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http://www.jmu.edu/development/give

http://www.jmu.edu/alumni/events

http://www.jmu.edu/parents/Family_Weekend.shtml

http://www.jmu.edu/homecoming

http://www.jmu.edu/alumni/calendar

James Madison University - Index

James Madison University - Madison Magazine - Summer 2009 - Index

{Be the Change}
Madison rugby alumni
honor player and friend
The Luis de Souza Pinto Memorial Scholarship
By Katie Hudson (’10)
“
When alumni think of JMU
men’s rugby, one of the
first people they think
of is Luis de Souza Pinto
(’02),” says Pinto’s former
teammate Brian Rainey (’04) of Arlington.
“He personified the love for the game,
and everything that came with playing
rugby at Madison is Luis.”
Pinto died in a jet skiing accident in
2004. Madison rugby players decided to
honor Pinto by creating a memorial scholarship.
When Madison Rugby Alumni
Chapter members and players approached
the JMU Development Office, they were
advised that they had five years to raise
$25,000 to establish an endowed scholarship.
For those who knew Pinto, the fact
that the team raised the total amount in
four months came as no surprise.
The Luis de Souza Pinto Memorial
Scholarship Endowment benefits
an international student/rugby
player attending JMU. The Pinto
family and the Madison Rugby
Alumni Chapter helped create criteria
to select scholarship recipients.
Originally from Brazil, Pinto came to
JMU in 1998 and quickly became involved
with the rugby team. He was named one
of the captains and team vice president.
He also served the Madison Connection
by calling alumni to ask them to give
back to JMU. After graduation, Pinto
moved to New York City to work with the
Bloomberg news media company.
When the players learned of Pinto’s passing,
they immediately started to collect
donations. Rainey says that setting up the
scholarship was a “defining JMU highlight”
in his Madison Experience. “Alumni help
was inspirational. We have received donations
from original players who established
the club in 1975 to recent graduates.”
Rugby alumni hope to see the scholarship
endowment continue to grow, especially
in these tough economic times.
“We’d like to have enough funding so that
multiple students receive the scholarship
all four years,” Rainey says.
“By setting up the memorial scholarship,
rugby alumni have honored their
friend in a most appropriate way,” says
Ted Sudol, JMU director of charitable
gift planning. “The scholarship also helps
increase diversity at JMU.”
Rainey adds, “Luis was a great rugby
player, and he always had a smile on his
face. There were so many people whose
lives he touched. And that continues. We
have received e-mail from prospective
students and rugby players from Africa,
Asia, Europe and South America. All are
interested in the scholarship. … But honoring
Luis is the most important factor.
He loved JMU.”
To support the Luis de Souza Pinto
Memorial Scholarship contact Brian
Rainey (’04) at raineybt@gmail.com.
Learn how you can support many JMU
scholarships at www.jmu/edu/give/. M
A Madison Connection manager talks with
Luis de Souza Pinto (’02) before he calls
on alumni to give back to JMU.
Madison Events
MAY 30
Charlotte Dukes Family Picnic
JUNE 5–7
Alumni Volunteer Weekend
Leadership Conference
www.jmu.edu/alumni/events
JUNE 20
Black Alumni Chapter
Summer Picnic
Denver Alumni Chapter
Rooftop Happy Hour
JUNE 27
Baltimore/Annapolis
Chapter Outing
Orioles vs. Nationals at Camden Yards
AUGUST 29
Richmond Chapter
2009 Crabfest
OCT. 9–11
Family Weekend 2009
www.jmu.edu/parents/
Family_Weekend.shtml
OCT. 16–17
Homecoming:
Under the Big Top
www.jmu.edu/homecoming
For more information on events,
please call the JMU alumni office toll free
1- (888) JMU-ALUM or visit
www.jmu.edu/alumni/calendar/.
AlumniNews
✱ Learn how you can support many JMU
scholarship funds — and ensure the Madison
Experience for the next generation — by
visiting www.jmu.edu/development/give/.
DE SOUZA PINTO PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF 2002 BLUESTONE
SUMMER 2009
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