Scholarships Endowed by Faculty

James O. Benedict Teaching Scholarship

An endowed scholarship established by the Psychology Department’s faculty, alumni and friends in recognition of Dr. James O. Benedict. The scholarship provides funds annually for an outstanding senior-level undergraduate student majoring in Psychology who has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in higher education in the field of Psychology or who has served as a teaching assistant in Psychology while an undergraduate student. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Amber Bennett and Ella Rosenzweig
• 2024 – Emily Triplett
• 2023 – Angelina Clark
• 2022 – Emily Brayton
• 2021 – Katie Seidenberg
• 2020 – Emma Denelsbeck
• 2019 – Nicole Zapparrata
• 2018 – Ashley Rininger
• 2017 – Rebecca Seymour
• 2016 – Rachel Youssef
• 2015 – Sarah Killian

James J. Hart Memorial Scholarship

An endowed scholarship established in memory of Dr. James J. Hart, professor of Psychology. This memorial scholarship honors outstanding performance among junior psychology majors. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Victoria Osorio
• 2024 – Sara Buie
• 2023 – Kevin Cottrell
• 2022 – Madison Lane
• 2021 – Alyssa DiPalermo
• 2020 – Mallory Jungles
• 2019 – Jordan Gamache
• 2018 – Nicole Zapparatta
• 2017 – Ashley Rininger
• 2016 – Allison Brandmark
• 2015 – Kathleen Owens

Virginia Andreoli Mathie Scholarship

The Mathie Scholarship will provide financial assistance to a fulltime rising senior majoring in psychology. Mathie Scholars will not only have an outstanding academic record but will also have demonstrated, through their activities, a commitment to collaboration through their service, research, or academic program of study. The award is named after Dr. Virginia Andreoli Mathie, who, as a psychology faculty member and Department Head of Psychology, endeavored to model and foster a spirit of collaboration and partnership in the department, across the JMU campus, and among teachers of psychology nationwide. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Zachary Ginsberg
• 2024 – Sara Buie
• 2023 – Lynn Vassar and Kevin Cottrell
• 2022 – Steven Davic

Eileen Nelson Senior Scholarship for Senior Excellence

This scholarship recognizes exemplary involvement in the Honors Program, vigor in research and service, excellence in academics, and the intention to pursue graduate education in psychology. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Maggie Nelson
• 2024 – Lindsay Bernstein
• 2023 – Ezrah Hickey
• 2022 – Lauren Kristofco
• 2021 – Mallory Jungles
• 2020 – Keiva Brannigan
• 2019 – Rachel Brown
• 2018 – Cerella Chandra
• 2017 – Daroon Jalil
• 2016 – Allison Piotrowski
• 2015 – Zachary Buchin

Leadership and Service Scholarship

An endowed scholarship established by the Psychology Peer Advisors and the faculty. It is intended that this endowment will provide sufficient funds annually for a scholarship to be awarded to an undergraduate student at James Madison University who is majoring in psychology. To be selected for this scholarship, an individual must:

1) Be an outstanding student scholar who is a declared psychology major; 2) Demonstrate the Psychology Peer Advisor Program’s core values of service, attitude, leadership, teamwork and excellence; and, 3) Be of sophomore, junior or senior standing (in the year in which the scholarship funds would be distributed). You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Alex Quinn
• 2024 – Kendall Hewitt
• 2023 – Lindsay Bernstein
• 2022 – Noah Dantinne
• 2021 – Caroline Ramey
• 2020 – Maria Castillo
• 2019 – Lauren Williams
• 2018 – Kathia Bonilla-Amaya 

Scholarships Endowed by Alumni/ae

Casey Mitschele Dorsey Scholarship

An annual scholarship established by Casey Mitschele (’93) Dorsey. This scholarship recognizes a student who has a record of exceptional performance among his or her peers. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Rachel Jones and Carter Peery
• 2024 – Morgan Melchor
• 2023 – Shadther Feliz
• 2022 – Angela Dilao
• 2021 – Kayla Kemp
• 2020 – Jordan Gamache
• 2019 – Morgan Welch
• 2018 – Amanda Powell
• 2017 – Michael Keiter
• 2016 – Grant Pointon
• 2015 – Caroline Prendergast

LeAnn Whitlock Memorial Scholarship

An endowed scholarship established by Zeta Phi Beta in memory of LeAnn Whitlock. This scholarship will provide a source of funding for academic scholarships to attract and retain underrepresented students (e.g., first generation college student, geographic diversity, merit scholarships, etc.) whose talents, skills and abilities enable them to enrich the James Madison University community. The annual scholarship recipient shall be selected from only undergraduate and graduate JMU students who have declared psychology as their major at JMU. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Jazmin Brock
• 2024 – Khadijah Barnes
• 2023 – Anaya Eley
• 2022 – Wyatt Thomas
• 2021 – Kiara Olatunde
• 2020 – Oda Reinert
• 2019 – Meshayla Lumpkin
• 2018 – Kayla Pichford
• 2017 – Zuby Okafor
• 2016 – Daroon Jalil
• 2015 – Akyla Joseph

Thomas E. & Sherry Woodroof Rogowski Scholarship

An annual scholarship established by Thomas E. (’84) and Sherry Woodroof (’82) Rogowski. This scholarship recognizes students who have a record of exceptional experiences and performance. You can contribute to this fund by making a donation online.

• 2025 – Claire Zettlemoyer
• 2024 – Chubiyojo Abu
• 2023 – Avery Knowlton
• 2022 – Amber Gessner
• 2021 – Michelle Pineda-Hernandez
• 2020 – Rebecca Millson
• 2019 – Jackson Desjardins
• 2018 – Lydia Florez
• 2017 – Kathia Bonilla-Amaya
• 2016 – Maria Camila Restrepo Chavez
• 2015 – Briana Campbell

Senior Recognition Awards

Jerry O. Haynes Memorial Award for an Outstanding Senior

An award of recognition named for Jerry O Haynes, Professor of Psychology. This memorial award honors graduating seniors who possess outstanding records of achievement in academics, service, and research.

• 2025 – Penny Naden
• 2024 – Lindsay Bernstein
• 2023 – Sarah Eggleston
• 2022 – Alyssa DiPalermo
• 2021 – Kayla Kemp
• 2020 – Casidy White
• 2019 – Matthew Best
• 2018 – Eryn Donovan
• 2017 – Allison Brandmark
• 2016 – Michael Keiter
• 2015 – Erick Simmons

Joel D. West Senior Award for Achievement in Service

An award of recognition named for Joel D. West, Professor of Psychology. This award recognizes seniors who demonstrate commitment to the field of psychology through related service activities.

• 2025 – Jada Robinson
• 2024 – Emily Triplett
• 2023 – Moriah McDonald
• 2022 – Caroline Ramey
• 2021 – Daniella Diaz
• 2020 – Meshayla Lumpkin
• 2019 – Hannah Walker
• 2018 – Briana Craig
• 2017 – Maria Camilla Restrepo Chavez
• 2016 – Eliana Segal
• 2015 – Ethan Banner and Alexis Morse

Senior Award for Achievement in Research

This award is given to senior students who have demonstrated significant achievement in research.

• 2025 – Zach Baron
• 2024 – Hannah Dodson
• 2023 – Emily Chavez
• 2022 – Lauryn Miller
• 2021 – Madison Sarlo
• 2020 – Cassidy White
• 2019 – Morgan Welch
• 2018 – Caroline Cole
• 2017 – Melissa Manley and Maddison Miles
• 2016 – Nikole Gregg, Akyla Joseph, Richard "Ben" Krause, Kathleen Owens, and Lily Takahashi
• 2015 – Kerry Gaffney, Kathryn Howard, and Matthew Meccariello

Senior Achievement in Teaching

This award is given to senior students who have demonstrated significant achievement in teaching-related work.

• 2025 – Rachna Patel

Joann H. Grayson Outstanding Field Placement Award

Our students complete thousands of hours of service to the community in various settings. Award winners distinguish themselves by their commitment, use of psychological theory, and professional performance.

• 2025 – Destiny Campbell
• 2024 – Olivia Sandoval
• 2023 – Sarah Eggleston
• 2022 – Megan Enright
• 2021 – Jaqueline Duchemin
• 2020 – Cassidy White
• 2019 – Rachel Brown
• 2018 – Caleigh Strother
• 2017 – Madeline Palkovitz
• 2016 – Rebecca McCallister
• 2015 – Katie Werner

Outstanding Senior Thesis Award

Each year the Department of Psychology faculty recognize one completed thesis project for this award.

• 2025 – Maggie Nelson
• 2022 – Catherine Hickman
• 2021 – Madison Sarlo
• 2020 – Alyssa Williamson

Outstanding Achievement in Statistics and Research Methods

This award is given to students who showed significant talent in methodology courses through creativity, diligence, and design.

• 2025 – Naja Barrow, Natalia Bozyn, Andrew Gray, Keira McCabe, Autumn Rudick, Gavin Short, Emily Simon, Naara Roman-Flores, Claire Zettlemoyer
• 2024 – Jenna Mann, Sara Buie, Zach Baron, Jaden Case, and Shannon Brown
• 2023 – Savannah Hoover, Alyssa Smith, Teagan Davis, and Baylee Howell
• 2022 – Ashley Harris, Tyler Johnston, and Grace Young
• 2021 – Chelsey Deacon
• 2020 – Nick Trusty, Evin Tunador, Katherine Bloom, and Shannon Ledwith
• 2019 – Zachary Holmes, Amanda Johnson, Ashley Johnson, Tatiana Swisher, Tiffany Rodriguez, Kaitlin Seidenberg, Emily Thornton, Danielle Valenti, and Allison Young
• 2018 – Katherine Landes, Nicole Shaffery, Emily Booker, Tatiana Swisher, Lauren Williams, Keiva Brannigan, and Emily Isola
• 2017 – Matthew Best, Ashley Runnells, Kimberly Bianco, Tommy Stewart, Alicia Mingione, Amanda Misak, and Nicole Zapparrata
• 2016 – Eryn Donovan, Christina Shulman, and Austin Vasallo
• 2015 – Taylor Coats, Emily Davis, Cayla Evans, Nikole Gregg, Madeline Massari, Caroline Morris, and Nancy Windsor