JMU professor leads discovery of Hernando de Soto’s first campsite

Jan 16, 2026: Researchers uncover evidence of a 16th-century Spanish expedition in Georgia.

Longtime friends complete degrees through Adult Degree Program

Dec 10, 2025: Two longtime friends will celebrate a milestone more than 30 years in the making when they graduate Saturday.

A taste for memory

Nov 21, 2025: English-SMAD alum writes a gravestone cookbook.

Dr. Brooks Hefner receives Madison Scholar Award

Nov 17, 2025: Professor of English, Dr. Brooks Hefner, is the 2026 College of Arts and Letters Madison Scholar Award recipient.

VRS director using policy background to build for future

Oct 17, 2025: Patricia “Trish” Schwab Bishop (’92) leads the 14th-largest pension plan in the U.S.

Q and A with JMU's Lindsey Harvell-Bowman

Oct 16, 2025: JMU's Lindsey Harvell-Bowman explains the psychology behind our fears.

Arts and Letters Review: Fall 2025

Sep 15, 2025: Presenting the seventh issue of the Arts and Letters Review

Celebrating 50 years of service

Sep 15, 2025: Honoring Professor Roger Soenksen's 50 years of service to JMU.

Saying farewell and remembering those we've lost

Sep 15, 2025: Goodbye and best wishes to those who retired this year, and remembering Professor Emeritus George Johnson.

New faces across the college

Sep 15, 2025: A warm welcome to the faculty who have joined us this year.

Justice Studies admin does it all

Sep 15, 2025: Dianne Fulk, administrative assistant in the Department of Justice Studies, was honored with the College of Arts and Letters Distinguished Staff Award last May.

Finding her calling: Advocacy beyond the screen

Sep 15, 2025: After a dream internship experience in New York City, Sheriden Osei (‘22, ‘25M) is pursuing her next dream while merging her passions for entertainment and advocacy.

Celebrating student success

Sep 15, 2025: Congratulations to the students and alumni who earned prestigious fellowships and awards this year.

Frequencies of diplomacy

Sep 15, 2025: This summer, an interdisciplinary student team from JMU’s Diplomacy & Defense Lab was selected to participate in the highly competitive Department of Defense fellowship program.

From the classroom to the Department of State

Sep 15, 2025: In a research capstone for the Global Religions and Cultures major, students worked hand in hand with the U.S. Department of State.

2025 College of Arts and Letters faculty award winners

Sep 15, 2025: Celebrating our faculty award winners.

A book 150 years in the making

Sep 15, 2025: 150 years after it was first penned, one man's novel is being brought to life through a collective effort from across Rockingham County.

Summer study-abroad trips can 'mean the world'

Aug 15, 2025: ‘Maymesters’ provide an alternative to missing out on the Madison Experience during the traditional academic year.

From sail to sole, alumnus charts a sustainable fashion course

Jul 18, 2025: Using upcycled luxury scarves, Chris Bartick (’05) reimagines the shoe

'The fire is still roaring'

May 23, 2025: Twelve years after graduating, alumni rock duo Illiterate Light is more inspired than ever.

JMU senior earns prestigious Rangel Fellowship

May 13, 2025: Senior Isabella “Bella” Santos is the first JMU student to earn a Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship.

IIHHS aims to improve the human condition

Apr 28, 2025: A JMU institute works with communities to advance a culture of health and equity.

Breeze journalists, ad staff win 26 Virginia Press Assoc. awards

Apr 13, 2025: The Breeze journalists and advertising staffers took home more than two dozen awards — including first place in 12 categories — in the Virginia Press Association’s annual statewide contest.

Mason Hoey (BA Political Science, BS Public Policy and Administration '25) Recognized as a Student Leader in Public Service

Apr 11, 2025: Mason Hoey Recognized as a Student Leader in Public Service

Russell Lear (BA '12, MAT '13) of On the Road Collaborative Recognized as a JMU Alumnus Demonstrating Public Service Excellence

Apr 11, 2025: Russell Leary of On the Road Collaborative Recognized as a JMU Alumnus

University Career Center offers expert guidance and resources

Apr 11, 2025: Dukes find that JMU gives them an advantage.

Royal succession

Mar 28, 2025: Dukes pass the baton atop the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

'Challenge' celebrates banner decade

Mar 19, 2025: Scholarship competition marks 10 years of rewarding values-based business ideas.

CAL Student Advisory Council hosts inaugural “Day of Development”

Feb 18, 2025: The College of Arts and Letters Student Advisory Council hosted its first “Day of Development,” bringing students, alumni and faculty together for an afternoon of career readiness and networking.

An engaged historian: one alum’s journey from JMU to Capitol Hill

Feb 18, 2025: Matt Wasniewski (‘91, ‘94M), Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives, shares about his storied career and how he stays connected to JMU.

Long reign the student historians

Feb 18, 2025: A rousing competition of “Faculty vs. Student” Jeopardy ends in student victory for the second time in a row.

Making JMU a refuge

Feb 18, 2025: In 2023, JMU was designated a chapter of Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR), and now one class has started working to increase community awareness about ECAR and help local resettled refugees.

Savoring Furious Flower IV: The Worlds of Black Poetry

Feb 18, 2025: The fourth-ever Furious Flower Poetry Conference, held once a decade, was like a slow-cooked meal — rich and deeply nourishing.

From theater stage to 360° screen

Feb 18, 2025: A unique performance of a "Little Red Riding Hood" retelling brings collaborators together across campus, from the theater stage to the planetarium and even to the movie screen.

“Do it well… Do it for the right reason.”

Feb 18, 2025: “If you’re going to do something, do it well. Do it for the right reason.” These words by Whitten Maher capture his commitment and authenticity in responding to the world and its people.

SMAD racks up nine honors in 2025 BEA awards

Feb 12, 2025: Sixteen students representing all four Media Arts and Design concentrations earned recognition in the 2025 Broadcast Education Association’s Festival of Media Arts competitions.

New faculty spotlight: Leech brings branding expertise to SMAD

Feb 12, 2025: For more than a decade, Matt Leech has been designing logos and branding for businesses and organizations across Virginia and beyond. Now he's SMAD’s newest Creative Advertising professor.

Positive career outcomes

Jan 13, 2025: While the world of work has changed fundamentally, JMU graduates are fully prepared to succeed.

Study abroad: The world as our classroom

Jan 8, 2025: Opportunities to study abroad were limited for the women of Madison College, but students today enjoy plenty of options.

Celebrating the worlds of Black poetry

Jan 3, 2025: Renowned poets, emerging voices, scholars and educators gathered at JMU for Furious Flower IV.