All about JMU and our Be the Change campaign

When James Madison University’s communications and marketing office first began talking about how Madison professors, students, alumni and donors have been changing the world, our staff members knew we’d have a lot to say. Through the years, in so many ways, on and off campus, Madison’s people have embraced the idea of change — finding their own ways to make a difference in the world. On March 15, 2006, the university’s official Be the Change website, http://www.jmu.edu/bethechange/, was launched to showcase shining examples of this world-changing spirit.

We’re convinced that Madison people change the world every day. To help us find those people, we ask for nominations to our Be the Change website. The response has been overwhelming. So many nominations are received, we’re constantly in the pleasant position of having far more nominations than we can readily research and write about.

This blog features interesting, inspiring, innovative and creative people who are changing the world — one person, one project, one program, one life at a time. They are scientists and artists, humanitarians and environmentalists. They are specialists in technology, energy and media. They are engineers and performers, citizens and businesspeople, medical professionals and soldiers — and they are changing the world. Because it often takes time — sometimes months — to secure permissions, information and photographs of new nominees before we can add them to our website, the blog is the place to go for the most immediate and up-to-date information on the exciting things that our Be the Change community is doing.

The Be the Change blog is the forum for all the nominations we’ve received to Be the Change, updates on Madison’s world changers and their stories, and more! Here you’ll also find interesting links to our people and their work, as well as a Flickr link — http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmu_photography_services/ — to see changes on campus. Perhaps you’ll find the name of one of your former JMU classmates, professors, or students here. Perhaps you’ll find information on compelling programs and projects that are making a difference in the world. Perhaps you have your own story of positive change to share. If you do, feel free to tell us more. You can have a part in writing the story of change!

So tell us. What JMU people do you know out there who are giving of themselves, thinking beyond the ordinary and delivering positive change?  Email us at BetheChange@jmu.edu or post a comment on this blog.

Let us hear from you!