The Thomas A. Dingledine Scholarship for incoming first-year Honors students is awarded based on demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, leadership, and community service. This scholarship, awarded in combination with other JMU scholarships, is equivalent to in-state tuition and fees per year for a total of four years if eligibility requirements are met. 

The JMU Honors College reviews all applications and awards up to 10 scholarships per year. All recipients are required to participate in a leadership and service community within the Honors College, which includes enrolling in a one-credit seminar each semester.

For more information and application instructions, please visit the Thomas A. Dingledine Scholarship page.

The Jeffrey M. & Elizabeth S. Smith scholarship was established to provide financial resources annually for a student who is a Virginia resident enrolled in the Honors College. Scholarships are renewable for up to three years as long as the student is enrolled in the Honors College and maintains a 3.0 GPA. All eligible incoming students who apply early action will be considered - no further material is needed.

The Honors Advisory Board Scholarship is intended to benefit an entering freshman. The scholarship is to be extended to the applicant for the purpose of affecting their decision to attend James Madison University. Therefore, an early offer is required. The student must be a member of the JMU Honors College and meet all of its stated criteria. Each year a new entering freshman will be selected.

The William C. Lusk and Betty J. Lusk scholarship is established to benefit entering freshmen with a) strong academic credentials and b) demonstrated financial need as determined by the university’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Preference shall be given to those students admitted through the Early Action process. The scholarship will be renewable for up to three academic years beyond the first year, provided that the recipients remain students in good standing, maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and continue to meet the scholarship’s need requirement.

The Charles W. Smith, Jr. and Mary B. Smith Scholarship – College of Education is intended to benefit entering freshmen accepted into the Honors College with demonstrated financial need as determined by the University’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The preference is to award to a student admitted through the Early Action process who is pursuing a degree in the College of Education (COE). The scholarship will be renewable as long as the student remains in good standing within the Honors College, continues enrollment within the COE, and continues to meet the financial need requirement.

The Charles W. Smith, Jr. and Mary B. Smith Scholarship – College of Science and Mathematics is intended to benefit entering freshmen accepted into the Honors College with demonstrated financial need as determined by the University’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The preference is to award to a student admitted through the Early Action process who is pursuing a degree in the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM). The scholarship will be renewable as long as the student remains in good standing within the Honors College, continues enrollment within the CSM, and continues to meet the financial need requirement.