Graduate Student Association (GSA) News
Would you like to join the GSA for events and meetings?
You can find events below, under "Professional Development" and on our calendar of events. We also use GroupMe, to consult regularly with students in the group regarding activities.
Every graduate student is considered a part of the GSA. There are no fees. Take advantage of a great opportunity to further your graduate school life, professional careers, and your participation within the JMU community.
Take the lead and join the GSA Executive Team! We have an opening for the Secretary position. See a description of each role. Please reach out to gsa@dukes.edu for questions.
Grad Handbook - The GSA has developed a Guidebook for graduate students. This guidebook covers, getting started at JMU, transportation & parking, food, and places and spaces to become familiar with. It is a very helpful guide to campus and the community.
Checkout the GSA webpage.
Professional Development
The Graduate School will host the following workshops throughout the Fall semester!
You could win a JMU Graduate School T-shirt! At the end of the semester, we will have a random drawing to select a winner of The JMU Graduate School T-shirt. You will earn an entry into the drawing for every workshop you attend. In other words, the more workshops you attend, the better your chances!
Fall 2025 Workshops:
Graduate Student Writing Accountability Group: Every Friday from 9 am-11 am in Holland Yates Hall, Room 4010 or via zoom. Registration Now Open
Snacks and coffee will be provided! Check out the professional development webpage for a full description of each workshop.
Take Advantage of one of Libraries' resources:
- 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.
- Read the Chronical of Higher Education for Free! Looking for a source for higher education news, trends and job openings? Subscribe today.
- Research Guides: These subject-specific online guides were created by your liaison librarians to help you find relevant resources related to specific topics or even courses! Watch this brief tutorial video to learn more.
- Do You Speak Multiple Languages?: JMU Libraries is happy to offer books, videos, and other resources in a variety of languages. We also provide a Library Search tool that can be used in 20 different languages to access all our materials. Learn more.
- JMU-specific AI resources: JMU provides an Artificial Intelligence at JMU website. JMU Libraries offers a variety of ways to learn more about AI, critically interrogate it, and use it appropriately in a variety of work tasks. Contact Ivan Guadarrama, with any questions about these AI workshops.
Events and Activities
Planning to Engage with the Community this Fall or Spring? - The Community Engagement & Volunteer Center (CEVC) has 3 opportunities to share:
- Upcoming Community Event: Our Community, Our Future Mini-Conference
The Healthy Community Collaborative is proud to host Our Community, Our Future mini conference in partnership with City of Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, Eastern Mennonite University, JMU's Community Engagement & Volunteer Center, and Open Doors. Join local leaders to explore challenges, opportunities, and strategies for Harrisonburg's future amid current federal funding policy shifts. To RSVP: Our Community, Our Future RSVP. Tuesday, Oct. 28, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Eastern Mennonite Unitversity's Martin Chapel - Interested in adding a community component to your Spring 2026 course?
First, please review the CEVC Faculty Toolkit. The deadline to submit a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Course Planning Form for support this spring is October 31, 2025. Our office works with over 100 local partners each semester that have expressed interest in working with JMU to enrich students' learning experiences while meeting community-identified priorities. - Are you already partnering with a community organization? Even if you do not need CEVC support, please let us know about your course partnerships here so we can consider initiatives for annual awards and highlight your contributions in university reporting.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS - 16th Annual African, African American, and Diaspora Studies (AAAD) Interdisciplinary Conference - The African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center at James Madison University invites proposals for its annual interdisciplinary conference, to be held from Wednesday, February 11 to Friday, February 13, 2026. The conference brings together scholars, archivists, and practitioners from a wide variety of overlapping and intersecting fields. This year’s theme is Sanctuary: Sites of Survival and Spontaneity. Proposal Deadline is November 1, 2025. More Information
Join the Furious Flower for events throughout the semester:
- Book Talk with Krista Franklin in Collaboration with Boundless Bound Symposium Wednesday, October 29, 2:10 -2:40 pm, Memorial Hall Auditorium
- Furious Flower Poetry Reading Series Featuring Krista Franklin Thursday, October 30, 5-6:30 pm, Taylor 404
- First Friday Poetry Broadside Exhibit and Reception Friday, November 7, 5-7 pm, Cardinal House, 500 Cardinal Dr., Harrisonburg, VA 22807
- Furious Flower Poetry Reading Series Featuring Rickey Laurentiis Tuesday, November 18, 5-6:30 pm, Taylor 404
- First Friday Poetry Broadside Exhibit and Reception Friday, December 5, 5-7 pm, Cardinal House, 500 Cardinal Dr., Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Funding, Scholarships and Fellowships
Virginia Sea Grant 2026 Graduate Fellowship Opportunity!
Get Real-World Experience With A Professional Mentor. The fellowship provides up to $40,000 per year for up to two years and professional development opportunities. Final applications are due January 5, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST, and the fellowship begins September 1, 2026. More Information
The VASG Graduate Fellowship invests in people and supports graduate students in research, education, evidence-based inquiry, and community engagement that further the goals of VASG and show potential for:
- Long-term professional success in academic, government, non-profit, or private sectors
- Highly collaborative, team-oriented research and problem-solving that integrates diverse perspectives, and produces innovation to address our most challenging coastal and marine problems
- Effective transfer of knowledge to practice and interest in ensuring their research results are useful to and used by stakeholders
Graduate Fellowship Virtual Q&A: October 20, 2025 at 3:00 pm. Please join us for Q&A webinar discussing the Virginia Sea Grant 2026 Graduate Fellowship Program. Register Here
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
No parking permit? No problem! If you need to pick up or drop off library items without a parking permit, you can use the 15-minute parking spots at JMU Libraries Express!
Who can use the laptops? JMU students, faculty, or staff can borrow a laptop for up to one month to support academic functions. These laptops are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Looking for Something Fun to Read? Check out best-sellers, award winners, graphic novels, and more in the Fun Reads and Movies Guide from JMU Libraries.
24/7 Computer lab access: JMU offers three 24/7 study spaces with computers and printers, including one in Rose Library.
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.
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.
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.
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. After-Hours Form (PDF).
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 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
Mon - Fri:
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. &
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch
