Giving Day provides opportunity for psychology students

“Giving Day funds allow us to enrich our students’ education by providing new opportunities,” said Kevin Apple, psychology department head.

Using funds from Giving Day, the psychology department plans to support the 2020 Summer Research Experience for Underrepresented Undergraduates (SREUU). This program is for transfer students, first-generation college students and students who are historically underrepresented at JMU. Over the course of six weeks, students will refine their understanding of research design and methodology and produce a tangible product summarizing research conducted during the program. Students will then share their contributions at the end of the program.

Two years ago, funds from Giving Day brought Eric Landrum, a professor and psychologist who specializes in career opportunities for psychology majors, to be the keynote speaker at the Psychology Symposium. He delivered a presentation titled, “The Opportunities Available to Psychology Workforce Graduates: It’s Complicated,” during which he shared his knowledge and advice with students about entering the workforce with a degree in psychology.

Participation in Giving Day is an investment in JMU. It is an opportunity to help students excel in their studies by opening doors for current and future students and it supports JMU’s mission to produce graduates who lead productive and meaningful lives. In 2019, over $1 million was raised during Giving Day, breaking the previous year’s record of $700,000.

“Our students learn both inside and outside the classroom,” said Apple. “We provide students with a variety of opportunities to help prepare them for their future.”