020 How Higher Education is Changing and Should Change? President Alger Perspective

In this episode, Jonathan Alger was interviewed by Bakhtiyor Isoev. Jonathan Alger became the 6th president of James Madison University (JMU) on July 1, 2012. Under his leadership, this public comprehensive university in Virginia with 22,000 students developed a bold new vision to be “the national model of the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world,” and a strategic plan focused on engaged learning, community engagement, and civic engagement.

This plan has included the development of ambitious new programs and initiatives across the institution, such as the Valley Scholars Program (for first-generation students from local public schools), the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement (which provides national as well as institutional leadership), the Madison Trust (to provide philanthropic support for innovative projects) and the Engagement Fellows (a public service year program for recent college graduates) among many others.

President Alger has also led JMU through a multi-year process focused on best practices with regard to diversity, inclusivity, and access for students, faculty and staff.  JMU has grown significantly under President Alger’s leadership and recently surpassed the goal of the $200 million comprehensive Unleashed fundraising campaign over 15 months early.

In this episode, Jonathan Alger will share his insights about how higher education is changing and should change.