Completed Event: Volleyball at Old Dominion on November 7, 2025 , Win , 3, to, 0 , (25-15, 25-23, 25-23)
VB
Final
James Madison
3
at Old Dominion
(25-15, 25-23, 25-23)
0
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
JMU Duke Club Hosts Student-Athlete Mentorship Event
4/13/2017 4:12:00 PM | Civic Engagement, Duke Club
On Wednesday, April 12, the James Madison Duke Club hosted its fifth Student-Athlete Mentorship Event. This event allowed the student-athletes to ask questions and network with former JMU student-athletes. There were 20 alumni and approximately 25 student-athletes in attendance.
The evening started off with a discussion panel of four alumni, where they answered questions about how being an athlete translates into the workforce, the importance of networking, building relationships and building your story. After that, the student-athletes got the chance to speak to alumni one-on-one with the round table discussions. Each alumni were happy to give their best advice in hopes of helping the student-athletes succeed in their careers and life after college.
Bill DuRoss, Class of 2000, who is the Sr. Manager of Process Improvement & Program Services in Washington D.C. was just one of the alumni who attended the event. He said the importance of the mentorship event is giving back. He said, "Honestly, James Madison gave so much to me and shaped my life, so this is a chance for me to give back". He also added, "When I was here they did not have this awesome program and I wish they did because it would have given me direction."
This was the third mentorship event for Donna Abernathy, graduate of 1991, who is the Principal at Broadway High School. She expressed, "I think getting advice from us older people is great. I look back and say if I was as smart as I thought I was back then, wow, what I could have accomplished." Her biggest piece of advice for the student-athletes was, "Keep all your opportunities open. Never close any doors" and "Don't be afraid that you don't know what you want to do right now with your career".
Junior Melanie Kusakavitch, who plays field hockey at JMU, said the most important advice she got from the event was, "to be confident, yet coachable". She said, "It's a really comforting feeling to know that people have your back in the real world" and "It's always important to connect with alumni and really spread that JMU loyalty and pride."
Senior football student-athlete Simeyon Robinson said the most important piece of advice he got from the event was, "networking and staying in touch with those networks that you gather throughout your experiences".
The evening started off with a discussion panel of four alumni, where they answered questions about how being an athlete translates into the workforce, the importance of networking, building relationships and building your story. After that, the student-athletes got the chance to speak to alumni one-on-one with the round table discussions. Each alumni were happy to give their best advice in hopes of helping the student-athletes succeed in their careers and life after college.
Bill DuRoss, Class of 2000, who is the Sr. Manager of Process Improvement & Program Services in Washington D.C. was just one of the alumni who attended the event. He said the importance of the mentorship event is giving back. He said, "Honestly, James Madison gave so much to me and shaped my life, so this is a chance for me to give back". He also added, "When I was here they did not have this awesome program and I wish they did because it would have given me direction."
This was the third mentorship event for Donna Abernathy, graduate of 1991, who is the Principal at Broadway High School. She expressed, "I think getting advice from us older people is great. I look back and say if I was as smart as I thought I was back then, wow, what I could have accomplished." Her biggest piece of advice for the student-athletes was, "Keep all your opportunities open. Never close any doors" and "Don't be afraid that you don't know what you want to do right now with your career".
Junior Melanie Kusakavitch, who plays field hockey at JMU, said the most important advice she got from the event was, "to be confident, yet coachable". She said, "It's a really comforting feeling to know that people have your back in the real world" and "It's always important to connect with alumni and really spread that JMU loyalty and pride."
Senior football student-athlete Simeyon Robinson said the most important piece of advice he got from the event was, "networking and staying in touch with those networks that you gather throughout your experiences".
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