Joely Mauck (’90) steps into the holiday season the way some people step onto a stage — bringing warmth and energy that fills the whole room. And once the curtain rises, her favorite annual tradition begins.
Every December — usually sometime between Dec. 20 and 24 — Joely, her 92-year-old father, brother, and whichever children, nieces, or nephews are home for the season, pile into cars and set off across Loudoun County, Virginia, on a mission. Their props are simple: wrapped fuzzy socks, Christmas cards, a $20 bill tucked inside each one, and an invitation to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Mass. At the heart of it all is the spirit of giving.
They pop into drive-thrus. They track down delivery drivers. They chase down utility trucks. They end the day at Walmart — where store managers now recognize them — and quietly pay for families’ toys or groceries. The reactions range from teary gratitude to total astonishment. Even the rare grump becomes part of the family lore.
“It feeds my soul,” Joely said. “Acts of kindness are contagious. You just have to light the spark.”
Kindness may be the hallmark of this tradition, but it’s hardly confined to December. As her daughter-in-law, Sarah Bernet Mauck (’17), explains, Joely is “one of the busiest and most generous people I know.” In addition to her work as a senior financial adviser, Joely has fostered more than 60 dogs, distributed Narcan for the Virginia Council on Women, made meals for families in crisis and regularly finds ways to bring a little more beauty into someone’s home — or at least their front porch.
And then there’s the other home she pours into: JMU.
Joely, a Finance major with a minor in Economics,and her husband, Trey (’88), are longtime supporters of the College of Business, Athletics and student well-being. Three of their four children are alumni, and their first grandchild is named — of course — Madison. To Joely, the university isn’t just her alma mater; it’s an extension of her family.
“Being involved at JMU has enriched my life so much,” she said. “When I drive to campus, it feels like coming home. The energy from students — it’s magic.”
She serves on the JMU Board of Visitors with the same warmth and enthusiasm she brings to holiday decorating (in October — “because the season is so magical”), or surprising young adults by secretly transforming a bare Arlington, Virginia, rental into a fully decorated holiday home. She believes in pacing herself early — finishing her own checklist, so she has time for the extras like tending her mother’s gravesite with handmade arrangements, stopping by to help a neighbor or saying yes when the university calls.
Where does she find the energy? Showker Hall. “When I walk through Hartman and Showker, the students are so energetic, so engaged. They want to connect,” she said. “They remind you that kindness is still everywhere.”
Joely imagines a December where the whole Madison community leans into that spirit — holiday magic expressed through acts of generosity that welcome every faith and tradition.
Because if Joely Mauck has a mission, it’s this: Share the joy, spread the love and hold the door open wide enough for everyone.
