Being The Change
Being The Change is the official podcast of James Madison University. It features members of the JMU community who are combining intellect with action to live lives of purpose and meaning. The Being the Change podcast was conceived by Jim Heffernan (’96, ’17M), editor of Madison magazine, and Andy Perrine (’86), head of University Marketing and Branding. Thanks to Jenna Polk (’14, ’21M) and the team at Rose Library Studios, where the show is recorded by Steve Aderton (’19). Original music and episode production by Neal Perrine (’19).
Episodes

2 hours ago
2 hours ago
Successful investors and entrepreneurs Don Rainey (’82), Rusty Shepard (’86) and Rick Kushel (’87) describe why the College of Business’ business plan competition is such a formative experience for JMU students and why their endowed scholarship fund, which distributes $53,000 annually in competition prizes, charges the competition with real-world high stakes.

Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Dr. Kara Dillard, executive director of the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement, discusses the recent conversation on campus between Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (’93) and Minority Leader Ryan McDougle (’93), and how these two JMU alumni from opposite sides of the political spectrum collaborate despite their differences.

Thursday Apr 10, 2025
Thursday Apr 10, 2025
Chaz Haywood ('97), clerk of the Rockingham County Circuit Court, and Megan Pullen ('18, '23M), the court's deputy clerk for historic archives, discuss how unearthing courthouse records dating back to the 1700s brings to life local history and demonstrates how much our lives have improved since the early days of the republic.

Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
Sierra Stanczyk ('09), Meghan Schenker-Fulcher and Carole Anderson ('86) discuss the phenomenal rise of Women for Madison, a group that has taken the JMU campus community by storm by celebrating successful women and supporting the university.
Click here to register for Women for Madison's Women Who Amaze Summit, May 2-4, 2025.

Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Wears Woody apparel brand founder Mike Norwood ('89) discusses how he is chasing his entrepreneurial dreams while helping to fund research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Undergraduate applications to JMU have increased by more than 80% over the last five years, smashing records. Vice President for Enrollment Management Melinda Wood discusses the factors contributing to this incredible increase in JMU's national and international popularity, and how the university plans to navigate increased competition as college-aged populations decline.

Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Eric ('91) and Lara ('92) Major describe how their support for JMU brings them great joy. And, as the university gears up for Giving Day on Feb. 27, Nick Langridge (’00, ’07M, ’14Ph.D.), vice president for University Advancement, explains how generosity is actually good for us emotionally and biologically.

Thursday Feb 13, 2025
Thursday Feb 13, 2025
JMU alumni Jeff Gorman ('12) and Jake Cochran ('12), who comprise the critically-acclaimed band Illiterate Light, discuss their origins at JMU, their unique live act, and powering guitar amplifiers with bicycles. The Washington Post calls their sound "massive," and they currently are touring nationally.

Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Mary Sullivan, who coordinates the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) initiative for JMU and the region, describes how the program connects Virginia businesses with Virginia students looking for work-based learning opportunities. Ryzing Technologies’ Ross Ruffing describes how the program helped to double the opportunities at his company in Staunton, Virginia.

Friday Jan 31, 2025
Friday Jan 31, 2025
There's a shortage of health care workers, especially nurses, in Virginia and beyond. Dr. Melody Eaton, director of the JMU School of Nursing, explains why this has occurred and how the school is working to solve the crisis with unique curricular solutions and by expanding capacity.