Jonathan Alger

Inaugural America 250 Fellow; Former university president, James Madison University, American University

Jonathan Alger, a nationally recognized leader and scholar in higher education law, was appointed as the inaugural America 250 Fellow in 2026, a national fellowship created in collaboration between the American Council on Education (ACE) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The fellowship reflects a shared commitment to reinforcing the democratic mission of higher education at a pivotal moment as the United States marks its 250th anniversary.

Alger guided American University as the institution’s 16th president from 2024-2026, and James Madison University to unprecedented success in the same role from 2012-2024. He has also served on the governing boards of both ACE and AAC&U, as a past chair of the boards of Campus Compact and the National Association of College and University Attorneys, and of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Presidents Council.

Actively working on on legal and policy issues related to college athletics for many years, Alger has served on the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee since 2018. From 2014-16, he served on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors (including on working groups related to preparation for life after sport, and legal issues) and on the Presidential Advisory Group. His other board memberships included the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), where he was the the Governance working group co-chair, and has previously served as board chair (2016-18) and as chair of a commissioner search. He has given presentations on the presidential perspective on college athletics at several NCAA events as well as to the Sports Lawyers Association.

As a lawyer, Alger has worked extensively on legal issues impacting college sports. As Assistant General Counsel at the University of Michigan and as General Counsel at Rutgers University, he provided legal support and guidance for the athletic departments at those institutions (including in a leadership role with the Rutgers Athletics Review Committee that focused on policy and governance issues). He is a nationally recognized expert on diversity and inclusion in higher education, having previously helped develop national policy on issues under Title IX and Title VI at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Since 2016, he has served as a presidential mentor for five mentees through the NCAA Pathways Program (focused on women and individuals of color who aspire to leadership positions in college athletics).

Alger began his legal career in the Labor and Employment Section of the international law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he worked with clients such as Major League Baseball. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard Law School.