Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activity (AKA: The Grad Showcase) is scheduled for April 17, 2024 in the Hall of Presidents. Join your fellow graduate students for a day of research and scholarship, as they share their achievements with the JMU community. There will be oral research presentations, followed by poster presentations, culminating in an evening awards ceremony and reception. More Information
Graduate Student Association (GSA) News
Join us for the LAST general body meeting (GBM) of the semester!
- Friday, April 26th at 1:30 pm in the Graduate Student Lounge (Holland Yates Hall 4th floor)
- Want to attend on Zoom? Register in advance here.
Take the lead and Join the GSA Executive Team! The executive board is made up of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Chair, and Program Representative Liaison. A description of each role here. Please reach out to gsa@dukes.edu for questions.
The Spring Professional Development Grant application is now closed. Applicants will hear back the week of April 8th, so please check your emails!
Lending Library - Items that Grads can borrow. Learn more info here.
Grad Handbook - We are calling for ideas here to include in the new online GSA Grad Handbook. The Google form has more information on details.
The GSA March Food Drive is still going! You can always continue to donate nonperishable food throughout the year and help out fellow grad students. Just leave food in the Grad&Go Food Pantry located inside the Graduate Student Lounge.
The 30+30: Awareness to Action Future Tour are 1-hour virtual Zoom sessions that occur throughout the year and where people can share how our community is collectively demonstrating inclusion, accessibility, diversity, equity, and belonging. Interested to present or attend here. Will be occurring next semester, so save that link!
Events and Activities
Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art Exhibitions: Yulin Yuan MFA Thesis Exhibition - April 4, 2024 - May 4, 2024 - Her work explores identity, mythology, family history, and community through a multimedia artistic approach featuring collage, video, and photography. She is a Chinese-born South African international student pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree at JMU having earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Cape Town.
Foreign Languages Spring Converence will be held at JMU on April 11 & 12. The theme this year is REFUGEES, DISPLACEMENT, FORCED MIGRATION: RESHAPING THE WORLD. More Information
Dedicate a Luminaria! Luminarias honor every life touched by cancer. You can dedicate them to a loved one lost, someone currently battling, or anyone who’s overcome it. When you attend JMU’s Relay event, you’ll see the Luminarias decorated with names and messages to the people they’re dedicated to. After dark, Relay participants share an emotional moment when each Luminaria is lit in remembrance of a life touched by cancer. Together, we take a moment of silence to remember the loved ones they’re dedicated to. When you make a donation for a Luminaria it helps fund the American Cancer Society’s mission to help save lives. You can buy a regular Luminaria for $10 on the Relay For Life website under the "Luminaria" tab. Be sure to join us at our main event April 19th on Hillside Field!
Transform Your Dreams of Becoming an Entrepreneur into reality! The Dukes Venture Accelerator program, hosted by the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship, is your gateway to taking your startup to new heights. Program Highlights Include:
- Duration: Six weeks of intensive mentorship and hands-on experience from June 3 to July 12, 2024.
- Eligibility: Open to all JMU students—both undergraduate and graduate—as well as graduating seniors from the 2024 Spring Semester.
- Benefits: Paid Summer Internship: Earn a $5,000 stipend while working on your startup to cover venture expenses.
- Expert Guidance: Forge close mentoring relationships with seasoned entrepreneurs.
- De-risk Your Venture: Learn proven methods to minimize risks.
- Application Deadline: April 24, 2024, at midnight. Submit here
Take a Researcher to Lunch! (Formally known as Take Your Professor to Lunch or Coffee program) This initiative supports graduate students seeking a research adviser and/or a research program to reach out to a professor and have lunch or coffee with them sponsored by STAIR. The Spring semester application deadline is June 15. More Information
Funding, Scholarships and Fellowships
Apply for a Summer Research Opportunity at the Food and Drug Admnistration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). The FDA encourages applications from American Indian and Alaska Native researchers (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or post-doctoral) from a federal or state recognized tribe or a descendant of an enrolled member, who will participate in practical scientific training experiences through temporary fellowship appointments. Appointments may range from three to twelve months. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to improving public health and Native healthcare policy and research. Application Deadline is April 30, though mentors will start reviewing submitted applications before the deadline. More Information.
Looking for a Graduate Assistantship or a Campus Job? Depending on your full-or part-time status and program of study, graduate students may be eligible to apply for graduate assistantships, student positions, and staff/wage positions. Search JMU Jobs
Scholarships can be found on The Graduate School website.
Enrich Your Life
Volunteer to Help Migrants Over the Summer! The Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program is looking for in-person volunteer tutors this summer. This is part of JMU's Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services. Work with English language learners, enhance the lives of local migrant youth, and improve your résumé. Application Deadline is April 30, 2024. Contact shenvalleymigranted@jmu.edu. Volunteers must complete a $20 background check.
Read Magazines for Free with Flipster! Explore 65 magazines online with Flipster—no subscriptions, physical copies, or recycling needed! Read entire magazines cover to cover, including images, ads, comics, and even crosswords. You can flip through, search for something specific, or even share content with others!
JMU X-Labs Open Lab! The Lab is an innovative space that ignites creativity. JMU students, faculty and staff are all empowered to bring their ideas to life in this design-thinking studio. Our collaborative atmosphere also allows for consulting and prototyping assistance, making it the perfect breeding ground for entrepreneurial endeavors. We’re ready to give you the support you need to make your ideas a reality. Unleash your potential at The Lab!
Keep abreast of Research Development Opportunities by subscribing to the JMU Research Development notice board. A full description of the events can be found here.
Places to study while Carrier Library is closed. While Carrier Library is closed for renovation and expansion, you still have four library locations to use, and dozens of buildings with study space all over campus! Check out this list of the top 15 places to study or work in JMU Libraries. There’s also a new JMU study spaces map that includes a wide range of buildings! Just select a pin to start reading about study spaces in each building.
Free access to New York Times and more. Did you know you have access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal for free through JMU Libraries subscriptions? See our full list of news-related databases or learn more about Libraries services for grad students.
Join the Graduate Student Association (GSA). All JMU graduate students are considered members of the GSA. The GSA promotes interdisciplinary unity among JMU graduate students through social events, career-building workshops and professional
development grants. For questions email gsa@jmu.edu.
University Career Liaison. The University Career Center's Graduate School liaison Alyssa Hawley is a great resource to assist you with resume review and career preparation. Check out University Career Services for Graduate Students or contact Alyssa for more information.
Campus and Community Student Resources. Campus and community resources available to
support students’ basic needs can be found at the Student Support Hub, a website that will connect you
to food, financial assistance, housing and other resources. These resources will help you thrive at JMU.
Read the Chronical of Higher Education for Free! Looking for a source for higher education news, trends and job openings? You can read The Chronicle of Higher Education for free through JMU Libraries subscriptions!
Military-Connected Students. JMU VALOR provides all military-connected students with
resources for success. More information
Need Food or Hygiene Items? Check out The Pantry in Taylor Down Under (The Union), room 112.
Shop in-person or place orders through The Pantry app, available in the Apple and Android stores. Use
the app to select the curbside pickup option or rapid pickup in The Pantry. The Pantry is open Mon 12-6
pm and Tues-Thurs 12-5 pm. Available to all students, no questions asked!
Mental Health Resources. The JMU Counseling Center is available to all students and they have
made available TimelyCare, 24/7 access to mental health professionals. More Information
Tips from The Graduate School
Study Space for Graduate Students Only. The Graduate Professional Development Center (AKA: Grad Lounge) is a dedicated study space for graduate students, located on the fourth floor of Holland Yates Hall. It is open 8 am - 5 pm. Need more time to study free of interruption? You can fill out an After-Hours form and submit it to The Graduate School for after-hours access. Find form here.
Dates and Deadlines. Keep up with important dates and deadlines by bookmarking the Academic Calendar.
The Student Handbook. The Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices (OSARP) has published an updated version of the 2023-2024 JMU Student Accountability Process and Standards of Conduct Handbook. The updates made were revisions to procedures to enhance clarity and update procedure regarding rationales in the Title IX Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct processes. It is the responsibility of every student to know and follow the policies outlined in the JMU Student Handbook along with federal, state, and local laws. Student Handbook
Graduate Policies. You are responsible to read and follow the graduate policies set forth in the
Graduate Catalog. Important information regarding degree progress, including rules for successful
progression and continuous enrollment are also on the Graduate School website.
Approval of a Thesis or Dissertation Committee. Students who are completing these sorts
of projects must submit a signed approval form to The Graduate School by the second week of the
semester in which the student first registers for thesis or dissertation credits. Approval form
Monitor Your Dukes Email Account! Official information is sent to each student’s official
Dukes e-mail account. Check your @dukes.jmu.edu e-mail account on a regular basis.
Monitor MyMadison! The Student Center in MyMadison is where you will find advising
information, register for classes, and where you can view “To Do Items” that will keep you on track
towards graduation. Use the Student Center to update your mailing address and cell phone number. It is
your responsibility to maintain accurate contact information. Check your account regularly. Don’t miss
important information!
Questions?
Please contact the appropriate staff member with your question.
Have Suggestions?
We welcome suggestions for this newsletter, including events and opportunities. Please send your
submission to grad@jmu.edu.
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
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8 a.m. - 12 p.m. &
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch
