James Madison University - Madison For Keeps
Help them stay
Madison For Keeps
Financial aid requests have skyrocketed to levels never before seen at James Madison University. Parents are losing their jobs. In less than one month when the students leave for holiday break, many will not be able to return. That's why we've created Madison For Keeps above and beyond our other fundraising initiatives.
Over 2,000 JMU alumni, friends and employees have supported this initiative to provide emergency aid to students at risk of dropping out due to the financial crisis. Please join us in this urgent effort and make your gift today. Your entire donation will provide immediate aid to students.
Remember the campus tradition of holding doors for others entering a building behind you? Giving to Madison For Keeps continues that tradition. Please hold open the opportunity for students who want to stay at Madison. Make your gift by December 31.
Every dollar given to Madison For Keeps goes directly to help students now:
- $60 covers Internet connection fees for an on-campus resident
- $500 enables a student to buy textbooks
- $1,750 provides a student with two full meals per day in our dining halls
- $1,950 allows a student to remain in his or her dorm room
- $3,600 covers full tuition and fees for a student for the spring semester
- $9,650 would supplement a student's total cost of attendance for the spring semester
Students: Is your family is experiencing financial hardships that may affect your ability to remain at JMU? If so, you can apply for Madison For Keeps aid. Download the application or visit the Office of Financial Aid web site for more information.
Latest Updates
2,000 donors, $200K in donations, 45 students helped— Wednesday, Nov. 18
Many things to be thankful for as we look forward to Thanksgiving Break. Thanks to over 2,000 supporters, Madison For Keeps has now exceeded $200,000 in contributions! On Monday, the Office of Financial Aid spent four hours pouring over student applications for aid. Each student's individual circumstances and financial situation was carefully considered, and 17 were selected to receive aid — bringing the number of students helped to 45. Without a doubt, these 45 would not have been able to return to JMU in January if not for aid. More awards are scheduled to be made by next week.
Dr. Rose makes an appeal to alums — Monday, Nov. 16
With less than two months to go in this urgent campaign to support students in need, JMU President Linwood H. Rose recorded a special message to JMU alumni and friends asking for their assistance. An email was sent urging JMU supporters to make a donation by Dec. 31. View and share the video or make your gift now.
Madison For Keeps makes an appearance at Nov. 7 football game v. Maine — Thursday, Nov. 12
What a great day for James Madison University — beautiful fall weather, sunny skies, and a home game WIN! Volunteers handed out fliers and spoke to hundreds of Dukes fans about Madison For Keeps. I found it heartening that many people already knew about this emergency student aid initiative. Hopefully many more went home and made donations.
Listening to the appeal for M4K on the stadium loudspeaker, I thought of a story I just heard about a student who is applying for aid. Her parent recently had emergency life-saving surgery, becoming unable to work on top of a substantial medical bill. Without aid, this student may not be able to return to JMU next semester.
Twenty-eight M4K awards have been made so far, with 28 stories just as heartbreaking as the one above. And with your help we can extend a helping hand to many more Dukes in need. Your donations truly are making a difference.
Alumni Board member speaks out for Madison For Keeps — Thursday, Nov. 5
Scott Rogers, member of the Alumni Association Board, discusses the urgent need for the new student aid initiative: Madison For Keeps. Rogers and other members of the Alumni Board made personal pledges during Homecoming Weekend to support M4K as well as to donate $25,000 to the cause from the Alumni Association.
Click the share link to send it to a friend or post it to your Facebook, Twitter, etc. account.
University makes first awards — Thursday, Oct. 29
Thirteen students at risk of dropping out due to financial hardship have received much-needed aid thanks to Madison For Keeps donations. These are the first awards to be granted since the Office of Financial Aid began accepting applications 10 days ago, with several more applications under review and appeals arriving each day. Yesterday, University Advancement Senior Vice President Dr. Joanne Carr (pictured right) installed yard signs on campus symbolizing the number of students helped by Madison For Keeps. Purple signs in the shape of graduates surround a banner that says, "Thanks to donations from JMU alumni and friends, every day more Dukes can stay Dukes." More than 1,400 gifts totalling over $140,000 have been made to the emergency student aid initiative so far, and each dollar donated will be distributed to students as appeal forms are processed.
Big milestones reached during Homecoming — Wednesday, Oct. 21
Yes, it rained. Yes, it was chilly. Yes, we cheered until we were hoarse to no avail. But, the Homecoming response to Madison For Keeps, JMU’s emergency student aid initiative, was heartwarming to the extreme!
Click to continue reading...
Class of '99 makes donation to honor reunion year — Tuesday, Oct. 20
The Class of '99 held their 10 year reunion over Homecoming weekend with a tailgate and evening reception at Ham's restaurant. A good time was had by all, and class members decided to donate remaining proceeds from the reception to Madison For Keeps — helping ensure that current students may one day enjoy their own 10-year reunions as JMU alums.
Students can now apply for Madison For Keeps aid — Monday, Oct. 19
Students experiencing an economic hardship that might affect their ability to remain at JMU in the 2009-10 school year may now complete the Madison For Keeps Appeal Form. Click here to download form or visit the Office of Financial Aid site for more information.
Alumni Board makes Homecoming gift of $25,000 to Madison For Keeps — Saturday, Oct. 17
Talk about a great way to start Homecoming Weekend! The board of the JMU Alumni Association has pushed the total for Madison For Keeps over the $100,000 mark this morning by announcing a $25,000 gift from the association. In addition, each member of the alumni board has pledged a personal gift to the effort. They did it to recognize the extraordinary giving we are seeing from young alumni and to encourage more!
Join us at the Homecoming game — Friday, Oct. 16
Be sure to stop by our table at the Homecoming football game Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. We'll be accepting donations to Madison For Keeps on site and spreading the word about this effort. Look for our table near the concession area on the season ticket side of the stadium.
Nearing 1,000 Madison For Keeps donors — Thursday, Oct. 15
Nine hundred sixty-six donors had given just under $75,000 as of this morning. Help us break 1000 donors!
TV-3 runs story on Madison For Keeps — Wednesday, Oct. 14
Harrisonburg television station WHSV ran a story this week on Madison For Keeps. Read reporter Josh Knight's story and watch the video on the station's Web site.
Watch the Scoreboard! — Friday, Oct. 9
Take a look at the Madison For Keeps video which will debut on the Bridgeforth Stadium scoreboard at tomorrow's JMU-Richmond football game
Click the share link to send it to a friend or post it to your Facebook, Twitter, etc. account.
$50K and Counting — Wednesday, Oct. 7
Madison For Keeps has exceeded the $50,000 level in contributions to help students who are in danger of not being able to return for the Spring 2010 semester. More than 700 alumni and friends have joined in on the effort.
Madison For Keeps PSA released — Tuesday, Oct. 6
Take a look at the Madison For Keeps public service announcement.
Click the share link to send it to a friend or post it to your Facebook, Twitter, etc. account.
JMU President visits Madison For Keeps callers — Friday, Oct. 2
Student volunteers who staff the Madison Connection calling center got a visit from JMU President Linwood Rose recently. The president encouraged the students, handed out t-shirts and recorded a video appeal for Madison For Keeps.
Click the share link to send it to a friend or post it to your Facebook, Twitter, etc. account.
Nicolle Boren ('06) speaks out on behalf of Madison For Keeps — Wednesday, Sept. 30
Inspired by a conversation on the JMU Facebook page, 2006 alumna Nicolle Boren gave to Madison For Keeps and took time to record a video interview to explain why.
Click the share link to send it to a friend or post it to your Facebook, Twitter, etc. account.
