Homecoming | Healthy Choices

Homecoming 

Monday, October 27 marks the beginning of JMU Homecoming 2014! From October 27 – November 2, the JMU community is celebrating over 100 years of alumni with a ton of spirited events, program, and activities for students and alums. Show your purple pride and JMU spirit by attending events like Purple Out, Pep Rally, Homecoming sporting events, and so much more!

Purple Out – For the past 10 years, the Student Government Association has sponsored an event during Homecoming to provide FREE Purple Out tshirts (I Bleed Purple) to JMU students to wear at the Homecoming football game. Purple Out will take place on Monday, October 27 from 5-7 p.m. on the Festival Lawn. Students must register for a shirt.

UREC 5k – Kick off gameday with a healthy 5k run/walk through campus, with proceeds benefitting the UREC student employee professional development fund. The race takes place on Saturday, November 1 at 8 a.m., leaving from UREC. Visit the UREC website for race details and registration information.

Football Game – Get your ticket for the game against the William and Mary on Saturday, November 1 at 3:30 p.m. in Bridgeforth Stadium. Wear your Purple Out shirt and get ready to throw some streamers!

Annual Homecoming Step Show – Following the football game, head over to Wilson Hall Auditorium for the annual Homecoming Step Show at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 1, sponsored by the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) and the Inter-Cultural Greek Council. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10. Tickets are $15 at the door, but availability is not guaranteed.

Making Healthy Choices 

With Homecoming and Halloween celebrations and festivities right around corner, it’s important to remember to make healthy choices regarding alcohol and drugs. Wellness is about increasing healthy habits and reducing negative ones. Many people say they use alcohol and other drugs to “feel good.” Making healthy choices means learning to understand what feels good for us, and avoiding the unhealthy things we don’t want. If your choices include drinking alcohol, think about drinking safely and plan ahead to avoid any negative consequences. The University Health Center’s Office on Substance Abuse Prevention is a great resource to help you learn how to make healthy choices and find resources that may be beneficial in your overall wellness.

Diversity at JMU

At JMU, we believe in celebrating difference and are committed to diversity and multiculturalism. We all have different stories and perspectives to share; college is a great time to explore and learn more about how your identity affects your story and others’ stories. You got a taste of this during the 1787 Orientation program, “We are JMU.”  Here’s a snippet from that program:


In addition to the clubs and organizations you saw at Student Organization Night and the opportunities that were addressed in a previous blog post, there are other programs and services to help you connect with fellow students and mentors and identify resources that may be helpful to you.

LGBT & Ally Education Program

1313 Student Success Center | M-F 9-5 | (540) 568-5428 | lgbta@jmu.edu | Twitter: @jmulgbt

This program works toward promoting James Madison University’s commitment to diversity through education, support, advocacy and the fostering of equity for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  In addition to being a comfy place to hang out, there is a great resource library with texts to check out. Also, know that Madison Equality is a student organization on-campus that supports the LGBT community of JMU.

Center for Multicultural Student Services

Warren Hall 245 | M-F 8-5 | (540) 568-6636 | multicultural@jmu.edu | Twitter: @JMU_CMSS

This office celebrates diversity by heightening awareness and educating the JMU Community about cultural and ethnic diversity. CMSS provides cultural programming and awareness, leadership development, conference/retreat sponsorship, recruitment, retention, resources, student support and advocacy.

Religious Organizations & Campus Ministries

If you were involved in a religious or spiritual organization at home and want to continue that involvement in JMU/Harrisonburg, or, if you’re looking to find a new place to connect, spiritually, there are many opportunities available. Looking to worship or attend a service off campus? If you need a ride to a place of worship in the Harrisonburg area, HDPT provides a Sunday morning shuttle service from campus.

Interfaith Coalition
This organization facilitates a mutual understanding of any and all religions and world views, and promotes the positive civic engagement in the JMU and local communities.  Begin getting involved with the Interfaith Coalition by subscribing to the listserv for upcoming events and announcements.