CHBS Newsletter: April 2025
Brought to you by the College of Health and Behavioral Studies
College of Health and Behavioral Studies
James Madison University
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Note from the Dean
We're excited to bring you this latest newsletter from the College of Health and Behavioral Studies at JMU and hope you enjoy learning about some of the activities and initiatives in which we're engaged. We look forward to congratulating approximately 1100 CHBS graduates in just a few weeks. Due to enrollment growth in our academic programs, we will have two undergraduate commencement ceremonies for our College for the first time ever! We will celebrate graduates of our masters, Ed.S, and doctoral programs in a separate ceremony. We are also enthusiastic about the planning underway for a new, additional building for our College. We will request state funding for construction during the next budget cycle. We look forward to gaining instructional and lab spaces that will allow us increase the number of nursing graduates, expand our Physician Assistant Studies student cohort size, and accommodate our interprofessional and interdisciplinary courses and experiences. As you will see in this edition's feature stories, our students and faculty continue their excellence in scholarship, partnerships, and service. Their accomplishments also led to significant recognition; you will see examples here.
I send best wishes for your own successes across various domains of your lives.
Sharon Lovell
Dean, College of Health and Behavioral Studies
CHBS Viewpoints on Health Series Discusses One Health Approach
CHBS invited Dr. Laura H. Kahn to speak on the One Health initiative as part of their Viewpoints on Health lecture series, which introduces current, cutting-edge topics for faculty, staff and students.
Psychology Professors Publish Book on Combating Loneliness
Psychology faculty Natalie Kerr and Jamie Kurtz published "Our New Social Life," a book outlining our need for social connection and practical ways to foster deep relationships in our digital world.
PA Student Society Receives Support for Suitcase Clinic Partnership
The JMU Physician Assistant Student Society (PASS) receives at $10,000 grant to support the Suitcase Clinic, a healthcare organization dedicated to improving the health of homeless individuals in the Harrisonburg area.
Health Sciences Professor Named Top 2% Scientist
Health Sciences professor Sojib Zaman has been listed for a third consecutive year in Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientist rankings.
Morrison Bruce Center Celebrates 20 Years of Service
The Morrison Bruce Center (MBC), an outreach organization housed in the Kinesiology department, celebrates 20 years of serving both JMU students and the local community this November.
CHBS Faculty Awards
Congratulations to the memebers of our extraordinary faculty who are the recipients of the 2025 CHBS Faculty Awards! These recipients will be recognized during the opening CHBS faculty meeting in August. More information on the awards and the accomplishments of these faculty members can be found in the features below.
Cathy McKay, Kinesiology - Madison Scholar Award
Sara Finney, Graduate Psychology - Distinguished Service Award
CHBS Pathways Helps Middle Schoolers Discover Health Career Possibilities
Faculty, staff and students welcomed local middle schoolers at Pathways, a hands-on educational event where middle school students learn about different healthcare fields and careers. During their visit to JMU, the middle schoolers also visited E-Hall and took a campus tour.
Precious Time Receives $88,000 from Claude Moore Foundation
Claude Moore Precious Time, a respite care program housed in the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services, received $88,000 from the Claude Moore Foundation to support its programs. Precious Time connects CHBS students, including those from Nursing, Social Work and other programs, to families who have children with special health care needs or disabilities.