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Presidential Addresses

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President Jonathan R. Alger's Addresses

President Alger: "JMU is home"

President Alger holds streamer that says "JMU is Home"

Addressing university staff at the start of academic year 2013, President Alger spoke about the sense of community and family at James Madison University.
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President emphasizes intergenerational learning

President Alger gets ready to address freshmen, alumni and parents at legacy picnic

President Alger encourages more than 300 freshmen students, alumni and parents attending the legacy picnic to embrace a lifetime involvement with JMU.
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Congratulations to "write on!" winners and honorees
I have been reading a lot about James Madison the statesman lately, also known of course as the Father of the Constitution and our country—s fourth president. Like you all, he was an avid scholar, reader and writer.

President's keynote to Mad-Rush Undergraduate Research Center
"Liberal Arts and the Real World: Perfect Together." In line with this title, I believe a liberal arts education is needed more than ever in this age of information and technology. Just over a week ago, a liberal arts graduate who majored in political science and minored at Swathmore College was inaugurated as JMU's president.

Congratulations to Phi Beta Kappa Inductees
I can still remember back when I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa as a student in Swarthmore College back in 1986. In fact, I still have my key after all of these years. I hope that yours will stay with you for the rest of your lives as well.

"Return to Madison" remarks at Montpelier's birthday celebration
Good afternoon. Honored guests, members of the Montpelier Board of Directors, President Imhoff and Montpelier staff, members of the James Madison University Board of Visitors, faculty, students and alumni, family, friends and fellow Madison enthusiasts, it is my great honor to speak at this hallowed place.

President Jonathan R. Alger's inaugural address
Governor McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bolling, public servants from state and local government, Rector Funkhouser, members of the Board of Visitors, special greeters, presidents and delegates from other institutions, faculty, faculty emeriti, staff, students, alumni, parents, community members, and special friends and family - good afternoon!

Keys to the University at Court Square
The university's founding was welcomed as an important milestone in the town's history. A group of local citizens lobbied the General Assembly with the same gusto that is still evident in our community's work ethic today.

Greater Madison Inauguration Week Breakfast
Greater Madison has undergone a metamorphosis over the last few years, and those changes continue. Now the role of Greater Madison will grow even more central to many of our efforts moving forward.

President Alger's speech to the Student Diversity Council
I am delighted to see this turnout of JMU business students. All of you from the business community and from across the university, we welcome you and we are glad that you are here to talk about something that I think is really important.

Greetings to the Class of 2012's Winter Commencement
Good morning, JMU family, and congratulations to all of our December 2012 graduates. It is a special honor and privilege for my wife, Mary Ann, and me to participate with you today in our very first graduation ceremony here at James Madison University.

Remarks on president's Election Day visit to Montpelier
Good morning. What an exciting day. And thank you for the wonderful tour of Montpelier this morning. One of the things that I really appreciate and am excited about today is the interdisciplinary nature of conversation. We have people who understand the science and the archaeology and anthropology and political science and history.

Opening staff meeting remarks
Good morning, everybody! I want to thank the Employee Advisory Committee for hosting this event. I thought, "Oh, this will just be a small group. We'll get together and have a nice conversation." And, here we are with a full auditorium. It is great to see the enthusiasm and energy here in this room.

Acceptance speech of JMU's sixth president
The James Madison University Board of Visitors unanimously selected Mr. Jonathan R. Alger to serve as the next president of James Madison University. "We desire a leader who values our student-centered focus, emphasis on teaching and is committed to the full development of the individual. We needed someone with an appreciation for the historical strengths of the University and one willing to invest time to understand our distinct institutional culture." said Rector Jim Hartman.