A leader during her time at ODU, alumna Flo Blankenship was also a dedicated educator, high school librarian and member of her community. After Flo lost her battle with cancer, her sister reached out to explore ways she might honor Flo’s life of education and service. Read More
ODU prepared William Edelstein for a long, prosperous career. Through his estate, he created a scholarship to help ODU students achieve the same. Read More
For most students, the thought of going away to college is both exciting and uncertain. From making new friends to finding their way in a strange place, it is always an adventure. For Lorraine Schneider, it was no different. Read More
After graduating from Vassar College as a theater major on a work-study scholarship, Edie Reynolds, a New Jersey native, received a Navy commission at age 20. Read More
Michele Mulich's work as an IT professional has taken her all across the country. But ODU was never far from her mind. See how her experience here, a phone call and a significant event led her to make ODU a part of her legacy. Read More
Joseph (Joe) Petro grew up in Fairbank, Pennsylvania, in a family of nine, where his father and uncles worked in the coal mines. After school, Joe helped his mother by picking berries and running errands. As he got older, Joe sold newspapers and animal skins, taking on most any task to earn money for the family. For fun, he took up boxing, competing in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and joined the Boy Scouts. Read More
Alumni Bob and Maria Hood have dedicated their lives to educating young people—in schools, at their family's summer camp and by supporting ODU. Recently, they found a smart way to amplify their impact using a retirement account. “We hope others learn how easy this was,” Maria says.Read More
Diana McBrien laughs as she recalls seeing Harry for the first time. She and her family were living in Navy housing in Virginia Beach when Harry and his family moved into the house across the street. Read More
Bonnie Lee Miley is the recent recipient of the SoldierStrong scholarship, which is awarded to a female veteran at Old Dominion University with a high GPA in a STEM discipline. Read More
Del Karlsen ’74 was a favorite of his students throughout his 30-year career, and loved following students’ educational journeys, seeing them achieve advanced degrees and launch successful careers. Read More
Steve Hardt has always been good with numbers. In fact, when growing up in Portsmouth, he excelled in math—perhaps because his mother was a teacher and taught him to work hard and study even harder. Read More
A native of Norfolk, Jay Kossman graduated from Maury High School and headed to Old Dominion to study political science. About the same time, Jay's future wife, Joyce, graduated from Granby High and was drawn to Old Dominion due to its proximity to home, the cost and her desire to teach. Read More
Helen was a wonderful supporter of our college, especially the School of Nursing, by establishing their scholarships, as well as coming to our major events. She had a passion for living and for sharing with others through her philanthropy, textbooks, teaching and project development. Read More
Joan Nusbaum was as multifaceted as the loves in her life: her family at the center, surrounded by friends, art and music, combined with interests in medicine and education and sprinkled with a sense of adventure. Over her lifetime, Joan became a philanthropist who believed in giving back to her community. Read More
After graduating from ODU in 1972, Debbie Miller began her career as a graphic artist at Tidewater Community College. A Monarch at heart, Debbie joined the ODU staff in 1978 as Graphic Design Supervisor for the media center, now the Center for Learning and Teaching. Read More
“Tennis has been a defining part of my life,” said Ken Hunter ’81. “It led to shared friendships and life lessons, and it all started when my mother gave me her old Jack Kramer tennis racket.” Read More
Carl Helwig’s goal was to become, in his words, an “American scholar.” That was an impressive aspiration for a boy born in Marosujvar, Romania, who immigrated to the United States at age 6 with his parents and sister in 1924. Read More
When Richmond native Karen Gershman ’84 began working with her attorney on creating her estate plan, she knew she wanted to include Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters as well as some other charities that were close to her heart. Read More
An only child, Dowrick grew up on Virginia’s Northern Neck. She lived on the family farm where she learned a wide range of skills. She feared nothing—learned to fire rifles and won awards at local Thanksgiving turkey shoots. Read More
Kendra and Glenn Croshaw have committed their lives to impacting the lives of others: Kendra, before her retirement in 2006, as director of government relations and public policy for Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters; and Glenn, currently as a Circuit Court judge in Virginia Beach and formerly as a member of the House of Delegates for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Read More
Believing that ODU is her family, Sue Cotton Smith, office manager in the Civil Engineering Department, felt compelled to establish a scholarship. A 30-year employee at ODU, Smith has seen the importance of reaching out to others in times of need. Read More
"Linda and I believe that it is important for those of us who have had the good fortune to benefit from our education to support the institutions that laid the foundation for that success. However, it is not simply a sense of duty that drives us but also the joy of sharing and the knowledge that other lives will be enhanced by the gift of education so well provided at Old Dominion University." Read More
Ed ’74 and Linda ’71 Bradley spent their careers as juvenile probation officers (JPO). At that time, the innovative Norfolk Juvenile Court was exposing adolescents to family and group counseling, athletic, cultural, and outdoor adventures. Read More
Joseph Fleischmann was born in Nuremberg, Germany, on Oct. 17, 1925. At the time of his birth, the picturesque city was known for its medieval architecture and the Kaiserburg Castle, one of its most famous landmarks. Read More
Last week, an enthusiastic class of graduates finished their studies at Old Dominion University, leaving with memories of their time in classes and making social connections. Linwood "Tick" Thumm is proof that these memories can last a lifetime. Read More
Mike and Denise Luckey have known each other since the eighth grade. They remained friends throughout high school, but it wasn't until they went to different colleges - Denise to Virginia Tech and Mike to Old Dominion University, that they realized there might be more between them than merely friendship. It was a letter that Denise wrote to Mike that changed everything for the young couple. "I framed the letter and it hangs in our bedroom," said Mike. "We wouldn't be together today if Denise hadn't written to me." Read More
Shannon Hair and his mother were abandoned by his father when he was just a toddler. It was his mother's attitude that they could make it out of public housing by sheer determination and hard work. Shannon said, "My life could have ended up very differently. I should have been a statistic." Read More
Harry Adreon grew up at the corner of Gates and Colley avenues in Norfolk. With his father working at H.B. Gilpin Company, a wholesale pharmaceutical company, it wasn't surprising that, as a student at Maury High School, Harry was attracted to young Beatrice "Bea" Rice, who planned to become a pharmacist. Read More
