This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JMU chapter.
Name: Becca Jones
Year: SENIOR…EW
Hometown: Montross, Virginia
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Campus involvement
Current: Relay For Life of JMU
Past: Alternative Spring Breaks, Helping Hands, MYMOM (Participant), Intervarsity
What is your role on the Relay For Life Exec team at JMU?
This year I am a Marketing Co-Chair!
How has your involvement with this organization shaped your “Madison Experience”?
The day I moved out of my freshman dorm, I went to visit my “Pop” in the hospital on my way home. Earlier in the week (the first day of finals) my mom had called me to tell me that she was taking my grandpa to the hospital because he, “wasn’t feeling well.” Though she didn’t let on, I knew that something had to be wrong being that my grandpa NEVER went to the doctor’s unless he absolutely had to do so.
That same day that I visited, my Pop was diagnosed with cancer. After hearing the doctors say those words, it took everything I had in me not to scream out of anger, sadness, and fear. Up until that point, cancer had never really played a huge role in my life. It never seemed to “bother” me. But sometimes life has a funny sense of timing.
Because of medications, my Pop didn’t know who I was. He didn’t talk, eat, or even really move. I was watching such a brave, and strong man dwindle before my eyes. Two days after his diagnosis, he was taken from this beautiful earth. I never really got to say goodbye.
I think it’s safe to say that cancer has affected everyone on this campus in some facet or another. Relay For Life of JMU has brought me so many memories and experiences, and has allowed me to meet some of the most wonderful, caring, and courageous people that walk on this campus every day. There is nothing like witnessing the Luminaria ceremony the night of the event and seeing this community come together the way that it does. I will forever be grateful to Relay For Life of JMU and all that is has done for me in shaping my Madison experience. I know that years from now when I tell my children about my college experience, Relay For Life of JMU will always slip into the conversation somehow!
What challenges (if any) has Exec. faced in preparation for Relay this year and how did you all overcome them?
Putting on such a big event always brings big challenges! This year is a really pivotal year because we re-structured our exec board, and added in sub-committees! That alone was a huge challenge as we tried to adjust and navigate through a new structure of our organization. With that being said, this year each exec member was designated to a specific task and then given committee members. So we really had to work through new challenges as individuals and as an exec board as a whole all while being in charge of our sub-committees. Dividing up tasks and making sure everything got done in a timely and efficient manner was definitely a huge challenge that we faced!
Communication is KEY. This is something that we learned very quickly with the new structure of Relay. Because our roles were so individualized (while still being a part of a team), we’d often sometimes overlap our work! So my co-chair and I would do something only to find out that another exec board had already done that task!
But, through lots of communication and cooperation, we have gotten this far! And we couldn’t be more excited to put on the best Relay For Life JMU has ever seen in just a few days!
As a senior, how will your experiences with Relay For Life and JMU go with you in the future?
Relay For Life of JMU has taught me a lot of things that will be very beneficial in “the real world.” For one, time management. Wow. Deadlines are very important, and to have to do 10 plus hours of Relay work on top of your schoolwork each week definitely teaches you how to prioritize! Secondly, I’ve learned so much about working with a team. My team made it so easy for me because each one of them is so dedicated to what they’re doing. However, in the process, I still learned so much about the importance of cooperation, patience and collaboration, all of which are essential in a successful “group project.” And lastly, I learned about myself. Relay really taught me to dig deep and find the real meaning in the motivation behind what I’m doing and the impact I’m making with the amazing group of individuals that I get to work with!
Sometimes it’s so easy for us to get caught up in the monetary value of what we’re accomplishing, but I think I’ve also learned the importance of reflection and valuing the time that I get to spend with this campus fighting back against a terrible and unruly disease. It’s really made me appreciate this life that I’ve been given!
Make sure you sign up YOUR team at relayforlife.org/JMUva. Come find us on April 17th from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Hillside field!