It was while standing on the steps of Minnesota's State Capitol as an undergraduate student, leading fellow students in advocating for a tuition freeze, that Jim Schmidt discovered his passion for higher education. That experience led him to serve as chair of Minnesota's State University Student Association and founder of the National Student Roundtable, representing more than 6 million students across the United States. Those early experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunity and putting students first.
Today, Dr. James C. Schmidt—better known to many across campus as President Jim—serves as the seventh president of James Madison University. Since assuming the presidency in July 2025, he has led the university in advancing The Madison Promise, JMU's strategic vision for the future. Developed through extensive engagement with students, faculty, staff, alumni, business leaders, and community partners, The Madison Promise provides a bold framework for enhancing the value and impact of a JMU education, investing in people, expanding research and innovation, strengthening partnerships, and creating a campus community where students thrive.
Building relationships and creating opportunities through collaboration have been hallmarks of President Jim's leadership. Since arriving at JMU, he has spent much of his time meeting with students, faculty, staff, alumni, business leaders, elected officials, and community partners throughout Virginia. He believes strongly that great universities thrive through partnerships and that higher education plays a vital role in workforce development, innovation, civic engagement, and economic vitality.
Under President Jim's leadership, JMU has continued its momentum as a nationally recognized university. The institution expanded civic engagement and civil discourse initiatives, earned designation as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and received national recognition for undergraduate teaching, student experience, and value. During his inaugural year, JMU Football captured its first Sun Belt Conference Championship and earned the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Before joining JMU, President Jim served for 12 years as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. During his tenure, the university earned national recognition for undergraduate research, study abroad, and student achievement. He also established a groundbreaking research collaboration with Mayo Clinic, creating new opportunities for research, innovation, and student learning, while helping generate more than $190 million in private support for the university. Earlier in his career, he served as vice president for university advancement at Winona State University and vice president for student affairs at Riverland Community College.
Despite the responsibilities of leading a university, President Jim's favorite part of the job remains connecting with students. When he isn't traveling across the Commonwealth, meeting with community leaders, or cheering on the Dukes, you can often find him walking campus, attending student events, visiting classrooms, welcoming prospective families, or simply stopping to chat with students along the way.
President Jim holds a doctorate in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, a master's degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas, and a bachelor's degree in political science from Winona State University.
He and his wife, Kim, have three sons and are proud to call Harrisonburg and the Shenandoah Valley home.
And if you see him on campus, don't hesitate to introduce yourself—he's always happy to meet a Duke and will never turn down a selfie.
