Have a wonderful Winter Break!
GSA Corner (Graduate Student Association)
The Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) will be January 19, 2024! The 3MT is a competition in which students are challenged to summarize their research within a three-minute presentation. They are judged on communication, comprehension, content and engagement. This year's 3MT Competition will take place on January 19, 2024.
Come to a Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) Workshop! Find out more about the Annual 3MT and practice how to compete, Monday, January 8, 3-5 pm. Register here.
Ideas for future GSA workshops or Social events? Click here to fill out a survey! We would love to hear your ideas and get Grads together!
Events and Activities
Sign up for the Festive Greens Wreath Making Workshop - Create a large beautiful wreath made from several varieties of fresh evergreens. You may personalize the wreath by adding dried fruits, pine cones, berries, ornaments and a bow. Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center (Arboretum), Thursday, Dec. 7, 12:00 - 1:30 pm. $65 (including all materials). Sign up
Attend a performance at Forbes Center for the Performating Arts:
- Holidayfest: Light From The Darkness - Saturday, December 9 @ 8 pm and Sunday, December 10 @ 2 pm in the Concert Hall. Sit back and enjoy a celebratory performance by The Madison Singers, the JMU Chorale, and the JMU Symphony Orchestra. HolidayFest features Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s most popular mass, Midnight Mass for Christmas (Messe de Minuit pour Noël, H. 9). The evening also features our traditional holiday sing-along and a special reading by a Harrisonburg celebrity. Don’t miss one of the Valley’s favorite concerts!
- Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor - Together in Concert - Wednesday, December 13 @ 8 pm in the Concert Hall. American singer-songwriter legends, Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor present a magical night of music! They share their own fan favorites, and then sing a few holiday tunes together to celebrate the season. Bonoff is one of the finest singer-songwriters of her generation with a career spanning more than four decades. Taylor is a natural performer with top-40 hits like I Will Be in Love with You and I'll Come Running. See a preview here!
For more information and tickets on any of these performances, visit www.jmuforbescenter.com.
Attend the Virginia Farm to Table Conference of 2023. "Nourishing and (Re)Imaging Collaboration, Conservation and Community" is the theme this year. A lineup of more than 7 speakers addressing many topics as well as an exclusive screening (Tuesday, December 12) of Rhythms of the Land, a multimedia documentary film directed by Gail Myers, a cultural anthropologist, farmer and co-founder of Farms to Grow Inc. Learn more and register here. Tuesday, December 12 & Wednesday, December 13.
Create, tinker, craft, invent, and discover new skills in The Makery, our makerspace on the first floor of Rose Library. Sign up now for free workshops in laser cutting, audio editing, sewing, 3D modeling, music production, and mixed media painting. No experience is necessary. Our services and supplies are available free-of-charge to all JMU staff, students, and faculty. Our knowledgeable and helpful staff are here to help you with projects that foster your creativity!
DOWNTOWN AREA EVENTS:
Join the many Art Connoisseurs for "First Fridays of the Valley" The first Friday evening of each month, new artists' work is displayed throughout valley businesses, accompanied by an opening reception. Come out to meet and speak to the celebrated artists and be part of this creative community. More Information
Trivia Night at the Friendly Fermenter (Downtown Harrisonburg). Trivia every Tuesday, 7:00 pm. Stay for all 7 rounds, or as long as you care to. Free to play, teams encouraged, but not required. Come early and get your spot! More Information
Harrisonburg Farmer's Market (Downtown Harrisonburg). Shop locally grown vegetables, fruit and other goods at the downtown farmer's market located at the Turner Pavilion every Tuesday and Saturday from 8 am - 1 pm, April thru Thanksgiving. December thru March, Saturdays only 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. More Information
Karaoke at Ruby's Lounge every Wednesday night from 10:00 pm - 1:00 am. More Information
The Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, has many great performances throughout the
academic year. Student, faculty and staff discounts are offered for most performances. More Information
Funding, Scholarships and Fellowships
NSF 101: Graduate and Postdoctoral Researcher Funding Opportunities. The U.S. National Science Foundation supports research opportunities and provides stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and scholars. There are multiple ways to find these programs, including the funding search on NSF’s website and the NSF Education & Training Application, which is growing its list of opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. More Information
Apply for a 2024-2025 Fulbright US Student Program Grant. Fulbright US Student Program Grants fund 8-13 months abroad post-graduation in one of 140+ countries worldwide for one of three main purposes: 1) conducting independent research, 2) assistant teaching in an English language classroom, or 3) pursuing graduate study. For current juniors, seniors, graduate students, and alumni, now is the time to start thinking about your application. Dr. Malburne-Wade is here to answer all your Fulbright questions. Email fellowships@jmu.edu for more details or the zoom link.
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 Joblink
Scholarships can be found on The Graduate School website.
Enrich Your Life
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. 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
Mon - Fri:
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. &
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch
