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NewsDecember 2019 JMU named the “2019 Best College for Getting a Job” among all Virginia universities HARRISONBURG, VA — Based on Col- by The Association of American Colleges & lege Scorecard data maintained by the U.S. Universities surveying C-suite-level executives Department of Education, James Madison and hiring managers confirms that these skills, University is the “2019 Best College for Get- which cut across majors, are the most highly ting a Job” in Virginia. Employers have a par- prized by employers. ticularly strong appetite for JMU graduates Interviewed about the ranking by local ABC- because they possess not just professional and TV affiliate WHSV, JMU spokesperson Andy technical mastery, but because Perrine remarked, “It’s because we’re a hybrid. they also communicate well, We have strong technical and scientific programs think critically, understand like U.Va. and Virginia Tech. But we also have context, work exceptionally an award-winning core curriculum. This gives well on teams and reason our students those other kinds of skills that ethically. Research published employers are looking for.”

The number of STEM degrees conferred annually JMU has fostered 2,784 a 35% increase from 2012 to 2019. 1,978

2019 Brian Riley (‘03), head of hiring for Amazon headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, talks with President Jonathan R. 2012 Alger during JMU’s Homecoming football game.

Preparing Virginia for Amazon HQ2 ong before Amazon announced plans view with campus media about his tour, “It was to build a second headquarters in Vir- amazing. I think the thing that I was most taken ginia, JMU answered the common- with is the applicability of what they are doing. wealth’s call to increase the number of They are solving problems that we’re trying to Ldegrees conferred in science, technology, engi- solve at Amazon.” neering and mathematics. About hiring 25,000 new Amazon employees, Brian Riley (’03), head of hiring for Amazon Riley said, “I think the work they’re doing here HQ2 and a JMU alumnus, was back on campus from an innovation perspective, and from a cus- for Homecoming 2019 and toured the College tomer obsession perspective, is exceptional. And of Integrated Science and Engineering, JMU it’s certainly something that would serve the stu- X-Labs and other areas. Riley said in an inter- dents here well in a workplace like Amazon’s.” JMU named “Most Innovative” school in the South by U.S. News & World Report n its 2020 Best Colleges rankings, U.S. hybrid university affords to students is vastly porate leaders on the council recognize how criti- News & World Report placed James Madi- superior because it delivers the technical, pro- cal it is to balance focused career preparation with son University at the top because of its fessional and scientific skills they need, along a core curriculum that gives students a broader innovative curriculum, technology and with the broad knowledge and disposition that perspective on the world because they make bet- Ifacilities. “Really, we’ve been working inten- a liberal arts education and close relationships ter employees,” Alger said. tionally toward this distinction for years,” said with top professors provide. We call it ‘The Of course, such an approach is profoundly President Jonathan R. Alger. “In 2014 we set Madison Difference.’” more important than for just getting a good out to consolidate our unique position in the JMU’s national leadership in this approach was job. According to a study conducted by Gallup higher education marketplace by possessing the acknowledged in the spring of 2019 when Alger in 2016, compared to their peers who gradu- best elements of big research universities and was named co-chair of The Fusion of STEM & ated from the top 100 schools in the U.S. News small liberal arts colleges. Few other schools Liberal Arts Disciplines Task Force at the Council & World Report ranking, JMU alumni are living can make this claim. The experience such a on Competitiveness. “The CEOs and other cor- lives of greater purpose and meaning.

Why Madison? There is now proof: JMU alumni live purposeful and meaningful lives at a sig- nificantly higher rate than their peers who graduated from the top 100 colleges and universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report. This is according to conclusive Gal- lup research. It’s because our faculty and staff care about students as people more so than at most schools. Gallup research affirms that this is the No. 1 factor leading to alumni leading purposeful lives. And people living purposeful lives lead society toward a more promising future.

Merck plans $1.2 billion expansion The Virginia Economic Development Partner- ing facility in Elkton, Virginia, near the JMU ship announced in May a multimillion-dollar campus. Because of the grant, BRCC students grant over five years to fund new faculty and who earn an Associate of Applied Science curriculum development in the areas of manu- degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technol- facturing, science, technology and engineering ogy with a specialization in biotechnology can at JMU and Blue Ridge Community Col- transition seam- lege. The move supports Merck’s $1.2 billion lessly into JMU’s expansion of its pharmaceutical manufactur- biology major. NATIONAL RECOGNITIONS JMU is the “Most Innovative” school in the South, according to U.S. News & World Report.

America’s favorite university ■ In The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education’s 2019 US College Rankings, JMU was No. 1 on the list of most-recommended universities in the United States. Other schools in the rankings include Stanford University (No. 2), Virginia Tech (No. 3) and Duke Uni- versity (No. 14).

■ Gallup research finds that JMU alumni live lives of greater meaning and purpose than their peers1 graduating from the top 100 schools on the U.S. News & World Report rankings. ATHLETICS

■ In addition to recent NCAA national championships in women’s lacrosse and football, James Madison Athletics contin- ued a four-year run of significant success ■ More students at JMU reported they across multiple sports during the 2018-19 “made the right choice” when selecting a season, highlighted by five Colonial Ath- college than at any other school in the coun- letic Association championships and eight try, according to The Wall Street Journal JMU alumni report a programs achieving NCAA Championship and Times Higher Education. 97% satisfaction rate. competition. Go Dukes!

Return on investment ■ MONEY magazine has identified JMU as ■ High graduation rates and low costs are a great investment based on educational among the factors landing JMU on Kiplinger’s ■ JMU continues to hold a place in The quality, affordability and high-earning Personal Finance’s top 100 “Best Values in Pub- Princeton Review’s annual recommendations alumni in its “Best Colleges for Your Money” lic Colleges” list for 2019. JMU placed 31st on of the nation’s best colleges for academics, list. JMU ranks No. 25 in the Best Public the list of four-year public schools that com- affordability and career prospects. The uni- College in the Nation category and No. 9 bine outstand- versity is also included in “Colleges That Pay in the Best Public College ing education with You Back: The 200 Schools That Give You the in the South category, out economic value. Best Bang for Your Tuition Buck,” which is an of 727 colleges included expansion of The in the list. Princeton Review’s list. JMU has been 25 ■ JMU is the “Best College in Virginia for listed in the books Getting a Job,” according to U.S. Depart- since 2009. ment of Education statistics compiled by Zippia. JMU alumni have the highest post- graduate employment levels of all Virginia colleges and universities.

■ JMU’s Col- lege of Business is consistently ranked among the top 40 business programs Top 100 Best Values by Bloomberg Businessweek. in Public Colleges JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY is a com- FAPPLICANT DETAILSactsheet (Fall 2019) STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO (Fall 2019) 16:1 prehensive university that is part of the Freshman Applicants 23,579 FACULTY AND STAFF (Fall 2019) statewide system of public higher educa- Freshmen Enrolled 4,456 Full-Time Instructional Faculty 1,070 Transfer Applicants (All 2019) tion in the Commonwealth of Virginia 1,886 Part-Time Instructional Faculty 429 Transfer Enrolled (All 2019) 1,020 and is named for James Madison, father of Full-Time Classified Staff 1,440 the U.S. constitution and fourth president. TOTAL APPLICANTS 25,465 Full-Time Administrative (Fall 2019) Established March 14, 1908, the university ENROLLMENT and Professional Faculty 600 offers programs on the bachelor’s, master’s Undergraduate 19,895 CAMPUS/BUILDINGS (785 acres) and doctoral levels with its primary empha- Graduate 1,925 In-State Academic 34 sis on the undergraduate student. JMU 77% Out-of-State Administrative 22 provides a total education to students— 23% Female 59% Athletic 21 one that has a broad range of the liberal Male 41% Residence Halls 34 arts as its foundation and encompasses an TOTAL ENROLLMENT 21,820 extensive variety of professional and pre- TUITION AND FEES (2019–20) DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED professional programs, augmented by a Undergraduate (per year): Undergraduate 82 multitude of learning experiences outside In-State Tuition $7,250 Master’s 46 Out-of-State Tuition $24,150 the classroom. The university has been a Educational Specialist 2 Comprehensive Fee $4,956 coeducational institution since 1966. Doctoral 8 Room and Board $10,500 JMU is located in the heart of the Certificates 10 Graduate (per credit hour): Shenandoah Valley of Virginia along TOTAL 148 In-State Tuition $499 Interstate 81, approximately two hours DEGREES CONFERRED (2018–19) Out-of-State Tuition $1,231 from Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Undergraduate 4,495 Virginia. The campus is easily accessible Graduate 763 BUDGET (2019–20) from I-81’s Exit 245. The nearest airport TOTAL 5,258 Total Operating Budget $619m is Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) in Weyers Cave, 20 minutes south of campus. Grumman, was No. 22 on the magazine’s MISSION: We are a community committed Alumnae among list. , co-CEO of to preparing students to be educated and Jennifer Morgan (’93) Fortune’s 50 Most SAP, a market leader in enterprise soft- enlightened citizens who lead productive ware, was No. 43. and meaningful lives. Powerful Women in Business The list is compiled annually by For- SCHOOL COLORS: Purple and Gold tune’s editors, who NICKNAME: Dukes wo College of consider four criteria:

MASCOT: Duke Dog Business alum- the size and impor- nae made For- tance of the woman’s ATHLETIC AFFILIATION: NCAA Division I, T tune’s 50 Most Power- business in the global Colonial Athletic Association ful Women in Business economy, the health 800 South Main Street list for 2018. and direction of the Harrisonburg, VA 22807 Kathy Warden (’92), business, the arc of 540-568–6211 Phone who is president and chief executive the woman’s career, and social and cul- www.jmu.edu officer of defense contractor Northrop tural influence.