Alumni Profiles
Jim and Jeanne Madison
Jim and Jeanne Madison
Degree: Jim Madison, MA’68, PhD’72
Degree: Jeanne Madison, MA’68
A Lifetime’s Learning at IU
Jim and Jeanne Madison don’t just believe in lifelong learning at Indiana University. They live it on a daily basis.
The Madisons first arrived in Bloomington as graduate students in the mid-’60s and have developed a lifelong relationship with their alma mater. Jeanne serves as co-director of IU’s award-winning Mini University — which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. Jim is Thomas and Kathryn Miller Professor of history and the recipient of numerous campus and university teaching awards.
In addition to his faculty appointment, Jim has taught many courses for Mini University as well as for the Hoosier Travelers and other lifelong learning programs. Jeanne helps program Mini U and Bloomington Continuing Studies’ professional development and lifelong learning courses.
Mini University is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country, a fact that fills Jeanne with great pride.
“I’ve been able to see all the positive sides of the university through [Mini U],” she says. “[Of] the people who come back to Mini year after year — last year 500 people came — only 52% are IU alums. But the rest of the people have adopted IU, have become honorary IU alums, and often thank us in very tangible ways. So that is exciting. I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of the good things IU does and find it very fulfilling to connect.”
Summing up the couple’s motivation to give back to IU, Jim says, “I guess I am a little more willing to say ‘yes’ when asked to do something for the university [and for] alumni because I feel respect and gratitude [for IU]. Most people who graduate from the university and who have had some degree of success feel an obligation [to give back], and they ought to feel an obligation … Somewhere along the way they had really good teachers and really good opportunities to learn, and I think there is an obligation to be grateful for that.”
