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Office of Admissions


To ensure consideration for all entering freshmen, the application for admission also serves as an application for scholarships.

The Madison Achievement Scholarships

Candidates for these scholarships must demonstrate academic potential as evidenced by high school course work, grades and standardized test scores.  A student’s demonstrated participating in extracurricular activities that show initiative, leadership, self-discipline and commitment is also highly valued.   The profile of previous achievement scholars includes combined score of SAT 1300 or above and class rank in the top 5 percent.


The Honors Achievement Scholarships

These scholarships are awarded to students who meet similar criteria as the Madison Achievement Scholarships, but in addition have been accepted into the JMU Honors Program.


Academic Department Achievement Scholarships

Several academic departments have merit and achievement scholarships to award students who have indicated their intention to pursue study in a specific major. These departments often require additional information and/or testing to select scholarship recipients. Departments will notify eligible candidates directly.


The Bluestone Scholarships

In an effort to enhance JMU’s diversity initiative, these scholarships are awarded to underrepresented populations on our campus.  Candidates will be considered based upon their performance both inside and outside the classroom and their potential for excellence at JMU.


SGA Leadership Scholarship

These scholarships are awarded to student leaders who have demonstrated their leadership potential through student government, club participation, and/or community involvement. Competitive candidates should express a desire to continue leadership endeavors at JMU.


Botetourt-Roanoke Valley Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$800.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

Leadership, Extra-Curricular Activities

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established in June 1988 by Susan Wilson Odasz.  Mrs. Odasz's daughter, Cynthia, graduated from JMU in 1988.   She is retired from General Electric.  Mrs. Odasz has set up a similar scholarship at her alma mater, the University of South Carolina at Greenville.

 

 

 

Clay Family Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$800.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established from the estate of Elizabeth Clay Llewellyn '38.  Mrs. Llewellyn passed away at the end of June 1995.  The scholarship was established in memory of Mrs. Llewellyn's parents, James M. and Carrie H. Clay.

 

 

 

Classified Employees Student Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$550.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

Parent or Guardian is classified Employee of JMU

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

 

 

 

Ola Belle Garber Cline Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1000.00

Criteria:

 

Need:

Yes

Minimum GPA:

No

Class Year:

Freshman

Other:

Child of an educator or school administrator

Contact:

 

Department:

Financial Aid

Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established by Donna Burcham Fowlkes '72 and her husband, J. Thomas Fowlkes, in memory of Ola Belle Garber Cline '14, her grandmother, and in honor of Phyllis Cline Burcham, her mother.  Mrs. Fowlkes daughter is also a JMU alum.

 

 

 

John H. Harding Memorial Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1500.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

Harding descendents given preference

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established in 1991 by John H. Harding, Jr., DDS in memory of his father, John H. Harding, for his encouragement, love and support.  Dr. Harding's daughters Lucy and Elizabeth graduated from James Madison University in 1984 and 1987.

 

 

 

Margaret Hoffman and Emily Lee Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1000.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

Academics, Leadership, Citizenship

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established in May 1989 by the friends and families of Margaret Hoffman Gouldman '43 and Emily Lewis Lee '43.  Margaret graduated with a BA in English and was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma.  She is a retired counselor.  Emily graduated from Madison College with a degree in General Home Economics.  She was also a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma, played field hockey, and was the editor of "The Breeze."  She has a master's degree in Dietetics from Johns Hopkins University.  She was a dietician in the U. S. Army medical corps and is now retired.  She has served on the Alumni Board of Directors, the Board of Visitors, is a member of the Founders Society and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1981. For students with demonstrated academic proficiency, organizational leadership and citizenship capabilities.

 

 

John L. and Kay D. Neff Endowed Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1250.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established in June 1998 by Kay Daggy Neff '59 and her husband, John L. Neff.  Kay graduated from Madison with a  B.S. in business administration.  She worked for General Electric for 24 years and helped found the Valley Industrial Credit Union. She is a member of the JMU Founders Society Advisory Board and was on the 40th Reunion Committee and the Class of 1959 Scholarship Committee. John Neff received his appreciation for knowledge and higher education through his life experiences while working for the Virginia Departments of Transportation and Corrections, for the U. S. Army in Germany, and for the Reynolds Metals Company, from which he retired with 30 years of service.  Having no children, the Neffs had to decide what legacy they would leave.  A scholarship at JMU was the answer.  They not only give back to JMU, but they are able to help students from Bath and Augusta counties.  John and Kay are from Millboro Springs in Bath county, and they have lived their entire married life (almost 40 years) in Augusta county.

 

 

 

Sarah Lanier Tabb Oliver Memorial Scholarship

 

Average Award:

Amount Unavailable

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

Freshman

   Other:

Females

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established by the TOWN Foundation which is a non-profit, charitable, philanthropic organization founded by members of Norfolk Lodge No. 1, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. The scholarship honors the memory of Mrs. Oliver.  She attended JMU from 1920 to 1922.  She taught at Green St. Elem. School, Portsmouth, VA for seven years beginning in 1922. This is an annual scholarship.  Please check with the department on availability.

 

 

Cheryl Lynn Rader Memorial Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$640.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

Freshman

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established by Frank and Carolyn Rader in September 1995 in loving memory of their daughter, Cheryl Lynn Rader.  Through the generosity of her many friends and family members, the scholarship was endowed in January 1997. Cheryl received her undergraduate degree in social studies from Radford University in 1985 and a Master of Education degree from James Madison University in 1988.  She started her career as resident director at Bridgewater College in 1985 and then moved to Randolph Macon Women's College, where she also served as resident director.  After moving back to her home in Buena Vista, Cheryl worked with the Social Services Department in Lexington, Virginia in the Child Protective Agency.  She was accepted into the JMU graduate program in 1986 and earned her Master of Education degree in 1988.  After receiving her degree, she worked at Southern Virginia University as Financial Aid Director before taking the position of Assistant Financial Aid Director at James Madison University.  She was employed in this capacity at the time of her death in August 1995, at the age of 32.

 

 

 

Helen Sharpes Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1000.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

2.50

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established by Mary Ann Grigg '70 in memory of her mother, Helen Sharpes, in December 1997.  Helen Sharpes was an administrative secretary at Madison College in the 1930s and '40s and again from 1957 to 1975.  She often took a personal interest in the students.

 

 

Thompson Family Scholarship

 

Average Award:

Amount Unavailable

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Funded by Gary E. Thompson '71, who is the Senior Vice President of Investments for Salomon Smith Barney in Washington, D.C. This is an annual scholarship.  Please check with the department on availability.

 

 

 

WSVA-John D. Eiland Co.-Budweiser Valley Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$500.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

Yes

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established from the 1989 WSVA/Q101, John D. Eiland Company, and Budweiser Fund Fest receipts.

 

 

 

Class of 1956 Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$1000.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

No

   Other:

No

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Established by the class of 1956.

 

 

 

Faculty/Staff Scholarship

 

Average Award:

$750.00

Criteria:

 

   Need:

No

   Minimum GPA:

No

   Class Year:

Freshman

   Other:

SAT 1100, top 20% HS class, extra-curricular activities

Contact:

 

   Department:

Financial Aid

   Phone:

568-7820

Scholarship History:

Funded by gifts from faculty and staff of James Madison University.

 

 

Our Mission Statement
Recognizing our responsibility for continuous improvement and for the overall education and development of our students, we will ASSIST with identifying and obtaining resources to finance higher education;
DELIVER funds in a timely and equitable manner; and EDUCATE, so that informed financial decisions can be made.



  Contact Information:
   Warren Hall
   MSC 3519
   Harrisonburg, VA 22807
   540-568-7820 (phone) 
   540-568-7994 (fax)
   scholarships@jmu.edu
  

Susan K. Moyers
Associate Director for Grants & Scholarships
Email: moyerssk@jmu.edu   

 

Steven Cox

Assistant Director for Scholarships

Email: coxsn@jmu.edu   

 

Vivian Ferris
Scholarship Coordinator

Email: ferrisvl@jmu.edu