JMU names Zimmerman dean of the College of Arts and Letters

Dec 18, 2024: Traci Zimmerman has been named dean of the College of Arts and Letters..

If this airplane could talk; JMU X-Labs students bring history to life

Dec 12, 2024: Last year, the First Air Force One Foundation posed a unique challenge to the students in JMU’s X-Labs program: come up with a plan to make First Air Force One accessible to the public. 

Students practice statecraft, diplomacy, negotiation skills

Nov 8, 2024: From strategy sessions to decision-making, simulation delivers high-impact learning experience.

Video expertise, teaching makes SMAD professor a Game Changer

Oct 11, 2024: SMAD technology director and instructor John Hodges (’78) was recognized as a “Game Changer” Thursday during a JMU football game.

Inside the minds of young voters

Sep 20, 2024: Tomorrow’s leaders are striving to improve the state of American democracy.

Professor pens best-selling book about bookstores

Sep 13, 2024: Landing on the New York Times list “feels like a lifetime achievement.”

Performing her civic duty

Mar 8, 2024: Whitney Rice ('09) used her experience in JMU's Speech Club to forge an acting career in Hollywood.

Students tackle real-world U.S. security issues abroad

Mar 1, 2024: Hacking for Diplomacy participants pitch their ideas to officials at the Department of State.

Turning the first page

Feb 16, 2024: Rachel McRady (’11) promotes her debut novel in a place she loves.

JMU accepted into State Department refugee program

Feb 1, 2024: JMU will welcome two refugee students from Africa as part of the university’s acceptance into a new State Department program.

Arkansas poet laureate lets her writing do the talking

Dec 29, 2023: Suzanne Underwood Rhodes (’72) teaches the healing power of poetry.

Military, dependents find support through JMU VALOR

Dec 18, 2023: Dukes cheerleader, ROTC cadet and Marine veteran Jonah Posada will have a unique perspective on Dec. 23 as he cheers on JMU in its first bowl game: the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Picture of a Journey to Florence

Nov 30, 2023: New EUPS professor at JMU Florence campus, Christine Bakker, PhD, shares her professional journey, her experience working for the European Commission, and how she came to live in Florence, Italy full-time.

A Window into the Consulting World

Nov 30, 2023: Married JMU alumni, Mr. Richard Shapiro and Mrs. Alexis Shapiro stop by Florence, Italy to lead a consulting workshop and share their professional advice with the EUPS cohort.

JMU Duke Puts Down Roots in Italy

Nov 30, 2023: JMU Semester in Florence alumnus, Mr. Andrew Spannaus, speaks with students about his experience living in Milan and building a successful international career.

Il Conventino

Nov 30, 2023: Across the Ponte Vecchio, this historical social hub bridges cultures and communities.

A Changing Environment

Nov 30, 2023: The EUPS program ensures students are ready to enter the rapidly changing job market with practical experience.

Letter from the director of EUPS

Nov 30, 2023: Executive Director Charles Blake discusses the current cohort, upcoming alumni events in March and May 2024, and the varied ways in which alumni contribute to the EUPS program.

SMAD students and professor help hatch new school’s logo

Nov 14, 2023: Harrisonburg’s new high school, which opens next year, needed an identity, and SMAD professor Adrienne Hooker saw the branding of Rocktown High School as an opportunity for students

Sofia Samatar awarded Madison Scholar Award

Nov 13, 2023: Associate English professor Sofia Samatar is the 2023 College of Arts and Letters Madison Scholar Award recipient

Bella Bledzki: JMU English major at Oxford

Nov 13, 2023: Bella Bledzki, a senior English major with a minor in Creative Writing, is currently studying abroad in Oxford through the Center for Global Engagement at JMU.

Ending veteran homelessness

Nov 10, 2023: JMU ROTC graduate lays the foundation for Operation Renewed Hope

Harnessing the potential of AI

Oct 26, 2023: Artificial intelligence’s potential to spark fear and confusion can easily overshadow its potential for improving lives.

Frederick Douglass’ life, work and contributions to the Civil War

Oct 25, 2023: Here’s what ChatGPT wrote when a history professor prompted it to write an essay about Frederick Douglass and the Civil War

The promise and the pitfalls of AI

Oct 25, 2023: JMU is proceeding with caution as it assesses the AI landscape.

Halloween can provide a new outlook on life, says JMU professor

Oct 25, 2023: Halloween is often seen as something that can scare people and keep them away, but what if the script were flipped.

Can AI alleviate ‘wicked’ world problems?

Oct 23, 2023: Math professor illuminates the role of artificial intelligence in pandemics, poverty and gender disparity.

Researcher discusses impacts of electoral technologies

Oct 13, 2023: Hasnain Bokhari shared the findings of his recent research on electoral technologies in Pakistan and their impact on democratic processes

Religion Society hosts alumni panel

Oct 7, 2023: The panel on Tuesday, Oct. 24 2023 will address the question, "What can you do with a religion major or minor?"

Reaching across the aisle

Sep 29, 2023: Sen. Tim Kaine emphasizes the importance of finding common ground.

Head above the clouds

Sep 29, 2023: Brian Kurlander (’89) achieved a new level of clarity climbing Mount Everest in 2022. Now he’s bringing those lessons to his roles in film, on stage and in the classroom.

JMU attends Global Citizenship and Peace seminar in Hiroshima

Sep 18, 2023: The workshop aimed to empower students to become agents of change in addressing climate adaptation and resilience.

Hello, my name is Dardanë

Sep 14, 2023: Dardanë Halimi is The Graduate School's new blogger — read her post.

JMU to invest in research centers

Sep 8, 2023: These centers will convene scholars, researchers and communities to examine and address 21st century challenges

Alumna turns home into sanctuary for Ukrainian relatives

Aug 17, 2023: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 hit close to home in Harrisonburg for some residents

Building Foundations

Aug 14, 2023: Dr. Liliokanaio Peaslee, professor of political science, brings her service ethic to the classroom and remains connected to the community by teaching students about applied research and policy analysis.

Community-Engaged Courses Give Students Hands-On Experience

Aug 14, 2023: In courses from several CAL programs, student groups work on problems for various organizations — including local businesses and community nonprofits — to connect their classroom learning to real-life outcomes.

Building Community With the Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue

Aug 14, 2023: Since 2012, the Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue (ICAD) has helped communities in Harrisonburg and across Virginia talk and think together.

English graduate Kevin Bie (’22) receives Fulbright Scholarship Award

Aug 7, 2023: English graduate Kevin Bie (’22) receives Fulbright Scholarship Award

From the ’Burg to the Bench

Aug 4, 2023: ISAT alumnus Mark Colombell (’99) followed a nontraditional path to law school.

Connecting people to their environment

Aug 2, 2023: Produced by JMU faculty and students, a seasonal radio program invites listeners to engage with the valley’s natural surroundings

JMU alumni contribute to The Martin Agency’s success

Jul 14, 2023: Virginia firm wins Ad Age’s 2023 Agency of the Year award

From James Madison University to Monticello to Colonial Williamsburg

Jul 3, 2023: SADAH alumna Emily Nootbaar selected as Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg’s Americana Foundation curatorial intern

Committee releases digital version of Quad History Tour

Jun 16, 2023: The tour is designed to provide a more accurate, inclusive history of the original Bluestone area of campus.

Letter from the Director

May 31, 2023: An expanded advisory board can nurture our growing alumni community.

The Green Transition and the Future of Social Europe

May 31, 2023: EUPS student Francesca Ragonese and Prof. Mario Munta discuss the current state of the Green Transition and its implications for the future of social policy in Europe.

The Gardens of City Life

May 31, 2023: Take a walk through the flora, fauna and history of Florence’s most treasured gardens!

Building Responsible Artificial Intelligence

May 31, 2023: EUPS alumna Evi Fuelle (‘14) reflects on her journey into technology governance and shares her insights on the rapidly growing field of AI

Life is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

May 31, 2023: Learn more about EUPS alumnus Seth Tallvik (2010) and his experiences living and working in Europe after years in DC.

The Breeze celebrates 100 years of chronicling JMU history

May 26, 2023: The award-wining student newspaper has been a fixture of student engagement at Madison for more than a century.

Celebrating the 2023 College of Arts and Letters faculty award winners

May 15, 2023: We’re pleased to congratulate three of our faculty members for their incredible efforts across teaching, service, and scholarship.

JMU’s undergraduate research journal celebrates 10 years

May 12, 2023: For the 18 seniors who served on the 2022-2023 JMURJ Editorial Board, the journal’s decennial is just one of many reasons to celebrate.

The Breeze and Breeze TV win 18 VPA awards

May 7, 2023: Breeze and Breeze TV staff members received honors in writing, design, photo, advertising and video categories at the Virginia Press Association annual conference in Richmond on May 6.

Launching the Innovation Center for Youth Justice

Jan 17, 2023: With generous support from the Commonwealth of Virginia, JMU is proud to launch the nation’s first Innovation Center for Youth Justice.

Growing with the Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence

Jan 17, 2023: The Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence, established in 2005, is a local and global hub dedicated to advancing the understanding of justice and nonviolence through individual and collaborative endeavors.

Furious Flower Poetry Center Continues to Blossom

Jan 17, 2023: Under the new leadership of Executive Director Lauren K. Alleyne, professor of english, the Furious Flower Poetry Center has expanded its commitment to celebrating and educating the public about Black poetry

Celebrating the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center

Jan 17, 2023: The African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center provides to the JMU community a wealth of interdisciplinary knowledge, programming, and initiatives and recently welcomed a new director: Delores B. Phillips.

The James Madison Center for Civic Engagement

Jan 17, 2023: Under the directorship of David Kirkpatrick, PhD, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement is “making JMU a place where global conversations happen.”

Celebrating 25 years of connections in D.C.

Jan 17, 2023: The Washington Semester Program recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gathering of over 100 people at the JMU Washington Center’s Dupont Circle location.

Student showcase: Thriving in Anthropology

Jan 17, 2023: For students Cheyenne Sewell (’23) and Casey Brewer (‘23), and many others like them, anthropology means everything from connecting to the local community to taking on the world

Researching With the American Political Reform & Innovation Lab

Jan 17, 2023: Timothy LaPira, professor of political science at James Madison University, is the founding director of the newly created American Political Reform & Innovation Lab.

Student Showcase: Translating and Interpreting Harrisonburg

Aug 15, 2022: Students in Dr. Marianne Mason’s SPAN 496 class bring their classroom language skills to provide much-needed translation and interpreting services to the Harrisonburg community.

Faculty Focus: Mapping Environmental Justice

Aug 15, 2022: Case Watkins is the 2022 Provost Award Winner for Excellence in Research and Scholarship for the College of Arts and Letters.

Faculty Focus: Teaching With Compassion

Aug 15, 2022: For Allison Fagan, professor of english, the most important learning is ethical, creative and collaborative in and out of the classroom.