Being The Change

Jim Heffernan (’96, ’17M) joins host Andy Perrine (’86) in the studio to recap Season 4 of the podcast and to preview the Spring/Summer issue of Madison magazine.

Hear about how a JMU professor — who also is a successful alumnus — gave his College of Business students an assignment to listen to a Being The Change podcast episode on leadership. Their reactions will surprise you and may even give you new hope for the future.  

Delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 did not all agree on the nation’s new direction. But they deliberated and compromised until they hammered together a document that has successfully guided us for 239 years.

The second in a series honoring our founding principles during the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, JMU history professor Dr. Rebecca Brannon describes James Madison’s critical role in shaping the religious freedoms we enjoy today.

The U.S. Department of Education has granted JMU over $5 million to help K-12 teachers and 40 other universities deploy programs aimed at teaching students civil-dialogue skills that are the foundation of a healthy democracy. 

Generative Artificial Intelligence is changing the nature of education. Hear how, instead of running away or turning into AI cops, JMU is embracing the technology and infusing it in our curricula. 

JMU’s seventh president reflects on his inauguration, the university’s rich history, and the exciting future he is leading us into with the introduction of The Madison Promise.

Enjoy a discussion on the essence of leadership with JMU's own 3-star Army general and our awesome ROTC battalion's commanding officer.

Hear how the Ole School Alumni Scholarship Group, which provides mentorship and career support to students, teamed up with JMU’s Summer Abroad Program in Ghana to offer a transformative international experience.

Discover what's behind JMU's incredible distinction as one of only nine universities nationally to receive both the Leadership for Public Purpose and Community Engagement classifications from the Carnegie Commission.  

Catch up on all the exciting progress being made in JMU's four-phased strategic planning process, which is aimed directly at elevating our already stellar student experience, academic octane and national prominence.

With its historic first-place finish at the 2025 NASA Student Launch Challenge — beating teams from MIT, Virginia Tech and other top engineering schools — JMU Engineering has arrived on the national stage. Hear how the program’s unique approach to engineering education produces graduates who lead in the field. 

On the occasion of Study Abroad Week at JMU, hear how the Center for Global Engagement and University Recreation have teamed up to give students the opportunity to learn how to cook recipes from around the world.

The local art scene is burgeoning like never before, and it's bringing campus and community closer together through shared purpose. Hear what's going on and who's behind making it go. 

Because good mental health greatly enables learning, JMU is constantly offering new programs to help students, faculty and staff find pathways to peace. In this episode, we spotlight one such program, the Serenity Center, which was founded by Dr. Mark Gabriele (’95), a neuroscientist.

Come along on a fabulous journey of discovery with JMU anthropologist Dr. Dennis Blanton and two of his former archaeology field-school students, Kyle Mitchell (’24) and Grace Gordon (’22), as they describe a significant find involving one of North America's earliest explorers.

As the Dukes prepare to take on Oregon in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff, Athletic Director Matt Roan reflects on JMU’s culture of winning, which includes becoming the first program from Virginia to make the CFP. 

Head of Financial Aid Brad Barnett also teaches courses on financial literacy. Hear from him and one of his students, senior Jameson Glynn, on why this aspect of wellness is so important and how students can get there.

JMU recently received a coveted distinction for being a driver of economic prosperity and innovation, joining just 94 other research universities nationally. Hear Drs. Anthony Tongen and Keith Holland (’00) describe what this milestone portends for JMU’s future. 

Just in time for Thanksgiving, hear how viral TikTokker Rosie Grant (’12) traveled the globe collecting recipes etched into gravestones, became an internet sensation, and authored To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes.

As JMU continues to evolve as a research institution, not all of the research is in a laboratory. Dr. Jennie Rosier shares her research about how relationships work and how her students engage with the inquiry in ways that can change them.

Hear how JMU's largest research grant ever is funding comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to understanding and supporting the holistic development of children by the Center for Advancement Research in Education.

Dr. Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion at JMU who has appeared in media ranging from The Atlantic to The Joe Rogan Experience, discusses a new study he co-authored on the healing power of diagnosis.

Whether you’re local to Harrisonburg or visiting for university events such as Homecoming, discover what makes our phenomenal culinary scene tick with two of the ’Burg’s top foodies.

JMU Board of Visitors member and National Honorary Chair of VA250 Carly Fiorina describes why the celebration of the 250th anniversary of America's founding is important to all Americans, all Virginians, and, in particular, all members of the community named for James Madison.