University History Project, Ongoing

Inaugurated in 1999, the University History Project focuses on the history of campus life at James Madison University. Students in the Introduction to Public History class (HIST 396/696/ARTH 396) have worked on a series of projects including research for a website and book commemorating the JMU Centennial, a web-based exhibit on the JMU Quad (top: architect Charles M. Robinson's 1908 drawing of campus), and a collection of oral histories from several long-time JMU employees.

In the spring of 2002, four public history students (bottom) began the research necessary to nominate the historic campus to the National Register of Historic Places, and  in 2005-2006, a JMU intern with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources completed the project.

Future classes will build on this foundation by undertaking other exhibits and research projects focused on the history of JMU.