The Graduate School’s Awards for

Excellence in Scholarship, Innovation & Engagement

• Showcase 2019

• Showcase 2018

• Showcase 2017

• Showcase 2016

The Graduate School's Outstanding Dissertation Award

The Outstanding Dissertation Award is an award for superior scholarship, research and writing in a doctoral dissertation or MFA document.  Students must be nominated by their dissertation/MFA advisor and endorsed by their Graduate program director or Academic Unit Head. Awards will be given in two areas of study (1) Visual and Performing Arts; and (2) Social Sciences, Business, Health and Behavioral Studies.Dissertations and documents will be evaluated on the basis of clarity of style and presentation, scholarship, methodology, and contributions to the field or discipline.

The Graduate School's Outstanding Thesis Award

The Outstanding Thesis/Project Award is an award for superior scholarship, research and writing in a master’s thesis or culminating Ed.S. project.  Students must be nominated by their thesis/project advisor and endorsed by their graduate program director and endorsed by their Graduate Program Director or Academic Unit Head.  Awards are given in two areas of study: (1) Education, Social Sciences and Humanities, and (2) STEM, Health, and Behavioral Studies. Theses/projects will be evaluated on the basis of clarity of style and presentation, scholarship, methodology, and contributions to the field or discipline.

The Graduate School's Innovation Award

The Innovation Award is an award to recognize outstanding innovation throughout a student’s graduate career. Students nominated should have demonstrated a track record of innovation and creativity in their program of study. Nominations should showcase the student’s success in introducing new ideas, processes, methods, creative expressions, or products/devices as part of their academic study. Students must be nominated by a member of the faculty or a center director and endorsed by their Graduate Program Director or Academic Unit Head.

The Graduate School's Community Engagement Award

The Community Engagement Award is an award that honors a graduate student’s exemplary project-based work in the community. Nominated projects must demonstrate the interconnection between the academic goals of the student’s program and the needs of the community.  JMU defines community engagement as “fostering mutually beneficial and reciprocal partnerships, ranging from local to global, that connect learning to practice, address critical societal problems and improve quality of life.” Nominated students should have a demonstrated track record of curricular or co-curricular projects that cultivate sustainable collaborative relationships with community partners.  Students must be nominated by a member of the faculty or a project advisor and endorsed by their Graduate Program Director or Academic Unit Head. 

The Graduate School's Civic Engagement Award

The Civic Engagement Award is an award that honors a graduate student’s academic, co-curricular, or service activities that exemplify JMU’s vision of civic engagement.  JMU seeks to promote civic engagement through advancing the legacy of James Madison “by preparing individuals to be active and responsible participants in a representative democracy dedicated to the common good.” Students nominated should demonstrate sustained commitment to academic projects or co-curricular programs that showcase their participation in civic life or the creation of programs that encourage others’ participation. Students must be nominated by a member of the faculty and endorsed by their Graduate Program Director or Academic Unit Head.