Face Off

Red, Blue, and JMU

Virginia Republican Dave Rexrode ('01) and Democrat David Mills ('02), hold mirror positions as executive directors Virginia's two primary political parties, talk politics and consensus …Read more

Critical Thinking

Approximately 80 percent of JMU undergraduates do research, a practicum, an internship or student teach. Many do more than one of these. The result? A change in perspective. Critical thinking skills. An intense education. For example, Katie Sensabaugh …Read more

Bridging the gap

Bridging the gap between poverty and success

Arriving at work before 8 a.m., Ashley Mitchell (’09) starts each day with a ”sponge.“ By the time students arrive in their classrooms an hour later, Mitchell is ready and waiting to give a ”sponge lecture“ — a review of the previous day’s lessons …Read more

A Virginia Woman in History

Fourth-graders honor child advocate Joann Grayson

When an elementary school class embarked on an Internet search for the name of a Virginia woman who made a difference in the lives of children, one name came up over and over again, Joann H. Grayson, JMU professor of psychology …Read more

Validating my potential

A Q&A with Paul McDowell ('11) on his HIST 395 research project

Rising junior Paul McDowell is a member of the Honors Program and the JMU Honors Learning Community. In addition to his history degree, he is pursuing a minor in Italian. He completed his HIST 395 research project about the 19th-century lynching of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans. He is continuing that research … Read more

Searching Shakespeare

Eric Johnson's ('95) 'experiment in literary technology'

"To be, or not to be" may well have been a question William Shakespeare pondered. But for history major Eric Johnson ('95) the question is "To create, or not to create?" The alum's unique Web site, Open Source Shakespeare, www.opensourceshakespeare.org, originated … Read more

Consciousness-raising poetry

Professor of English Joanne Gabbin

Like the poetry she revels in, Joanne Gabbin radiates with the power to transform. Both of her pioneering Furious Flower Poetry conferences have advanced African-American poetry, celebrating beauty and achievement, and revealing … Read more

The best year of my life

My two Study Abroad experiences in England and Spain

It was the best year of my life. My family and close friends thought I was crazy to want to spend my entire junior year studying abroad. They said it would be hard. I will never regret my decision. I spent the entirety of my junior year learning culture, history and language … Read more

Understanding identity

Professor builds students' global perspective

JMU history professor and Afghan scholar Shah Mahmoud Hanifi is researching and influencing the political discourse on a region at the forefront of world attention today and bringing it directly to the classroom. His work encourages a fuller and richer understanding … Read more