱ The Newsroom and JMU Public
Affairs: www.jmu.edu/news/
✱ Madison Channel: Live and archived
video and audio coverage of JMU
activities and events: http://media.
jmu.edu/
HEADLINES +
HIGHLIGHTS
✱ Brightening the Lights of Madison
and the JMU Online Community:
www.jmu.edu/alumni/publications
✱ The Family Connection insights
for JMU parents: www.jmu.edu/
parents/Update_Form.shtml
TELEVISION
✱ WVPT: Students intern at the PBS
affiliate for central Virginia, Shenandoah
Valley and northeastern West Virginia,
(540) 434-5391: www.wvpt.net
RADIO
✱ WXJM: Student programming,
news, talk and music on FM 88.7
http://orgs.jmu.edu/wxjm
✱ AM 1610: Tune in when you roll
into the ’Burg.
✱ WMRA: http://wmra.org/
NPR, local news and programming.
WMRA, WMRY, WMRL, WMLU
at 90.7, 103.5, 89.9 and 91.3 on your
FM dial.
✱ Madison, the JMU magazine, and
MadisonOnline: www.jmu.edu/
MadisonOnline. Story ideas or subscriptions:
(540) 568-2664 or e-mail
madisonmag@jmu.edu
SPORTS
✱ www.jmusports.com
✱ Pawprint: the Duke Club Newsletter,
(540) 568-6164
✱ MadiZONE: Catch all the exciting
JMU sports action — the online destination
for live and on-demand video
and audio: www.jmusports.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL MIRIELLO (‘09M)
SUMMER 2009
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