Grants and Awards

The Department of Psychology does not have any grant programs for which students can apply that will pay your tuition. Each year, based on performance at JMU, we select students to receive various scholarships that have been generated from the generous support of students, faculty, alumni and friends of the department. For information about other scholarship and financial aid programs contact the JMU Financial Aid Office.

Department of Psychology Student Grants

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The Department of Psychology will continue our departmental grant program to support of student research projects and student conference travel.  Up to $500 is available for each student or student group to support research.  Research funding is available for such items as: supplies, small equipment, test instruments, photocopies, and other items necessary to conduct research.  Research grants cannot be used to pay or purchase participation incentives for research participants.  Conference Travel Grants of up to $300 per student, or $900 per project, are available to reimburse travel to conferences to make presentations or present posters.  Students may receive up to one research grant and one travel grant each year.  Graduate students who work on projects with undergraduate students may apply for these grants. Graduate student funding is limited to $300 per student but may be in addition to the $900 per project limit described above. Requests can be submitted at any time and decisions are made about once a month. 

We also will continue to print conference posters for students upon request.  Conference Poster Printing requests should be submitted two weeks before your poster is needed. 

•  Instructions for Creating a Conference Poster using PowerPoint
• Conference Poster Printing Application Form
• Conference Travel Grant Application Form
• Research Grant Application Form
• Expense Reimbursement Instructions

Whitlock Psychology Memorial Scholarship

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This scholarship was established in December 1993 by the Zeta Phi Beta sorority at JMU. The scholarship was created to honor the memory of Leann Whitlock. Leann was a student at James Madison University from Roanoke, Virginia. She was abducted from the Valley Mall in Harrisonburg and murdered on January 5, 1990. Her killers were eventually apprehended and found guilty. Leann loved playing games with other kids as a child and had dozens of friends. She also devoted her time to "adult" things: running errands with her mother, caring after a sick relative, helping out the elderly. At church, she became known as the "set of young legs" who tackled with missionary zeal the most tedious tasks given her, a quality that pleased neighbors and made her parents proud.

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.

Eileen Nelson Scholarship

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This scholarship is awarded 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 primarily funded by contributions from Dr. Nelson’s family.

James J. Hart Memorial Scholarship

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The recipient of this award is an outstanding Junior Psychology Major who not only has high academic achievement, but also, through their activities and aspirations, demonstrates a commitment to improving the human condition.  This award is named after faculty member James J. 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.