Schmidt, James C.
Biography
Chancellor James C. Schmidt was the eighth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 2013-2025. Schmidt grew up in a small town in Minnesota and headed to Winona State University for his undergraduate degree. He holds a doctorate in educational policy and administration
from the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree in business administration from the
University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in political science
from Winona State University. Immediately prior to joining UW-Eau Claire, Chancellor Schmidt served as vice president for university advancement at Winona State University and as executive director of the WSU Foundation board of trustees.
Schmidt began his tenure at UW-Eau Claire in July 2013 with a vision to lead the university into a bold new future centered on a commitment to public good and a charge to move forward with audacity and joy. Schmidt forged partnerships across campus, within the community and throughout the region based on the vision and the values he outlined. During his tenure, some of the advancements he helped lead were: The Mayo Clinic and UW-Eau Claire Master Collaborative Research Agreement; the Rural Health Innovation Alliance; bringing in more than $725 million in public and private investments together to deliver major facilities transformations such as The Sonnentag, Pablo Center at the Confluence, and new and updated buildings and housing on campus; Increased academic opportunities with the addition of 14 undergraduate and six graduate programs in high-demand areas such as healthcare, science and engineering, and professional studies; and expanded athletics opportunities with the addition of programs for men’s soccer and baseball, and women’s lacrosse. In addition to his academic stewardship, Schmidt served as chair of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, vice chair of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He also served on various local and regional boards, including Mayo Clinic Health System Wisconsin, Wisconsin Technology Council, WNB Financial, WiSys Advisory Board, Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp. and the NCAA Board of Governors, among others.
To the students on campus, he will always be known as Chancellor Jim, and they encouraged him to open a Twitter account after he arrived on campus. Through the medium of @ChancellorJim, students came to know the chancellor as the real-life, approachable Chancellor Jim.
Schmidt left UW-Eau Claire to become the next president of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Occupations
- Chancellor -- Date: 2013 - 2025
Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:
Centennial Oral History Collection, 2012-2013
Oral history interviews conducted by students and staff, prior to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Centennial in 2016. The interviews cover a wide range of topics related to the history of the school. Includes digital materials.
Sounds of Eau Claire Oral History Project, 2017-2019
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation Records, 1936-2025 (bulk 1956-2025)
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Memorabilia, 1923-2022
Miscellaneous memorabilia pertaining to UW-Eau Claire. Includes homecoming and winter carnival buttons, sheet music, stickers, photographs, a report card, a diploma, reminiscences of alumni, letterman sweaters, beanies, a football uniform, class ring, a brick from Katharine Thomas Hall, a UW-Eau Claire - Barron County coffee mug, a bronze plaque, etc.
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Office of the Chancellor Correspondence and Subject File, 1936-2014
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire University Centers Activities and Programs Programming Files, 1917-2023
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Homecoming 4
- Audio recordings 3
- Chancellor 3
- Meeting Minutes 3
- Photographs 3
- University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire--Alumni and Alumnae 3
- Winter Carnival 3
- Annual Reports 2
- Athletics 2
- Brochures 2
- Budgets 2
- Correspondence 2
- Davies Student Center 2
- Eau Claire (Wis.) 2
- Faculty 2
- Freshman Beanies 2
- Grants 2
- Interviews 2
- Music 2
- Oral Histories 2
- Posters 2
- Schofield Hall 2
- Transcripts 2
- University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire--Centennial Celebrations, etc 2
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire--History 2
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire-Sports 2
- University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire--Students 2
- World War II 2
- Accreditation (Education) 1
- Artists Series 1
- Audits 1
- Austria (Eur.) 1
- Blue Ox Music Festival 1
- Blugold Marching Band 1
- Bon Iver (Musical Group) 1
- CUBE Fest 1
- Cabaret 1
- Campus Films Series 1
- Campus School (Eau Claire, Wis.) 1
- Carson Park (Eau Claire, Wis.) 1
- Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin 1
- Circle of Excellence 1
- Commencement 1
- Committee Reports 1
- Confluence Project (Eau Claire, Wis.) 1
- Council Oak Tree 1
- Country Jam 1
- Country music festivals—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Crest Commons 1
- Dulany Inn 1
- Eau Claire Jazz Festival 1
- Eau Claire, Wis. – Songs and music 1
- Eaux Claires Music Festival 1
- Ephemera 1
- Financial Records 1
- First Fridays 1
- Folk music festivals—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence Campaign 1
- Fundraising 1
- Germany (Eur.) 1
- HigherGround 1
- Hilltop 1
- Indie music—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Jazz music—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Katharine Thomas Hall 1
- Kent State Shootings, Kent, Ohio, 1970 1
- Membership Records 1
- Memorabilia 1
- Memorial Hall 1
- Minnie Creek 1
- Music festivals—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Music--Instruction and study--Wisconsin--Eau Claire 1
- National Council for Accrediation of Teacher Education 1
- Newsletters 1
- Office Files 1
- Organization Files 1
- Orientation 1
- President 1
- President's Club 1
- Programs 1
- Publications 1
- Putnam Park (Eau Claire, Wis.) 1
- Saint Bede Priory (Eau Claire, Wis.) 1
- Sheet Music 1
- Sneakers 1
- Staff 1
- Student Housing--Wisconsin--Eau Claire 1
- Student Organizations 1
- Student Unions--Wisconsin--Eau Claire 1
- Student activities—Wisconsin—Eau Claire 1
- Summer Session 1
- Tax Records 1
- The Cabin 1
- The Forum Series 1
- The Power of Possible Centennial Campaign 1
- United States--National Youth Administration 1
- Universities and colleges – Wisconsin – Eau Claire. 1
- University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Foundation, Inc.--History 1
- University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire--Endowments 1
- University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire--Finance 1 + ∧ less