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Department of Psychology

Contribute to Our Mission

How to Make a Contribution

Your contribution can be accepted online at the JMU Online Donor Form. When making a donation, indicate your desired designation in the “Other Designation” field to specify in the donor information section.

You can also make financial contributions to support the Department of Psychology activities by sending a check with a note to the JMU Foundation specifying which Department of Psychology fund you would like to support. Please make out your check to the “James Madison University Foundation” and send it to:

Advancement Gifts & Records
MSC 3603
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807

You may also make contributions through The JMU Office of Development. When making donations through the Development Office, please mention that you would like your gift to benefit the Psychology Department if that is your intention.

All contributions are tax deductible.

You can make financial contributions to support student-focused activities in the Department of Psychology.

Department of Psychology (Account 14720)

Funds are needed to help students engage in more elaborate research and service learning projects. Each year, approximately 10 Psychology students complete their own research through Honors Thesis Projects, 50 complete Field Placement, and 160 participate in research or service learning projects with faculty. We would be very grateful for donations that could help defray the cost of materials needed by students who conduct these projects. Many of our students complete such fine work they qualify to make presentations at regional or national professional conferences, but the cost of travel makes this prohibitive. We welcome donations that can be used to support student conference travel and help students defray the cost of conducting research projects.

James J. Hart Memorial Scholarship (Account 25473)

We are seeking funds to endow a scholarship for an outstanding Junior Psychology Major. Funds will be used to defray the cost of senior-year tution for an outstanding student. This Scholarship will be named for Dr. James Hart, a JMU Psychology Professor who made a career commitment to the outstanding teaching of psychology. One of his primary courses was History and Systems of Psychology, the precursor to our current capstone experience.

Psychology Peer Advising Scholarship (Account 25695)

In celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Psychology Peer Advising program and as part of the service component of our organization, the Psychology Peer Advisors and our faculty wish to seek additional funds to facilitate a scholarship honoring our organization's core values. The scholarship will be available to a sophomore, junior, or senior Psychology Major who is an outstanding scholar and exemplifies our organization's core values of service, attitude, leadership, teamwork, and excellence. This scholarship arose in recognition that the Psychology Major is one of the largest majors on campus, yet we have very few scholarship endowments. Awards are not limited to Peer Advisors and financial need is considered when selecting a student for the award. Once endowed, this scholarship will provide funds annually to a deserving student.

Eileen Nelson Scholarship (Account 25624)

This scholarship reached its endowment value this year, and we will be giving our first award in Spring 2006. The scholarship will be given to an outstanding Senior Psychology Major who is completing their Honors Thesis to defray the cost of senior-year tuition. Interest in developing a career in Psychology or Counseling, and a demonstrated service commitment to psychology, such as active participation in Peer Advising, are considered when students are selected for this award. The scholarship honors Dr. Eileen Nelson, a faculty member who retired several years ago after a career commitment of teaching and service to psychology at JMU. Dr. Nelson, a productive scholar in her own right, often supervised more Honors Thesis projects than any other faculty member on campus. She is also the founder of our Peer Advising program. This scholarship has been primarly funded by contributions from Dr. Nelson’s family. Additional contributions will increase the amount that can be awarded to a student each year.

Whitlock Psychology Memorial Scholarship (Account 25887)

This scholarship is given to an outstanding Junior Psychology Major from an underrepresented group, whose talents skills, and abilities enable them to enrich the JMU community. Financial need is considered when students are selected for this award. This scholarship honors them memory of Leann Whitlock, a Psychology Major who was tragically killed. Additional contributions will increase the amount that can be awarded each year.

James O. Benedict Scholarship Endowment in Psychology (Account 25217)

In recognition of Dr. James O. Benedict’s thirty years of service to James Madison University, and on the occasion of his retirement, the Department of Psychology has created this scholarship fund.  The fund will provide funds annually for an outstanding senior-level undergraduate student majoring in Psychology who has demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in higher education in the field of Psychology, or who has served as a teaching assistant in Psychology while an undergraduate student.  Once endowed, this scholarship will provide funds annually to a deserving student.