Dr. James C. Schmidt , Seventh President of JMU
James Madison University has announced that Dr. James C. Schmidt will serve as the university’s next president.
Schmidt has over 30 years of experience working in higher education and currently serves as the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; he has been in this role since 2013.
During his tenure, UW-Eau Claire has been ranked among the top 10 regional public universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. It was named the top masters-level university for excellence in undergraduate research by the Council for Undergraduate Research in 2016 and is currently the only master’s-level university in Wisconsin among the top 20 nationally for student participation in study abroad. UW-Eau Claire has produced two Rhodes scholars since 2005 and leads master’s level institutions in Wisconsin and Minnesota in the number of Fulbright students.
In addition to UW-Eau Claire’s national recognition, Schmidt has been a stellar fundraiser and visionary for elevating academic excellence. He recently brought in one of the largest gifts in Wisconsin history at $70 million to help construct an indoor athletics facility and event center.
Press release: JMU names seventh president
Past Presidents
- Julian Ashby Burruss, 1908-1919
- Dr. Samuel Page Duke, 1919-1949
- Dr. G. Tyler Miller, 1949-1971
- Dr. Ronald E. Carrier, 1971-1998
- Dr. Linwood H. Rose, 1998-2012
- Jonathan R. Alger, 2012-2024
- Charlie King (interim), 2024-present
News & Updates
- Public Notice: Invitation to announcement of JMU’s new president
- Public Notice: JMU BOV to meet for presidential announcement at 11a.m.
- Public Notice: JMU Board of Visitors to virtually meet Wednesday
- Public Notice: JMU BOV to meet for Presidential Search
- Public Notice: Presidential Search Committee Meeting Feb. 9-11, 2025
- Public Notice: Presidential Search Committee Meeting Jan. 2025
- Public Notice: Presidential Search Committee Meeting Dec. 2024
- Presidential transition update - Dec. 13, 2024
- Presidential Prospectus – Becoming the next president of JMU
- Composition of JMU Presidential Search Committee announced
- JMU Board of Visitors votes on key leadership roles
Presidential Search Committee
Kay Coles James, member of the Board of Visitors, will chair the committee.
The committee is comprised of the following individuals:
- Dickie Bell ('88) – member of the Board of Visitors
- Jeff Bolander ('80) - member of the Board of Visitors
- Mike Busing – dean of the College of Business
- Warren Coleman ('79, '81) – president/CEO of the JMU Foundation
- Terrie Edwards ('80) - member of the Board of Visitors
- Maribeth Herod ('82) – former rector of the Board of Visitors
- Kay Coles James - member of the Board of Visitors
- Steve Smith ('79) - member of the Board of Visitors
- Roger Soenksen – faculty member within the College of Arts and Letters
- Sydney Stafford – student representative to the Board of Visitors
- Nicole Palya Wood ('96) - member of the Board of Visitors
