What is the purpose of the MYMOM program?
The purpose of the MYMOM program is to gain insight into your own personal values, leadership styles, facilitation techniques, and decision-making through a semester long leadership program (fall semester). MYMOM is designed to be a springboard into authentic involvement at JMU.

How is MYMOM different from Kijiji?
Let’s start with MYMOM:

Make Your Mark On Madison is a semester long leadership program focusing on helping Freshmen and Sophomore students find their place for authentic involvement at JMU. By providing programs for participants that help you gain insight into values, diversity, communication, and general leadership skills necessary for positive involvement on campus, it is our hope you will go out and live these ideals in your involvement on campus. MYMOM is offered only in the fall semester. Every participant is assigned to a Leadership Council, led by two upper-class facilitators with a wide range of experience and involvement on campus, as well as a lot of training for this position!

It is the goal of the program to help you connect with people and activities on campus that assist you in developing and finding your ideal involvement during your time here and allow you to “Make Your Mark” at JMU. MYMOM meets every Monday night from 7-9pm, beginning Sept. 26th, through the week before finals. The first hour is a formal program, followed by time spent in your “council” reflecting and discussing the program from that evening.

Now, about Kijiji:
It’s a three-year program that meets once a week during both the fall and spring semesters. Each week there will be a “knock-your-socks-off” learning experience to help students become more familiar with who they are, what their passions are, and how they can be a citizen of influence. Focusing first on being a leader of one – themselves – students will then learn effective interpersonal skills for building teams and getting others involved. They’ll also learn and apply core leadership skills and experience opportunities to solve real-world problems both on the JMU campus and in the surrounding communities.. Kijiji program involvement begins with Sophomore students.

Who can be involved in the Program?

Any freshman or sophomore student who is looking to enhance their JMU experience through extracurricular involvement can apply to be part of the program. The program is also open to juniors or seniors looking for an excellent leadership opportunity to mentor an underclassmen council.

When are the meetings?
Participants meet every Monday night from 7:00PM-9:00PM in the Highlands Room in Festival, beginning in the end of September and ending with a final banquet early December before finals week. Attendance on Monday evenings is a requirement of the program.

Apply to be a Participant

All students interested in participating in the Fall 2011 MYMOM Program, must submit an application, the link is below, to the Office of Student Activities & Involvement by 5pm on September 12th. Applications will be reviewed by the staff and selected students will be contacted to set up an interview for the following week.

2011 Participant Application

When would I hear if I was accepted?
Selected applicants will be asked to participate in group interviews from September 15th-20th. A final group of Participants will be chosen and notified no later than September 22nd. If you are applying to be a participant, please save the date Saturday, September 24th, as we want full attendance to our retreat! (Please apply even if you are unable to attend retreat due to a prior commitment!)

Will I get to meet new people?

The MYMOM program will not only introduce you to many freshmen and sophomore peers equally eager to make their mark on James Madison University, but also to eighteen of the most involved, talented, and vibrant student leaders, as well as some of the most dynamic faculty and staff JMU has to offer.

What are some other fun things that I would have to look forward to in the MYMOM program?
*You will attend a motivating and interactive retreat to kick off the program! This will be an opportunity to meet the other participants in your council along with your two upper class Leadership Counselors and begin to form friendships that will span your time here at JMU and beyond.

*You have the opportunity to interact with faculty and staff at JMU through weekly sessions on some of the most important issues facing student leaders and our University.

*You will participate in a community service project where the link between leadership and service will be experienced firsthand. Additionally, this service experience allows you to explore opportunities to volunteer in the Harrisonburg community.

Questions? Email Jamie Rosenbach and Kerry Callaghan at 2011mymom@gmail.com.