WE'RE MAKING HEADLINES
Ole School Alumni Group is making waves everywhere...
2018 INEZ GRAYBEAL ROOP ('35) ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD
2018
Ole School Alumni President nominated for Roop Alumni Service Award for his years of dedication and support of JMU and his community.
MINORITY ACCESS INC.
January 12, 2019
Charles May, Jr. was recognized at the 2019 National Role Model Conference with a Distinguished Role Model Award.
OLE SCHOOL MEMBER WAS HARRISONBURG’S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR
February 15, 2018
Sixteen years ago, Harrisonburg elected its first African-American mayor, Larry Rogers. Now living to see Harrisonburg’s most diverse city council and first African-American city manager, Rogers recalls his years in public service and the struggle for diversity in Harrisonburg’s leadership.
CAA FAMILY UNITED FOR CHANGE
July 29, 2020
"A desire to help others is at the core of the May family. Service, to Charles and Adrena May, is not just an action, but a way of life."
"...Charles was inspired to initiate the fund after getting involved with JMU again between 2000 and 2003. While he respected JMU for all it gave him during his time, he felt as though there was not the level of African American representation he would have expected after 17 years. May spoke with leaders at JMU about his concerns and found out that the state of Virginia did not allow universities to recruit specific groups of people for scholarships.
Charles wouldn't let that deter him from starting something that would benefit the recruitment of African American students to JMU. He went back to his colleagues from his time in school and asked them if they would be interested in donating money to help JMU recruit and retain African American students..."
SERVICE AS A WAY OF LIFE
August 7, 2020
"A desire to help others is at the core of the May family. Learn more about the work Charles T. May, Jr. ('83) and his daughter, Adrena May ('12), do with the Ole School Scholarship Fund and Elevate U..."
"OLE SCHOOL STORY OF GIVING BACK"
March 24, 2021
"Ole School Story of Giving Back"
Ole School Alumni Group participated in JMU's Inclusive Innovation Story Series as they celebrated black innovation. Adrena shared Ole School's story of "Giving Back."
MADISON VISION SERIES FEAT. OLE SCHOOL MEMBERS
February 24, 2021
The event is presented by the Madison Vision Series: Contemporary Issues in an Engaged Society, which honors James Madison’s conviction that cultivating an informed and educated citizenry is essential to the health of our republican democracy. The series brings scholars, thinkers and leaders of all kinds to campus for lively explorations of issues facing our society. Ole School members - Charles May and Melvin Petty discuss their stories of triumph and success.
AAAD/OSAG DISCUSS DIVERSITY IN SCUBA DIVING
2021
Led by Lesa Moore and Greg Gill, Ole School Alumni Group Co-Sponsored a roundtable discussion with National Association of Black Scuba Divers- A JMU African American, & Diaspora Studies event