James Schmidt, a seasoned educator, has been selected as the new president of James Madison University.
The university said Wednesday Schmidt was appointed by the JMU Board of Visitors as the seventh president in the school’s history. He will start his tenure on July 1.
Who Is James Schmidt?
Schmidt has been part of academia for over three decades. He is the current chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a role he has held for nearly 12 years. The higher education administrator played a crucial role in the university’s achievement of a top-10 ranking in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of best regional public universities in the midwest. In 2016, UW-Eau Claire was selected as the top master’s university for excellence in undergraduate research by the Council for Undergraduate Research. It is also the only master’s university in Wisconsin to be included in the nation’s top 20 institutions for student involvement in study abroad programs. Furthermore, the school has distinguished itself by producing two Rhodes scholars since 2005 and the most Fullbright students among all master’s level universities in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Before joining UW-Eau Claire, Schmidt was with Winona State University for over 15 years. He served as vice president for university advancement at the university. He spent over 11 years at the Riverland Community College where he was the VP for student affairs. The academic leader serves as chair of the board of directors at WNB Financial N.A.
“I take great pride in this institution and will do everything I can to support the board and our new president during this transition,” said Charlie King, interim president of JMU.
