SUMMARY: Abby Killmon (’25), a kinesiology major from Onancock, Virginia, is the first recipient of the landmark Frances Weir (’49) Scholarship Endowment to graduate from JMU.
When Abigail Killmon arrived at James Madison University four years ago, she and her freshman roommate made a bold pact: join every club that sounded interesting at Student Org Night.
“We signed up for everything. Any club that sounded remotely interesting, we put our name down. It was like, we’re just going to do it all,” Killmon said.
That mindset led Killmon to a deeply involved college experience — one she says was made possible by the Frances Weir (’49) Endowed Scholarship. In 2023, Col. Frances Weir (’49), a retired officer in the Women’s Army Corps, bequeathed her $6 million estate to JMU exclusively for scholarships. The gift enables the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to award approximately $240,000 annually in scholarship funds in perpetuity.
A kinesiology major from Onancock, Virginia, Killmon received the scholarship all four years, thanks to Weir’s decision to start the scholarship before she passed. Now, Killmon is the first of many recipients to come to graduate from JMU. “Having the scholarship helped so much,” she said.
“Just being able to fill my schedule as much as possible with everything that JMU has was really nice,” she said. Last semester, Killmon had 18 credit hours, an internship, ran two programs and volunteered. “It was a lot,” she said. “But if I had that added stress of trying to figure out, how am I going to pay for all this? How am I going to support myself? Pay for an apartment, pay for food… there’s no way I could have done it without the financial assistance.”
Killmon chose to study kinesiology because it combined her love of sports and helping others. “I knew I wanted to do physical therapy. I’ve played sports my whole life — volleyball for 13 years, softball since T-ball — and I knew I didn’t want to do nursing. I’m not a blood and fluids kind of girl,” she said with a laugh. “But I wanted to do something in health care and something where I could still be around sports.”
“I know I have the resources and my friends, professors, tutors — why not just use it all and do the best I can?”
Abby Killmon (’25)
Her decision to attend JMU was grounded in both academics and family ties, including her sister, Emily (’22,’23M), a great-great aunt and multiple cousins. “JMU was the perfect fit,” she said.
While on campus, Killmon has been involved in a wide range of student organizations. She served as head coach for the Special Olympics unified basketball team, participated in College Mentors for Kids, Empowerment3, the Pre-Physical Therapy Society, the National Honor Society for Success and Leadership and Women’s Intramural Volleyball.
“I interned with Empowerment3 and we designed adaptive P.E. programs for kids with disabilities,” she said. “It was so hands-on. We were writing plans, implementing them — it was really impactful.”
She also studied abroad in London, where she packed five courses into her semester. She said it was an experience that gave her new perspective. “I got to explore all these places I’d never thought I’d get to go. I’d never been out of the country before,” she said. “It was incredible.”
Dr. Chris Womack said Killmon is a great model for other students because of her diligence and organization. “She is a very conscientious student and she always displayed a positive attitude,” he said. “She was always an asset to every class due to these qualities — along with her friendly demeanor.”
As she walks across the graduation stage this spring, Killmon already has her next chapter lined up: a job as a rehabilitation technician at Georgetown University Hospital, rotating through emergency and inpatient care units as she prepares for graduate school.
“I want to go back to the Eastern Shore eventually,” she said. “It’s so peaceful there. It’s home.”
As the first graduate of the Frances Weir Scholarship, Killmon is already living out the legacy of opportunity and impact that the scholarship was meant to inspire. No matter where life takes her, Killmon is walking forward with confidence, gratitude and a drive to make a difference.
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by Ciara Brennan (’17)
Published: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
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