Go Duke Dogs!

It's a rare treat to meet someone outside the states of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and New Jersey that have heard of James Madison University.

If they have, they think I'm talking about GMU (George Mason University), which I'm quick to correct them b/c GMU is in the same town I grew up in and I would not have gone there (no offense). And then they quickly ask, 'is that a private school'?

Nope. A great Virginia state school with over 15,000 people. It just draws from such a regional area and doesn't have any great sports teams - although that's quickly changing - and is known more for it's marching band and field hockey team.

But for those of you who have heard of it or know someone who went there, you know we're all very proud. We love our royal Duke Dog that wears a crown, and the fact that we only had 3 bars in town due to the large Mennonite population, and that we were so close to Skyline Drive.

So it's a real treat to meet people in Texas who not only have heard of it but went there!

Turns out, there are 3 of us who work at LIVESTRONG (staff of 85 total) that went to JMU! Crazy, huh? We didn't know each other in school (although 2 of us were only a year apart) but it's an instant bond that we love to remind people of. This year, when JMU beat Virginia Tech in a football game, we wore purple to work the next day (not to be confused with TCU, a Texas school that people often confuse our affinity to purple with) and tweeted our picture, which then got published in the Madisonian (our prestigious alumni magazine).

We were also interviewed by the Madisonian (along with a LIVESTRONG intern who was from JMU) and are awaiting the article.

So, if anyone wants our autographs, or wants Colleen to sing our fight song for them, you know where to find us.....

Except after the half marathon, when both Colleen and Ashley made it to the post-event party and I didn't. It's so nice to be missed.....