[3][4] Alger is also a legal scholar with expertise on higher education policy and law[5] and co-taught a seminar on leadership in the James Madison University Honors Program.

with high honors in political science with a history minor and a concentration in public policy as a member Phi Beta Kappa.

Before working at Rutgers, Alger served as assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan, where he played a key role.

[11] At both Rutgers and Michigan, he taught courses, seminars and independent studies in law, higher education and public policy.

During his 12 years at JMU, the university had successes in funding (increase in external research funding, and doubled the endowment), sports (moved up to the highest level of football and joined the Sun Belt Conference), and student programs (a new first time student scholarship, and the Madison Center for Civic Engagement launched).

[22] Alger has sung with acclaimed choral groups that have toured internationally, made professional recordings and performed on national television.