Fall 2026 key dates

• Aug. 9: CSPA orientation
• Aug. 19: final JMU Graduate School orientation
• Aug. 21 from 12:30-2:30pm: Graduate School Welcome Picnic
• Aug. 24 from 1-3pm: Orientation part II
• Aug. 26: First day of fall semester classes
• Aug. 31 from 10:15am-noon: Professional development - APA style/citation, using library resources, and writing for grad school.
• Sept. 11: Steve downtown stroll
• Sept. 14 from 10:15am-noon: Professional development – Navigating Dicey Dilemmas w/JMU Ethical Reasoning in Action
• Sept. 23 from 7pm: CSPA info session on Zoom. 
• Sept. 28: Deadline to submit 2026-27 GA Assistantship learning expectation agreements
• Oct. 7- 11 (Wed-Sun) Fall break – no classes. See entire fall semester academic calendar here.
• Oct. 12 from 10:15am-noon: Professional development: First-year cohort: Resume, cover letter, and what to look for in a practicum and assistantship.
• Oct. 13: First-year, full-time students begin scheduling 3 Practicum “informational interviews”
• Oct. 15: Graduation Application due to graduate in May or August, 2027.
• Oct. 15 from 7pm: CSPA info session on Zoom. Register in advance.
• Oct. 19 from 10:15am-noon: Professional development – Managing anxiety with the JMU Counseling Center.
• Oct. 26 from 10:15am-noon: Professional development – Preparing for conference attendance and what to do with linkedin?; Second-year cohort from 11am-noon: Portfolio 101 
• Oct. 31: Spring 2027 priority deadline Practicum Request Form Due – first-year, full-time students
• Nov. 1-3: SACSA conference (Southern Association for College Student Affairs) in Greenville, SC
• Nov. 9 from 10:15am-Noon: Professional development. Supervisors of 2027-28 GA positions present to the first-year cohort
• Nov. 11 - 13: Virginia Student Services Conference (VSSC)
• Nov. 16 (Mon) from 10:15am-noon: Professional development – Summer practicum prep and checking-in.
• Nov. 18 from 7pm: CSPA info session on Zoom. Register in advance.
• Nov. 21 – 29: Thanksgiving Break
• Nov. 30 – Dec. 4: First-year students interview for second-year Assistantships
• Dec. 5 (Fri) Last Day of Classes
• Dec. 7 (Mon) from 10:15am-noon: Professional development – Higher ed issues and pursuing doctoral work
• Dec. 10 from 5pm: CSPA open house on Zoom. Register in advance.
• Dec. 18 (Fri) 2027-28 assistantship assignments announced

Spring 2027 key dates

• Jan. 15: CSPA Priority Admission deadline
• Feb. 5: On-campus admission interviews
• Feb. 8: Remote admission interviews
• Feb. 12: On-campus admission interviews
• Mar. 12: CSPA Portfolio due
• May 13: CHBS Commencement Exercises
• May 13 (tentative): CSPA Graduation Celebration