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Events

Off-Campus Life hosts several events each year focusing on commuter appreciation, financial literacy, community building, and empowering students with resources to help them feel at home living off-campus within the Harrisonburg community.

Details for all of our upcoming events, including dates, times, and locations, can be found below.

Fall 2023 Breakfast:

  • Wednesday, October 25, 2023: Commuter Student Breakfast from 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in Festival Highlands Room

We host the Commuter Student Breakfast twice an academic year to provide an opportunity for off-campus students to come together in an on-campus space, connect, learn more information about Off-Campus Life, and enjoy a FREE breakfast together.

Fall 2023 Fair:

  • Tuesday, October 3, 2023: Fall Housing Fair from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in Festival Ballroom

Spring 2024 Fair:

  • Wednesday, Feburary 21, 2024: Spring Housing Fair from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in Festival Ballroom

Housing Fairs are large-scale events that the Off-Campus Life office hosts twice an academic year. The fairs are essentially a one-stop shop experience for available student housing as we welcome student housing providers in the area to advertise to all JMU students what they have to offer. It is important to note that inclusion in the event does not constitute an endorsement of these properties by the university.

They are also a place for students to be educated about off-campus living options. Any JMU student can attend these events to learn about housing options in Harrisonburg, meet property managers and discuss leasing policies, and receive information from Off-Campus Life about what to consider in off-campus housing and how to get help in any part of this process.

Fall 2023 Leasing 101 Dates: 

Leasing 101 is a workshop for any student who wants or needs to learn more about the leasing process before signing a lease for off-campus housing. Our office recommends that those students who will be signing a lease for the first time or students signing a lease with a new property manager or landlord attend this event to understand their responsibilities and rights as a tenant before lease signing.

During this workshop, students will learn what a lease is, common types of leases and the benefits and disadvantages of signing them, the legal responsibility involved when signing a lease, and ways Off-Campus Life can help with the leasing process. Students will also hear important information on second-year on-campus housing contracts and be encouraged to take their time before they sign a lease until they’re fully comfortable and ready to commit to a housing situation.

2023-2024 Workshop Dates:

  • COMING SOON

We host financial literacy workshops several times throughout the academic year. These events are designed to give students who currently live or are preparing to live off-campus the tools to manage expenses such as rent, utilities, groceries, and transportation. Learn spending strategies, debt management, saving tips, how to be a "money magnet," and align your values with your finances!

Students can also schedule one-on-one consultations with our Graduate Assistant for Financial Literacy to talk through their finances and spending in a safe, supportive space.

Are you a member of a fraternity, sorority, or JMU-affiliated club or organization?  In need of educational programs or events to offer to your members?

Let Off-Campus Life assist you with these needs! We have student liaison employees prepared to provide our programs to groups and organizations. Any of the events you see on this page can be provided and even tailored to the specific needs of your audience. Contact the Assistant Director of Off-Campus Life, Jeremy Hawkins, via email at hawkinjl@jmu.edu for more details.

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Off-Campus Life
The Union(Taylor Hall)
285 Warren Service Drive
Room 205
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807