Madison Family Newsletter: February 2023

Hello JMU families,

Thank you all for the outpouring of support for our students, staff, faculty and each other as we are affected by the tragic loss of our students Josh, Luke and Nick and continue to be concerned about Baird and Campbell. In the coming days and weeks, please continue to reach out to your student and encourage them to check on their friends and classmates.

One way anyone can reach out to us if they are concerned about a student is through Madison Cares. We’ll then follow up on the referral and provide support as needed. Please know that we are focused on helping every student through this challenging time and appreciate your partnership in this effort.

I also want to share some other insights and advice for the coming weeks as well. Now that we’re into the second month of the Spring semester, here are some other conversation starters for you and your student.

Conversations to have with your student:

• Ask about stress or stressors in their life.
  • Everyone manages stressful times differently and the start of the semester can be a challenging time for some students even under the best circumstances. It’s a big transition after being away for about a month. The weather doesn’t always help either so asking your students about any stressors in their life is a good conversation to have.
  • If they share that they are struggling to manage stress you can recommend they try the Oasis or the Studio in the Counseling Center, the new Student Life space in EnGeo with its three massage chairs (I did a quality test on them this week, they are very nice), Core and Connect is an amazing new program in UREC that I love, and students can always come to our office in Alumnae Hall 106 and have a seat in front of the fire and relax for a few minutes or hours. Our new partnership with TimelyCare continues to be an important and valuable resource for students that we recommend them trying as well. This counseling and psychiatry resource is free for all students so I hope they will give it a try.
• Ask your student about how classes are going.
  • I recommend doing a Zoom call or Facetime so you can look at Canvas together and see how they are progressing so far in the semester. There is often a “helicopter parent” reaction when I give this advice, but I would share that from my perspective, engaging in their academic journey and helping them stay on track and successful is a normal act of parenting.
  • We heard from lots of families over Winter Break about some surprises they received when they found out that their student hadn’t done well academically, and they had no idea they were struggling. The best way to eliminate surprises is to do this check-in every 3-4 weeks where they can show you how they are doing. This will help them, and when they are doing well, they will be excited to show you their progress. When they aren’t, you can help them connect to campus Learning Strategies and Rebound are two options that I always recommend.

Updates

• JMU is partnering with Healthy Minds for a study to help us understand student mental health and related issues. This month, a random sampling of students will get an email asking them to take a survey. Please ask your Duke to check their email; their responses will help us make JMU a better place.
• The Orientation and Transition Office is recruiting for First yeaR Orientation Guides (FROGs). The deadline to apply is March 7. If your student wants to welcome the Class of 2027 this Fall, this is their chance. FROGs make a huge difference in the lives of new students, and this is an incredible learning and leadership opportunity for everyone involved.
• Reaching New Heights – this year’s giving campaign for JMU – is Feb. 19-24. Last year many of you graciously donated to many key areas here, including the Counseling Center, JMU Valor, CMSS, SOGIE and many others. One of the reasons we were able to create programs like Rebound and bring TimelyCare to campus was because of generous gifts from JMU parents. You can check the full list and see if there are areas you would like to support this year.

Upcoming Events

• Black History month events
• 2/9 – How to Live Mentally Well and Crush it in College
• 2/16 - New and Improv’d at TDU
• Tea Time each Wednesday, 4 – 5 p.m. in The Union, 3^rd floor lounge
• Crafternoon each Thursday, noon – 3 p.m. in The Union, 3^rd floor
• Remind your student to read the Dukes Weekly email they receive every Monday. If you’d like to receive it each week you can sign up here.
• They can also check BeInvolved and the Master Calendar for other events

As I mentioned in my email to students last month, I’ve been attending as many events as possible this semester to hear about their JMU experience. Last week we hosted an open forum in D-Hall and we will host another soon. And I will be showing up at Starbucks and Dunkin’ soon to buy some coffee and learn more about how we can make their experience here even better. Thanks for everything you do to partner with us and please take care.

Dr. Tim Miller
Vice President for Student Affairs

Submitted by: Tiffany Corbin, Communications Coordinator, University Career Center

Spring 2023 Career Fairs & Major Events for JMU students: 

 JMU University Career Fair: Tuesday 2/28 & Wed. 3/1, 11am-3pm on both days, Festival Ballroom 
A total of more than 100 employers and organizations across many industries are expected to come to campus to recruit JMU talent! All JMU students across all majors and class years are invited to join and directly connect with employers to find jobs/internships. 

Students can prepare for the fair at UCC’s: Career Closet (offering free business attire), Weekly Free Headshot Sessions, Resume Review Events, and more.

 Teacher Recruitment Day: Wednesday 3/2, 10am-12pm (fair) and 12-4pm (interviews), Festival Ballroom 
Almost 70 employers: public and private schools as well as educational organizations and institutions, are coming to campus to recruit JMU’s future teachers and educators! 

To best support and help all JMU students prepare for these career fairs, the University Career Center team offers weekly career workshops, programs, and resources that cover many important skills and aspects, such as: Writing Resumes and Cover Letters, Practicing for Interviews, Networking, Starting or Improving the Job/Internship Search, and Using Handshake to Apply for Jobs/Internships. 

About Handshake: 
Handshake is the #1 platform that college students find jobs and internships (2,000+ new jobs/internships for JMU students are posted on a weekly basis). Handshake is widely used by colleges and universities across the U.S. Handshake is also where students can register for the career fairs listed above, sign up for career workshops, and make career advising appointments with our office. 

Remind your JMU student to:

• Activate their Handshake account and keep their profile up to date
• Take note of the important career fairs’ dates above
• Make a career advising appointment to check in with a JMU Career Advisor to become #CareerReady. 

Thank you for always being the supportive advocate for our office’s mission of taking care of our JMU students and empowering all Dukes with the necessary tools and skills to pursue their career paths.

Learn More

Submitted by: Melissa Wyant, Assistant A.D. for Creative Services & Fan Engagement, Athletics

Plan ahead to join us at Bridgeforth Stadium next fall - 2023 JMU Football Season Tickets are now on sale! The Dukes are set to take on Bucknell (Sept. 2) and UConn (Nov. 11) in non-conference action and App State, Georgia Southern, Old Dominion and South Alabama in Sun Belt Conference play.

All remaining dates will be released by the Sun Belt Conference in early March and game times will not be announced until 12 days prior to kickoff.

Learn More

Submitted by: Lindsey Richards, Assistant Director, Engagement, Communication and Innovation, Community Service-Learning

Serving others can be an act of self-care and a positive step toward improving one’s personal well-being and mental health. Volunteering reduces stress, increases happiness, develops confidence, and helps give a sense of purpose. It is also a great way to meet new people and build healthy relationships. It also helps build a solid support base for those by keeping in contact with other volunteers and community members. 

Looking for ways to help your student connect? The Community Service-Learning office provides opportunities to explore new communities and connect with other students through the Alternative Break Program. Students can also sign up for local volunteer opportunities on Volunteer NOW. Make an impact on the lives of others by donating or volunteering with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. They help provide nourishing food to our neighbors facing hunger. Every $1 donated helps provide 4 meals. 

If you or your student have questions about connecting to these opportunities or nonprofits, please contact us at csl@jmu.edu or 540.568.6366. 

Learn More

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