Jana Cowan graduates from JMU with a degree in media arts and design.
Photo: Jana Cowan | Courtesy
Jana Cowan, born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, has stepped in as the new assistant to the Senior Vice President Dr. Keith Moore.
In this position, she mainly serves as a connection between Moore and anyone he meets with, while also supporting campus projects including graphic design.
With her sister in the office right across the hall from her own, Cowan entered this position with strong connections to the community, but she said she aims to get even more connected.
Cowan outlined some of her goals in the role for the 2025-26 academic year: to understand her role better as she enters a new position, support Moore, strengthen connections around campus and help with the transition of the name change to Batten University.
Cowan has been on the job for nine weeks so far, including one week of training, and said she’s loving it so far. She graduated from James Madison University with a degree in media arts and design, concentrating in digital video and cinema with minors in Italian foreign language and British media and communications.
Cowan’s sister, Elle, works in the finance office and happened to be nearby when Moore mentioned the job opening. Beyond her sister, Cowan has personal ties to Virginia Wesleyan through some of her high school field hockey teammates who attended VWU, and her friendship with Michelle Hedspeth, director of Student Accounts.
Cowan’s favorite hobbies include reading, listening to music, photography and exercising, especially running and weightlifting. She has been a personal trainer and coach since she graduated from JMU.
Cowan also spoke about what it’s like working with Dr. Keith Moore.
“It’s very fun. He is very fast-paced. He’s a natural educator,” Cowan said. He definitely challenges me to learn new things, but he has no problem sitting down with me for a couple minutes and being like, ‘Okay, you don’t understand this. Let me walk you through it.’ So he’s very understanding,” Cowan said.
Elle Cowan said that she is very happy to be working in the same building as her sister.
“Her office is right across the hall, so it’s fun to get to see her every day. We have lunch together almost every day. We go on a walk after lunch, and it’s just been really nice having her here,” Elle Cowan said.
“I’m just really proud that she came in from day one and just really embodied what Virginia Wesleyan has to offer,” Elle Cowan said. “She already, from the first day, had so much school spirit, was already making so many connections with people on campus and networking, saying ‘hi’ to people when we were walking around.”
She said the job opening “kind of fell into place” after the previous assistant left and Moore started looking for someone new. Knowing Cowan’s background, enthusiasm and personality, Hedspeth thought she’d be a great fit for the role.
“Well, I think Jana’s background of being an athlete, being maybe close to the students’ age, will give her a good angle on connecting with them, relating with them, but she’s also very professional, so working with the rest of the other colleagues on campus is, I think, how she’s going to be a real success here,” Hedspeth said.
Hedspeth also mentioned that the Cowan family has deep roots in the Virginia Beach community, especially in local sports and through Catholic charities.
By: Gabriel Baublitz
gabaublitz@vwu.edu
