The following scholarship opportunities available for current JMU Pre-Professional Health Students are to be awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please review the information below to determine your eligibility. All applications are due Sunday, March 16. 2025.

1. PPH ACCESS (Aspiration, Community, Collaboration, Equity-Mindedness, Social Mission, Servant Leadership) Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to support PPH student success and to support the health and well-being of individuals or communities that may be historically underserved, underrepresented, misunderstood, minoritized, or marginalized. Persons who are underrepresented in the health professions can be so by virtue of race, ethnicity, income, immigration status, first-generation to college, veteran status, religion, disability, childhood language, sexuality, gender identity, residence in rural and underserved locality, and family background. We encourage applications from PPH students who are underrepresented in the health professions. And, we encourage applications from PPH students whose service and health career related activities support the needs of persons and communities who are experiencing limited access to resources and opportunities. To be eligible for the ACCESS Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

Students must be declared in a Pre-Professional Health (PPH) minor.

Students must have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours by the end of the Spring 2025 term, with at least 15 of those credit hours earned at James Madison University (JMU).

Students must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Students must be enrolled full time during the Fall 2025 semester and plan to enroll in classes during the Spring 2026 semester. Students graduating in December 2025 are not eligible.
Download Application: ACCESS_ScholarshipApplication25-26.docx

2. Valerie Craven Riley Pre-Physical Therapy Scholarship: Valerie Craven Riley was a pre physical therapy student at JMU, then Madison College, from 1975 to 1977 before being accepted into the physical therapy program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Her husband and both daughters also attended JMU. After graduating from VCU, she practiced in a number of settings including home health, hospital, and rehabilitation settings such as the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) before focusing her career on pediatric physical therapy in the school setting. She practiced for 10 years in Henrico County Public Schools and 19 years in Fairfax County Public Schools before retiring in 2018. Valerie served as a clinical instructor for physical therapy students throughout her career. In Fairfax County, she helped promote the coordination of physical therapy and assistive technologies to provide educational access to physically disabled students. The Valerie Craven Riley Endowed Scholarship is established to encourage promising JMU pre physical therapy students to pursue a career in pediatric physical therapy.

To be eligible for the Valerie Craven Riley Pre-PT Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

Students must be declared in the Pre-Physical Therapy minor.

Students must be a rising senior.

Students must hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

Preference will be given to applicants with an interest in Pediatric Physical Therapy.

Preference will be given to first-generation students.
Download Application: Valerie Craven Riley Scholarship Application25-26.docx

3. Pedigo Biology Pre-Veterinary Medicine Scholarship

Students must be majoring in Biology with a minor in Pre-Veterinary Medicine.

Students must be a a rising junior or senior.

4. Leary-Palocsay Scholarship in Pre-Medicine Scholarship: Dr. James S. Hanner (’81) established the scholarship in honor of Dr. James L. Leary and the late Dr. Frank A. Palocsay. Drs. Leary and Palocsay, both members of the James Madison University’s faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, were influential mentors and advisors during his pursuit of becoming a physician.

To be eligible for the Leary-Palocsay Scholarship in Pre-Medicine Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

Students must be majoring in Chemistry or Biophysical Chemistry with a Pre-Medicine minor.

Students must have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours by the end of the Spring 2025 term, with at least 15 of those credit hours earned at James Madison University (JMU).

Students must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.