James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1908, the institution was renamed in 1938 in honor of the fourth president of the United States, James Madison. It has since expanded from its origins as a normal school and teacher's college into a comprehensive university. It is situated in the Shenandoah Valley, just west of Massanutten Mountain.
History
Founded in 1908 as a women's college, James Madison University was established by the Virginia General Assembly. It was originally called The State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg. In 1914, the name of the university was changed to the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg. Authorization to award bachelor's degrees was granted in 1916. During this initial period of development, six buildings were constructed.
The university became the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg in 1924 and continued under that name until 1938 when it was named Madison College in honor of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, whose Montpelier estate is located in nearby Orange, Virginia. In 1977, the university's name was changed to James Madison University.
The first president of the university was Julian Ashby Burruss. The university opened its doors in 1909 with an enrollment of 209 students and a faculty of fifteen. Its first twenty graduates received diplomas in 1911.
In 1919, Burruss resigned the presidency to become president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Samuel Page Duke was then chosen as the school's second president. During Duke's administration, nine major buildings were constructed. Duke served as president from 1919 to 1949.
In 1946, men were first enrolled as regular day students. G. Tyler Miller became the third president in 1949, following Duke's retirement. During Miller's administration, from 1949 to 1970, the campus was enlarged by and 19 buildings were constructed. Major curriculum changes were made and the university was authorized to grant master's degrees in 1954.
In 1966, by the action of the Virginia General Assembly, the university became a coeducational institution. Ronald E. Carrier, JMU's fourth president, headed the school from 1971 to 1998, and is the namesake of Carrier Library. After undergoing construction starting in May 2023, culminating in complete renovation and expansion of the building, Carrier Library reopened in August of 2026.
21st century During the first decade of the 21st century under Linwood H. Rose (JMU's fifth president), the university continued to expand, not only through new construction east of Interstate 81 but also on the west side of campus. In early 2005, JMU purchased the Rockingham Memorial Hospital campus just north of the main JMU campus for over $40 million. The hospital has since moved and JMU now occupies the site. In June 2005, the university expanded across South High Street by leasing, and then purchasing, the former Harrisonburg High School building.
The rapid expansion of JMU's campus has at times created tension in the city-university relationship. In 2006, the local ABC affiliate reported that the university had nearly doubled in size in the preceding 20 years, including purchases of several local properties.
The university has also experienced tension with local residents and local police when 2,500 students at an off-campus block party grew unruly in 2000. Ten years later, police equipped with riot gear used force to disperse a group of 8,000 college-aged people at a similar party. Several participants were airlifted to a medical center in Charlottesville for treatment. The university condemned the block party attendees' behavior.
In August 2021, the university received national criticism from conservative political commentators and university alumni after a freshman orientation leader training video and other publications surfaced that labeled white Americans and Christians as oppressors. In a statement to Fox News, the university stood by the training.
In March 2025, it was announced that James C. Schmidt would become the seventh president, who was scheduled to take office in July 2025.
Campus
JMU's campus originally consisted of two buildings, Jackson Hall and Maury Hall, which are now known as Darcus Johnson Hall and Gabbin Hall, respectively. Today, the campus has 148 major buildings on . It has become Virginia's second most photographed location on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter.
The original, historic Bluestone side of campus is located on South Main Street (also known as U.S. Route 11, and historically as "The Valley Pike") and is the heart of the university. Many of the buildings in the Bluestone area have been constructed out of the same stone, known as "bluestone," which is a type of limestone that is locally sourced from the surrounding Shenandoah Valley.
Beginning in 2002, JMU began receiving state and private funding to construct a performing arts complex. In 2010, the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts opened, comprising venues for theatre and dance, as well as for musical performance. The facility is opposite Wilson Hall across South Main Street.
JMU Dining won #3 for Best Campus Food by the Princeton Review in 2026.
Renaming historic halls In 2020, JMU's Board of Visitors approved the renaming of three historic buildings on the quad that were named in honor of three prominent Virginian Confederate soldiers: Ashby Hall (named after Turner Ashby), Maury Hall (named after Matthew Fontaine Maury), and Jackson Hall (named after Stonewall Jackson). They were given the temporary names of Valley Hall, Mountain Hall, and Justice Studies Hall, respectively. In 2021, the halls were approved and given new names. Mountain Hall (Maury Hall) was renamed Gabbin Hall after Drs. Joanne V. and Alexander Gabbin, professors at JMU for more than 35 years; Valley Hall (Ashby Hall) was renamed Harper Allen-Lee Hall after Doris Harper Allen and Robert Walker Lee, both notable former staff members at JMU; Justice Studies Hall (Jackson Hall) was renamed Darcus Johnson Hall after Sheary Darcus Johnson, the first black student to graduate from JMU.
In late 2021, the ISAT/CS building was renamed King Hall in honor of Charles W. King; longtime Senior Vice President of the Administration and Finance Division at JMU.
Organization and administration
Colleges
The College of Visual and Performing Arts includes three schools: the School of Art, Design, and Art History; the School of Music; and the School of Theatre and Dance.
In September 2010, the college opened the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, a complex composed of two connected buildings: the Estes Center for Theatre and Dance and the Roberts Center for Music Performance. The $82 million facility was funded by a Virginia higher-education bond package.
Board of Visitors Like all public universities in Virginia, James Madison is governed by a Board of Visitors appointed by the Governor of Virginia. In addition to the 15 members appointed by the governor, the speaker of the Faculty Senate and an elected student represent the faculty and the student body respectively. The appointed members serve for a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms, while the student representative is limited to two one-year terms. The faculty representative serves while remaining the speaker of the JMU Faculty Senate. Some appointed members of note include former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and former first lady of Virginia, Susan Allen.
Presidents Julian Ashby Burruss (1908–1919) Samuel Page Duke (1919–1949) G. Tyler Miller (1949–1971) Ronald E. Carrier (1971–1998) Linwood H. Rose (1999–2012) Jonathan R. Alger (2012–2024) James C. Schmidt (2025–present)
Academics James Madison University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity". It offers 139-degree programs on the bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral levels. It comprises seven colleges and 78 academic programs, including the College of Arts and Letters; the College of Business; the College of Education; the College of Health and Behavioral Studies; the College of Integrated Science and Engineering; the College of Science and Mathematics; the College of Visual and Performing Arts; and The Graduate School. Total enrollment in the 2012–13 academic year was 19,927—18,392 undergraduates and 1,820 graduate students. JMU granted 4,908 degrees in 2012–4,096 undergraduate degrees, and 812 graduate degrees.
On October 2, 2009, JMU was granted a chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.
Reputation and rankings
The 2024 U.S. News & World Report ranked JMU No. 124 among national universities. In the 2018 Washington Monthly college rankings, JMU ranked eighth among master's universities nationwide. Washington Monthly assesses the quality of schools based on social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research, and service.
Student life Student body composition as of Fall 2023 Race and ethnicityTotal White Hispanic Asian Two or more races Black Unknown International student Economic diversity Low-income Affluent
The Princeton Review recognized James Madison as one of 81 schools in America "with a conscience", and in 2006 ranked JMU second in the nation behind only the University of Virginia in the number of Peace Corps volunteers it sent from its student body among "medium-sized" universities. And in 2010, the food at JMU was ranked third in the United States. In 2011 the student body was ranked 20th "happiest in the entire nation" by Newsweek and The Daily Beast. These rankings take into consideration the surrounding area's activities, academics, as well as the social scene on campus.
The Breeze
The Breeze is a student-run weekly newspaper serving JMU since 1922. The six person staff published the first issue on December 2, containing four pages. The Breeze has won numerous awards, including a 2012 Online Pacemaker Award, 2012 VPA award for Best in Show for a Non-Daily News Presentation, and a 2012 VPA sweepstakes award.
The Bluestone The Bluestone is the university's oldest publication, beginning in 1910 as the Schoolma'am. In 1962, the name changed to The Bluestone. The staff consists of an editorial board and staff members, both receive payment for their work. There are five editorial board positions, Editor-in-Chief, Design Editor, Photography Editor, Copy Editor, and Staff Manager. Staff Members have the option to contribute through photography, writing, or design. The publication is distributed free of charge to students at distribution sites. In 2021, The Bluestone was recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press on their top 100 Pacemaker awards list at MediaFest22.
Clubs and organizations
James Madison University has over 400 clubs and organizations for students.
There are 10 front-end budgeted groups on campus, including the Black Student Alliance (BSA), Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC), Latinx Student Alliance (LSA), Madison Equality, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Panhellenic, SafeRides, Student Ambassadors (SA), Student Government Association (SGA), and University Program Board (UPB). The funds allocated to these organization are voted on by the SGA, with the exception to the SGA budget which is approved separately by the administration. Some FEB organizations are more active than others, causing debate about their status from year-to-year.