Amber DeJohn, a Michigan State University undergraduate student, has earned the nationally competitive Beinecke Scholarship, which pays for graduate studies in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
DeJohn is an Honors College junior majoring in political theory and constitutional democracy in James Madison College and economic geography in the College of Social Science. She is MSU’s third Beinecke Scholar since 2011, which is when the university was invited to be a nominating institution.
“Receiving the Beinecke is beyond anything I could have imagined,” DeJohn said. “I want to thank the Spartan professors, staff and friends who were so encouraging and integral in this process. This scholarship will be instrumental as I continue my education, and I hope the work I do moving forward makes me worthy of this honor.”
During her time at MSU, DeJohn has conducted research under professor Bruce Pigozzi regarding Genesee County’s Transport Authority, with a focus on the mass transit authority’s routes in relation to populations living in poverty.
As a legislative intern in Lansing, DeJohn assisted with policy research on transportation bills and constituent response. She is currently a student assistant for the Michigan Department of Transportation, working in the data inventory and integration division.
A graduate of Davison High School, DeJohn is the committee chair of the MSU Model United Nations, as well as assistant vice president of technology and operations for the MSU International Relations Organization.
She was awarded the Edward J. Barant Scholarship as a freshman at MSU, an award given to an undergraduate with proven leadership through extracurricular activities and community service.
“Amber has already demonstrated a commitment to graduate studies and an ensuing career that will enable her to collaborate with economic development organizations to impact transportation development in urban communities,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College. “Her drive, determination and intellectual acumen are cornerstones of her success to date and will enable her to continue to excel in her chosen field.”
Originally posted on MSU Today.
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JMC Student Gerena Walker (SRP Junior) Selected as a 2017 Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) Fellow at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
The Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) is a not-for-profit that has been supporting efforts to increase diversity in public service for over 30 years. PPIA believes that our society is best served by public managers, policy makers, and community leaders who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. To achieve this goal, PPIA has an outreach focus on students from groups who are underrepresented in leadership positions in government, nonprofits, international organizations and other institutional settings. Furthermore, international affairs are increasingly mixed with local concerns. Addressing such global issues make diversity a critical goal in professional public service.
On her acceptance to PPIA, Gerena said:
"I first knew of this program from it being advertised from Max Olivero in the newsletter. I always look toward opportunities, especially resourceful and financial due to my personal status lacking in the two. When I applied to this I honestly didn't know if I would get it due to my constant struggle of performance in school, however, I made sure I went the extra mile with my application and went to talk to U of M to give an intimate approach about myself. Getting this opportunity was not something just to add to a resume, or just to honor myself with an achievement. I needed this opportunity to help me for grad school as the courses present in the program mirror graduate classes as well as the GRE prep that is given throughout the program. This program has truly opened doors for me for grad school in which I wouldn't only be prepared for grad school, but also professionally matured and financially assisted."
Amber DeJohn has been nominated by Michigan State University for the nationally competitive Beinecke Scholarship, which pays for graduate studies in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
DeJohn is an Honors College junior majoring in political theory and constitutional democracy in James Madison College and economic geography in the College of Social Science.
MSU has produced two Beinecke Scholars since 2011, which is when the university was invited to be a nominating institution. The National and International Fellowships and Scholarships (NIFS) Office, administered by the Honors College, helps interested undergraduate and graduate students to pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes.
“Amber’s leadership, academic success and drive to seek solutions to important issues make her an excellent nominee for the Beinecke Scholarship,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College. “The path she is pursuing is challenging but rewarding, and Michigan State University is proud to support Amber in her future endeavors.”
DeJohn has conducted research under Professor Bruce Pigozzi regarding the Genesee County’s Transport Authority, with a focus on the mass transit authority’s routes in relation to populations living in poverty. As a legislative intern in Lansing, DeJohn assisted with policy research on transportation bills and constituent response. She is currently a student assistant for the Michigan Department of Transportation, working in the data inventory and integration division.
A graduate of Davison High School, DeJohn is the committee chair of the MSU Model United Nations, as well as assistant vice president of technology and operations for the MSU International Relations Organization.
See the original story here.
Four undergraduate student leaders have been nominated by Michigan State University for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. 
MSU’s nominees for the scholarship include: Ewurama Appiagyei-Dankah, an Honors College junior majoring in social relations and policy in James Madison College; Celia Hallan, an Honors College junior majoring in environmental geography in the College of Social Science and international relations in James Madison College; Hannah MacDonald, an Honors College junior majoring in earth science in the College of Natural Science; and Tristyn Walton, an Honors College junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies and public policy in the College of Social Science.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation recognizes college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to affecting change through public service by providing them with financial support for graduate study, leadership training, and fellowship with other students.
The National and International Fellowships and Scholarships (NIFS) Office, administered by the Honors College, helps interested undergraduate and graduate students to pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes.
Michigan State University has produced 16 Truman Scholars.
“These individuals have shown that they can be change agents in their respective communities,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the MSU Honors College. “This nomination from Michigan State University is a vote of confidence that all four of these students will undoubtedly have a positive impact throughout their careers.”
Appiagyei-Dankah is from Ada, Michigan and a graduate of Forest Hills Central High School. As a member of the Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign, MSU College Democrats and MSU Spartans for Hillary, she encouraged many students to register to vote in the 2016 presidential election.
Hallan is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated from Southwest High School. She is the founding member, secretary and campaign manager of the Spartan Sierra Club. She is also a leader of Students for Social Justice and the Environment on campus.
MacDonald is from Alpena, Michigan and a graduate from Alpena High School. MacDonald is the service and recruitment chair for the Spartan Sierra Club. Additionally, she is a youth leadership council member for EarthEcho International, where she speaks to youth about environmental stewardship.
Walton is from Detroit, Michigan and a graduate of Renaissance High School. She is part of the Social Science Scholars Program and a member of the Tower Guard and Michigan State University Model United Nations.
Read the original story here.
Matthew Zierler has been appointed associate dean for the Honors College, effective January 1, 2017.
Zierler, an associate professor in James Madison College, has served as an Honors College faculty fellow with the National/International Fellowships & Scholarships (NIFS) Office since August 2013. Prior to that appointment, Zierler served for 10 years as a member of the MSU selection committees for the James C. Gaither Jr. Fellows Program (formerly Carnegie Junior Fellows Program), Marshall Scholarship, Mitchell Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship and Truman Scholarship.
As an Honors College faculty fellow, Zierler has been integral in recruiting and mentoring high-achieving students applying for major awards, and reaching out to other MSU faculty and advisers during the competitive application process. He has also supervised eight honors theses in James Madison College and provided honors options for students in nearly every course he’s taught.
As associate dean, Zierler will focus on academic affairs for the Honors College.
“I appreciate Dr. Zierler’s thoughtfulness, expertise and enduring commitment to honors education and look forward to working with him in this expanded role as associate dean,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College.
Zierler has been on the faculty of James Madison College since August 2003. His appointment will be split 50-50 between the Honors College and James Madison College.
“While I will be continuing to work with the talented and motivated students of the Honors College, I look forward to this new role and working to enhance the academic opportunities available to this set of students across campus,” Zierler said.
Zierler earned his bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University and his master’s degree and doctorate degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
His research and teaching interests are in foreign policy, international security, international relations theory, international law, and international cooperation. Zierler has also led a study abroad program to Brussels, Belgium on six occasions, and has served as a visiting faculty member at ADA University in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Read the original story on the MSU Honors College website.
A James Madison College professor is the first recipient of a Michigan State University teaching award that recognizes innovation in the classroom.
Colleen Tremonte today was saluted with the inaugural President’s Distinguished Teaching Award. MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon presented it to her in a surprise visit to the Film, History and Nation class Tremonte teaches in Case Hall.
“Professor Tremonte’s record is that of a exceptional teacher who uses cutting-edge pedagogy in her courses, and who is deeply committed to interdisciplinary studies,” Simon said. “Generations of students have testified to her life-changing courses, from first-year writing to courses on nationalism and film, on post-colonialism, and women and power.”
Tremonte also is known as a “teacher of teachers,” having made substantial contributions in the scholarship of teaching and learning. She created and directs the Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Teaching Fellowship for graduate students.
The award recognizes faculty who:
The award, which recognizes the role faculty play in creating innovative environments that enable student learning within and across disciplinary, cultural and ethnic boundaries, is provided through an endowment from MSU professor Carl Liedholm and his wife Margaret Liedholm.
“In my experience, there are very few people in our lives who exert such a profound effect that we can trace back entire patterns of thinking and working to their influence,” said Greta Stahl, a former student of Tremonte’s. “I say, without a doubt in my mind, that Dr. Tremonte has been one of these people in my life, and I feel deeply grateful to have known her and to have learned from her. She is a unique and important asset to MSU and could not be more deserving of this award.”
The award comes with a monetary prize of $3,000 and will be officially conferred during the All University Awards ceremony in the spring of 2017.
(Read the original post at MSU Today)
Joel Arnold, a recent Michigan State University graduate with degrees in social relations and policy from James Madison College and urban and regional planning from the College of Social Science; and Margaret Born, an Honors College senior majoring in comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and Arabic in the College of Arts and Letters, are two of 12 students in the country to earn the Mitchell Scholarship, which is a competitive graduate school scholarship.
Arnold and Born are two of the three Mitchell Scholars from MSU. The last Mitchell Scholar from MSU was selected in 2001.
The U.S.-Ireland Alliance established the George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program, which allows up to 12 future American leaders to pursue a year of graduate study in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“Congratulations to Joel and Margaret on receiving this prestigious recognition,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “As Spartans, they have the talent and tenacity to make an extraordinary impact. I join the entire MSU community in wishing Joel and Margaret good luck on their journeys to make the world a better place.”
The National and International Fellowship and Scholarship (NIFS) office at Michigan State University, administered by the Honors College, helps interested undergraduate and graduate students to pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes.
“Joel and Margaret’s curiosity and thirst for knowledge will take them far in this world,” said MSU Honors College Dean Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore. “Congratulations to them for earning this high honor. I would also like to acknowledge the importance of faculty and other mentors who provided support and encouragement to MSU’s newest Mitchell Scholars.”
Arnold grew up in Flint and part of his decision for his studies was because of the economic collapse of his hometown. Through his roles as blight management analyst and master planning intern for the city of Flint, he has come to understand and is committed to helping solve the problems of not only Flint, but also other areas that have fallen on hard times.
“I am honored to have been awarded the prestigious George Mitchell Scholarship,” Arnold said. “I plan to use the Mitchell to study how communities change and adapt to challenging economic circumstances, and Ireland provides a uniquely enriching environment to study in. The opportunities that were presented to me as a student at Michigan State helped to sharpen my desire to lead, and I look forward to this opportunity and the potential it offers.”
As an undergraduate, Arnold expanded a program called “LiveWorkDetroit!” to MSU. The program is designed to keep Michigan college graduates in state and reverse the effects of the “brain drain” occurring in cities like Detroit. He also studied abroad at Regent’s University in London. He graduated from Davison High School.
Arnold plans to study social policy and urban planning in Ireland.
“Joel just combines boundless energy with an unwavering desire to improve the world around him,” said James Madison College Associate Professor Constance Hunt. “He has dedicated himself in his scholarly work, leadership and service to address the deeply intransigent challenges in urban America, especially within Michigan, where some of the hardest hit manufacturing cities are.”
Born is the founder and president of Project Nur, a student organization devoted to combating Islamophobia through education and cross-cultural interaction. She has also served as caucus chair and leader for inclusion on the James Madison College Student Senate.
“I consider myself impossibly fortunate for this opportunity,” Born said. “I believe that understanding conflict requires a holistic approach, and at Dublin City University I will be able to study the intersection of development, environment and conflict. I am so grateful to everyone who made this dream a reality.”
Born has held internships with the Michigan House of Representatives and Refugee Development Center, and served as program aide at the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique. Born now works as a peer adviser for the MSU Office of Study Abroad. Born is from Jackson, Wyoming, and graduated from Natrona County High School.
She plans to study international peace studies in Ireland.
“Maggie has a large dose of humility and generosity along with outstanding intellectual and leadership abilities,” said James Madison College Associate Professor Jennifer Goett. “She does not engage in activities to pad her resume or feed her ego, but instead acts from a place of passion and commitment to social justice.”
Read the original article on MSU Today.
Two JMC Alumni, Bruce Feaster and Bob Haun, passed away on November 10, 2016
Bruce Sullivan Feaster (JMC-Urban, ’83) devoted his life to public service and advancing civil rights. Bruce was active in the MSU Black Alumni Association and a proud graduate of MSU and JMC. Funeral arrangements, photographs and information gathered by family and friends to share with the Madison and MSU communities are available here.
Robert Willard Haun (JMC-Urban, ’76) entered Madison with the first class in the fall of 1967. Bob is remembered fondly by his friends and classmates. He lived in Michigan since he graduated from MSU, most recently in the Lansing area. Funeral arrangements and other resources are available here.
JMC junior Gerena Walker (SRP) has been awarded the first Kahan Memorial Scholarship to participate in the fall 2016 MSU Study Away Program in Washington D.C. The inaugural Rachel P. Kahan Memorial Scholarship honors JMC alumna Rachel Kahan, '07 IR/Muslin Studies graduate, who passed away at the age of 26. “I don’t have any money at all, so I have to work and do so many things to pay for things,” said Walker. “If I didn’t get this scholarship, along with another scholarship from James Madison College, I wouldn’t be able to go to D.C.” The Kahan Memorial Scholarship strives to honor her enthusiastic spirit of community engagement.
Madison will partner with the MSU Graduate School again next year to run the Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Teaching Fellowship Program (IIT), a mentoring program for doctoral students at MSU who are interested in undergraduate teaching. This year the fellows will be focusing on teaching and technology in undergraduate public affairs programs. Colleen Tremonte is director of this program. The 2016-2017 IIT Fellows are: Carrie Li - School of Criminal Justice, College of Social Science; Samuel Mindes - Department of Sociology, College of Social Science; Sudha Sankar - Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Social Science; Erin Schaeffer - Department of Rhetoric and Writing, College of Arts and Letters; Heather Turner - Department of Rhetoric and Writing, College of Arts and Letters; Adrienne Tyrey - Department of History, College of Arts and Letters.
The primary goal of the IIT Fellowship Program is to broaden and enrich the professional development experience of a diverse group of graduate students by placing them within an environment, James Madison College, with an established tradition in excellence in undergraduate teaching. Selected fellows work closely with a core group of Madison faculty to engage in structured discussions on pedagogy and practice, on interdisciplinary course design and curriculum development, and on general interaction with undergraduates. They also work with core faculty to investigate theoretical and practical applications of interdisciplinary inquiry and research.
In addition to structured discussions, fellows have opportunities to be mentored in preparing to be undergraduate teachers and faculty. Such opportunities include classroom observation, guest lecturing, co-curricular planning, and informal meetings with student groups (e.g. honors options).
Fellows also have opportunities to engage in individual or collaborative research projects in interdisciplinary teaching, and to present their findings in a public forum. Support for this project work will include a speakers series, a working papers series, and the interdiciplinary inquiry collaborative.
2016 JMC graduate Sarah Kovan, a Rhodes Scholar, has been awarded the Dr. James Feurig Achievement & Service Award. The award is presented by MSU athletics to a male or female graduating senior involved in athletics as a competitor or in a supporting role. In addition to athletic and academic success, they should demonstrate involvement in school/campus and community activities.
James Madison College Commencement 2016
JMC's Commencement video is available for viewing
Commencement speaker, Robert L. Green, Ph.D. and Dean and Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University
Robert L. Green, who holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Michigan State University (MSU) and B.A and M.A. from San Francisco State College, is a former president of the University of the District of Columbia and former dean of the College of Urban Development at MSU. From 1965-1967, Dr. Green worked for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dr. Green is dean and professor emeritus, Urban Affairs Programs, MSU.
A nationally known scholar, Dr. Green is an expert on education, urban development and issues related to diversity. He has advised mayors, state legislators and community leaders on policy and provided counsel to college presidents and administrators on curriculum and faculty development. In addition, he has served on court-appointed committees in cases involving education-related fair employment issues and provides consulting services to corporate leaders, advising them on employee morale, productivity and workforce diversity. More…
Robert Green's book is available: At the Crossroads of Fear and Freedom, The Fight for Social and Educational Justice
Robert L. Green, Ph.D., Dean and Professor Emeritus and Distinguished Alumnus James Madison College Commencement Address Michigan State University Leadership: Then and Now
Dean Sherman Garnett, James Madison faculty, James Madison graduates and proud parents -- I’m honored to serve as commencement speaker for a college that has earned its reputation as a global leader in public service and public affairs.
For nearly 50 years, James Madison College graduates have been providing thoughtful and helpful leadership in government, politics, public policy, law, business and in the nonprofit sector.
I actually witnessed the birth of James Madison College.
In 1967, the year James Madison College was founded, Herb Garfinkle, the first dean of JMC, invited me to join a committee that would be developing an intergroup studies curriculum for the college. Today, it might be called a social justice curriculum.
This kind of curriculum committee was rare in the nation at that time but, at Michigan State, it was an extension of a mindset established by MSU President John Hannah, who served as chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission under President Eisenhower, President Kennedy and President Johnson. Much of this MSU commitment to using education to engender social justice is covered in my most recent book, “At the Crossroads of Fear and Freedom,” which is available via MSU Press.
We note, in the book, that the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a consequential visit to Michigan State in 1965, a visit I helped arranged as a young MSU professor, along with Rev. John Duley, a university chaplain at the time.
Dr. King made that visit to give a speech to help MSU kick off a fundraising drive for an initiative called the Student Education Program or STEP. He knew STEP would be significant because it would fund the first student-administered educational social justice outreach program of its kind in the country.
With funding generated under STEP, students and faculty volunteers would later that year go to Holly Springs, Mississippi to help provide instruction and tutoring services in the area’s racially segregated schools to students at Rust College, a historically black school in that community. Some James Madison students were among the volunteers. This required courage because Mississippi was one of the most dangerous places for black and white supporters of equal rights who dared to come to the South to work for social, political and economic justice. For many Southern whites, black lives were cheap and could be taken with no consequences. This instilled deep fear of social change activism among many African Americans, terror that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – more than any individual in American life – helped overcome.
However, Dr. King also had another objective that had not been publicly announced – a goal I’ll explain later.
Faculty, staff, students and residents from East Lansing and Lansing filled the MSU Auditorium and the overflow packed into Fairchild Theater to hear an audio feed of the speech.
The turnout may have been reassuring to Dr. King because he was eager to engage and involve university communities – scholars and students – in the fight for social justice. Dr. King knew that Michigan State could be a platform for such activism because it was a globally conscious, solutions-oriented institution with visionary leadership.
Dr. King made reference to that leadership during one portion of his speech, a segment on the need for voting rights for African Americans.
“We need new federal legislation that will bring into being federal registrars,” King said. “This is asking for nothing new. The great president of this university who has served in such a magnificent manner with the Civil Rights Commission, joined with that commission in making a recommendation – years ago – that there should be federal registrars after studying patterns of [racial] discrimination all over the South.”
To be sure, both President Hannah and Dr. King – my mentor and friend – realized that education was a key to social justice and equal rights. Indeed, millions of African Americans migrated from the South to the North and West to escape tyranny and provide their children with educational opportunities. For example, my father and mother, with only fourth grade and sixth grade educations respectively, moved from Georgia to Detroit and raised nine children – instilling all of them with an understanding of the power of education. Education does matter. The result to date – the sons, daughters and grandchildren of my brothers and sisters have earned 175 degrees. One of my brothers had eight daughters. All of them have M.D.s or Ph.D.s.
One of my nephews, Omari Bouknight, is a 1999 of James Madison College graduate who now serves as a senior vice president of a German company. He is fluent in German and Italian. He is one of many of outstanding James Madison graduates.
Dr. King knew education was a key to change and he made that connection clear when he explained his reason for his 1965 visit to MSU to raise money for Michigan State’s STEP program. However, he also had a second unannounced goal – to engage and recruit a university faculty member to join his staff. He wanted a professor who could lead efforts to improve education and literacy, particularly in Southern states that were using literacy tests to prevent blacks from voting. Dr. King also wanted a professor who could help rally support from faculty and students on college campuses nationwide.
To my surprise, in a private conversation immediately after he completed his MSU speech, he asked me to serve that role. I decided to take a one-year leave of absence to help Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in their fight to overcome injustice in American life. President Hannah approved my request for the leave.
A short time after the STEP program fundraiser, I – along with a few MSU student and faculty volunteers – went to Holly Springs, Mississippi to begin work on education programs that would advance voting rights and help improve instruction at Rust College.
I was confronted, right away, with the discrimination that permeated everything in the South when a Holly Springs public library refused to give me and the MSU volunteers library cards that would have made our efforts to gather research on the region easier simply because we were Civil Rights activists. These were books purchased with taxpayers’ money – including black taxpayers.
The following year, in 1966, I was at work at Dr. King’s headquarters in Atlanta when we learned that James Meredith, an activist who had endured threats and violence when he was admitted as the first black student at the University of Mississippi, had been shot in the back and wounded early in his one-person march from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi – a trek that he had called the “March Against Fear.”
Dr. King and the other prominent Civil Rights leaders decided to take up that March Against Fear to expose racial violence and to register blacks to vote in the wake of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Because Dr. King had some travel commitments that would sometimes take him away from the march, he selected me and another activist – Hosea Williams – to help lead the march during his absences. Initially, there were only about 30 marchers. By the time we reached the destination, Jackson, Mississippi, the marchers numbered in the thousands – a good number of MSU students among them.
Between the start of the march in Memphis and our arrival in Jackson, we were threatened, tear-gassed and beaten by state troopers. Even journalists covering the march were attacked by local people. The marchers and media were attacked merely because they wanted African Americans to have the freedom to exercise their right to vote. During the march, we registered thousands of new voters and struck a blow against racial terrorism.
I’d like to make some comparisons about social justice leadership – then and now.
MSU faculty and students continued to demonstrate social justice leadership in the late 60s and the 1970s. In 1972, I – along with MSU psychiatry professor Tom Gunnings and Joseph McMillan, MSU vice president for human relations – decided to produce a report that would document discrimination in the hiring of black sports referees and black coaches in the Big Ten conference. When MSU black football and basketball players learned of this study, they supported us by threatening to refuse to play unless the conference addressed these inequities. They also threatened to recruit black players from other Big Ten schools to join the boycott.
Dr. Gunnings, Dr. McMillan and I – along with support from student athletes from MSU, Notre Dame and Northwestern – presented the result of the study to Big Ten Commissioner Wayne Duke. When faced with the facts in the report and the threat of an embarrassing boycott, the Big Ten embraced the study and adopted measures to address discrimination. Subsequently, university athletic conferences nationwide followed suit. Once again, MSU faculty and students played a role in the fight for equal rights and social justice. When I watch a college sporting event and see black officials or referees, I think about our achievement when I was dean of College of Urban Development at Michigan State.
Last year, 43 years after the Big Ten showdown, black players on the University of Missouri football team – supporting protests against the lack of an administrative response to racial harassment on campus – announced they would not play unless the university president resigned. That resignation was announced a short time later.
Leadership: then and now...
In 1973, after several years of faculty and student demands for the creation of a college that would address urban problems, MSU established the College of Urban Development and selected me as dean. Ushered in under the leadership of MSU President Clifton Wharton, the first black president of a major American university, the College of Urban Development provided instruction and field work opportunities to address health and education problems and conflict in cities. The college had been disbanded for fiscal reasons before I decided to leave MSU in 1983 to become president of the University of the District Columbia. President Wharton lamented the closing of the college in his recent memoir.
I returned to MSU in 1997 to serve as professor at the David Walker Institute to supervise graduate student research on social justice and equity issues. Among them was Bradley Carl, a dedicated white graduate student who won a Robert L. Green Scholarship to conduct research on educational equity. He is now a distinguished professor of education at the University of Wisconsin who also works on educational equity issues in the Milwaukee schools.
Leadership: then and now...
In November of 2015, black students at many universities conducted coordinated protests to bring attention to racially hostility on campuses and the need for the creation of curricula and college units that would improve public understanding of social equity issues. Also, last March, a newly formed group of students at Western Washington University, conducted protests and called on the institution to create a college that would focus on social justice and equity.
Leadership: then and now...
MSU faculty and students in the 1960s protested against police brutality, including the brutal treatment of Civil Rights activists. Today, faculty and students at many universities nationwide are among those supporting a Black Lives Matter movement that was prompted by videotapes of a spate of police-involved killings of African Americans.
Leadership: then and now...
Just as we had the leadership of Hannah and Wharton, we now have the leadership of President Lou Anna Simon. President Simon’s 60/50 project has prompted the Spartan family to reflect on the value of inclusiveness in a multicultural campus and country. To advance scholarship on change and social justice, she recently created the “Martin Luther King Jr. Advancing Inclusion through Research Award,” a competition of best research papers by students at Honors College, James Madison College, Lyman Briggs College and the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities.
First prize was awarded to Kairsten Nitsch for her research paper, “Structural Racism and Normalized Whiteness as Driving Forces in Racialized Urban Agricultural Movements.” Nitsch is a member of James Madison College and is also in the Honors College.
Second prize was awarded to Ewurama Dankah for her research paper, “Affirmative Action and Postsecondary Education.” Dankah is a member of both James Madison College and the Honors College.
Considering that there are so many parallel leadership efforts – from the 60s and 70s to now – to advance civil and human rights, one might conclude we haven’t made much progress. We have made some progress. Consider our own university. In my early years on this campus, an African American male could not get a haircut at the Student Union. When John Hannah learned of this, he ended this denial of service by personally accompanying a black student to get a haircut. And yes, we once had segregation practices at MSU dormitories. However, today the head of residential housing at MSU, Vinnie Gore, is an African American.
Let’s turn briefly to the fight for social justice abroad. MSU faculty and students led the fight to end the legalized racial oppression in South Africa known as apartheid. Apartheid was not just racial segregation. It was a system that also denied blacks political rights and economic opportunities.
I first went to South Africa in 1974 with tennis great Arthur Ashe and Civil Rights icon Andrew Young to bring attention to this brutal system. MSU activists – faculty and students – helped bring an end to apartheid by mounting campaigns that prompted Michigan State in 1978 to divest their financial holdings in U.S. companies that did business in South Africa, prompting a nationwide divestment movement that hastened the end of apartheid. That was leadership on the campus level.
However, there is more to be done. I just returned from South Africa where I witnessed the residual effects of apartheid – the continuing economic subjugation of the black majority. Meanwhile, there are also growing economic disparities in the United States that need to be addressed by a new generation of activist faculty and students.
When it comes to encouraging a continuation of campus support for social change, we should consider the following proposals. One, university leaders and faculty should listen to students as it relates to making curriculum more relevant to our current challenges. Two, students should listen to university leaders and faculty because many also want a more inclusive society. And three, all of us should search for common ground by sharing our insights and scholarship on social justice issues.
We have made some progress but not nearly enough. The lesson is to be diligent and to continue to push for change – something James Madison graduates have done in many arenas.
Again consider the past and the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality...I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies – education and culture for their minds and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”
Now, also consider President Simon’s current message relating to her 60/50 project, an initiative she described as a 21st century opportunity to “learn from failure, empowering all of us to collaborate, create, explore and discover.”
I support that call. Go forth James Madison graduates and help make the change that will create a better world. Thank you.
New Graduate Commencement Speech 2016
By Chelsea Austin
Thank you faculty and staff, welcome friends and family, and congratulations to the class of 2016.
What is community? I’m not looking for a text book definition. To me it is the feeling of togetherness shared between people who have the same experiences. Here at Michigan State we have a Spartan community. Like if I say “Go Green” you say “______”.
Before coming to Michigan State University, I had my reservations. I was nervous that I would go from a school with a senior class half of this size, to a B1G university that I would get lost in. I was terrified that I would just become a number, a faceless student among the masses with no sense of community outside of the innate urge to yell “Go White” when I heard someone call “Go Green”. My freshmen year I longed to be a part of a community. Living on the 6th floor of south case at the very end of the hall did not get me a lot of visitors, let alone Madison visitors knocking down my door to study. I can’t tell you the amount of hours my roommate and I spent eating Jet’s pizza and watching Dexter alone in our room like hermit crabs.
My first experience being an active member in James Madison came on January 18, 2013. That was the day Ms. Jasmine Lee told me I had to make friends and to do so I needed to go on the MADI retreat. I never thought of myself as a person who had trouble making friends, but she did have a point. So I packed my bags, got into a van with strangers and traveled to Jackson, MI for a weekend of leadership challenges and team building. That trip changed my entire Madison experience. I came back with my very best friends. I felt that in order to be successful in James Madison College, I needed to be apart of this tight-knit community.
I went from the Jet’s pizza man knowing me by name and anticipating my order, to staying up until three in the morning “studying” while watching Degrassi in the basement with my friends. We came up with silly names for our group and we made life long memories. From that point on I had the confidence to thrive within this community. I joined clubs and groups on campus, I attended Madison sanctioned programs and events, and I even began working as a manager for the Michigan State University wrestling team, which was an experience.
As I immersed myself into the MSU culture, I realized my communities grew larger, but also intertwined with one another. When I needed to wind down from a week of intense RA incidents, I knew I could grab my two favorite Case Hall RA’s for a night out at buffalo wild wings. If I was stressed from a weekend wrestling trip, I knew that I could rely on a great time with “The Chelsea’s” even though only 2 of the 4 in our group actually have the name Chelsea.
Being a part of the James Madison community is something special. It is rare to find an entire college who has the ability to pretend to like writing 15 page papers. Although we are all different we all have those key Madison memories that some could call core memories. The feeling of despair while writing the first MC 201 paper, the feeling of shock from receiving you grade from the first MC 201 paper. That feeling of accomplishment when you received your first grade that made you smile and call your mom crying. That feeling you had when you first realize that coming to Madison was the best decision you could have ever made. Although your parents call your major pre-law, and your non-Madison friends think the majors are just different combinations of the alphabet, you know that you have a people all over the world who understand exactly what you are going through. The James Madison community is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Although being in Madison is far from being a cake walk, an important factor in many student’s successes in the college are the faculty and staff. For me that includes a few people in particular. Prof. Gene Burns awakened my love for travel. I won’t forget the amazing study abroad to London where Prof. Burns led our class through the Roman ruins while trailing after his mother-in-law who set a surprisingly brisk pace we struggled to keep up with. Prof. Connie Hunt showed me that I should not be surprised by my Madison success, but I should instead embrace it. I will forever appreciate the multiple meetings of personal statement revisions where she pushed me to explore the reasons why I want to be a sports lawyer. Prof. Louise Jezeirski helped me to explore the world of real-life Madison experiences. With her help, I was able to use my knowledge of social justice issues and community outreach to be successful in a work environment that holds those values in high esteem. And last but certainly not least, the Dr. Jasmine Lee, has been the shoulder to cry on and voice of reason (even if I didn’t want to hear it) that I needed throughout my Madison career. Although, she introduces us as her kids to respectable members in the community, I feel that she is one of my closest friends in the college.
I know that I would not have gotten through the stress and chaos of college, let alone Madison, without the love and support of my friends and family. My parents and brother have always been there to put a smile on my face even through stressful times like finals and midterms. They are there to brag about me, comfort me and even yell at me when I need it. You have truly made me the strong, independent, black woman I am today. My grandparents, aunts and uncles (who are here today all the way from Pittsburgh, Jersey and Delaware) have never hesitated to show me how proud they are of me and I absolutely love that about them. As far as my friends go, they are the smartest, craziest, most interesting people I have ever met and I would not have it any other way. Without Demasi, Jocelyn, Chelcie and Justin in my life I would not be the person I am today. You four have truly made my experience here in Madison something that I can look back on and remember for the rest of my life. Today is not goodbye, because I know we will stay in each other’s lives forever. And if you have taught me nothing else, because I’ve learned that whatever it takes, I know I can make it through.
So today I ask you to reflect on your time here. Remember the headaches, heart aches and tough breaks that made you the strong, confident and intelligent adult you are today. Remember the late nights, early mornings and those crazy stories for the grandkids, that helped shaped your character and moral fiber. Whenever it seems like life is getting to be too much, remember you have all of us to lean on. No matter what the future has in store for you whether that be law school, grad school, political office or whatever, you will always be a part of the Madison community.
Go Green!
Congratulations to IR sophomore Landon Fortenberry, recipient of a Boren Scholarship to study Mandarin in China for the summer and the 2016-17 academic year
MSU has produced 36 Boren award recipients since 1991.
Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students studying in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. national security interests.
This year, there were 165 awards nationwide from a pool of 820 applicants.
Fortenberry will study Mandarin in China for the summer and the 2016-17 academic year. Originally from Muskegon, Fortenberry wants to be a U.S. diplomat.
PRESS RELEASE
Frank H. Knight Scholarship Award
April 12, 2016
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the selection of Andrew Michael Reside as the recipient of the Frank H. Knight Scholarship in 2016. Mr. Reside is a Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy major in James Madison College, with a minor in Political Economy. Mr. Reside is a native of Oakland County, Michigan.
The Knight Scholarship of $500 is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy major whose undergraduate work exemplifies an intellectual curiosity for the practical application of where economic principles, political theory, and ethical deliberation intersect. The scholarship was created by Tiberian Advisers, LLC, the company founded by James Madison College alumnus Bradley Dizik (PTCD, 2006). Mr. Dizik created the Knight Scholarship in appreciation for the education his professors at the College provided him in political theory, ethics and economic principles. An anti-corruption and financial regulatory attorney, Mr. Dizik's career is dedicated to helping his clients understand how ethical and economic principles can inform and support their decision making and business processes. Mr. Dizik chose to name the scholarship for the noted economist Frank H. Knight (1885-1972), Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor of Social Science and Philosophy at the University of Chicago, who helped make the integration of politics, economics, and ethics integral to the emerging field of constitutional political economy.
Mr. Reside intends to base his career around the intersection of economic principles, political theory, and ethics. He will be graduating from James Madison College in December 2016, and will be attending law school after graduation to study corporate law and financial regulation.
April 13, 2016
EAST LANSING — More than a dozen current and former Michigan State University students and faculty huddled inside Case Hall's James Madison College library Saturday morning, as flakes of snow began to slowly descend upon the sleepy East Lansing campus.
Their mission was simple: get through J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" in one sitting. Participants took turns reading aloud the musing of the book's protagonist Holden Caulfield, a collection of snacks and beverages aiding them in their marathon session.
2016 marked the 13th year James Madison students and faculty gathered to read together, said Rod Phillips , an associate professor in the college.
"It's an interesting way to hear a book in its full sweep," said Philips, adding that aspects such as humor and word play come out more prominently when reading a book aloud.
Members of James Madison's Madhouse organization held up several book options for students to choose from, said co-chair Emily Linden. While she described the book as a modern classic, Linden said there are students who haven't had a chance to read it.
"Because of censorship in schools, some students only read excerpts or it's an optional book they can choose to read," she said.
The event is also an opportunity for students to take a break from their mandatory academic readings to enjoy a book for fun, said James Madison senior Sam Mather.
"I liked the book in high school and really identified with Holden," he said, "but in reading it again I'm realizing Holden's behavior is often as phony as those he criticizes."
Linden and Philips grabbed extra copies for nearby libraries to ensure all participants had their own book to read from. About two dozen participants were expected to come and go during the reading, Linden said, with about half of those staying for the entire session. Members anticipated spending nine to 10 hours reading, although by hour three they were already at the mid-point of the novel.
Past years haven't been so kind to participants, recalled Ron Dorr, an MSU Professor Emeritus. He's been attending the marathon reading events since the first one in 2004, when readers took on Herman Melville's "Moby Dick."
"It took us about 22 hours and there were still 10 to 12 people when we finished reading at about 4 a.m.," Dorr said.
"Pride and Prejudice" prompted the most performance-like readings from participants when it was read a number of years ago, Dorr said, with readers taking on different voices for the various characters in addition to cheering on favorite characters.
"This event is an avenue for people to read and hear the English language in all its beauty," Dorr said.
RJ Wolcott is a reporter for Hometown Life. Contact him at 517-377-1026
JMC student Briah Spencer awarded Oginsky Family and Friends Scholarship
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the selection of, Briah Spencer as the recipient of the Oginsky Family and Friends Scholarship Endowment at James Madison College. Spencer, a native of Flint, Michigan is a first year student, planning to major in Social Relations and Policy in James Madison College. The Oginsky Scholarship supports awards for students attending Madison, with a preference for students graduating from high schools in Genesee County.
The Oginsky Family and Friends Scholarship is renewable for up to four years, which means that recipients may be awarded $8,000 - $10,000 throughout their undergraduate degree program. Last year’s Oginsky scholarship recipient, sophomore Johnathan Croffe from Flint, Michigan, is a Social Relations and Policy major in James Madison College, and will receive this renewable scholarship for three more years. The prior year awardee, junior John Elias from Swartz Creek, Michigan is an International Relations major in James Madison College, and will receive this renewable reward for two more years.
Daniel Oginsky credits his Madison College and MSU education with opening his eyes to a broader world and solidly preparing him to pursue future career opportunities. Beyond coursework, Daniel says the people he met were a huge part of his education. “I was lucky to meet great friends, who I have shared so many experiences with, but who also challenged me, taught me a lot, and helped me grow.” In establishing the scholarship endowment, Dan said, “I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be at James Madison College and MSU, and I want to help more kids – especially kids from where I grew up – get the same chance.” Anna Oginsky said, “If we can help support students who later could help support their own communities, I feel like we are investing in a bright future for our hometown areas and beyond.”
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union
Dean’s Choice Award Scholarship
for Best Public Policy Paper
Deadline for Submissions: April 1st!
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union is supporting James Madison College by providing $2500 in scholarships for the best student papers addressing an important issue in public policy.
One of the missions of James Madison College is to produce students who are exceptionally prepared to identify social and political problems, evaluate existing solutions to problems, and suggest creative strategies for addressing pressing issues in public policy. This award will recognize students whose papers best advance that mission, demonstrating an ability to pinpoint gaps in existing research, and using their own research to improve our knowledge of the efficacy or lack thereof of current public policies. Students may write about any problem in public policy, whether the problem is domestic or international.
Specifications: Papers should be well researched, explain the problem to be addressed, the methods to be employed, a discussion of the research and its implications, and use appropriate academic documentation. Papers should be no shorter than 15 pages in length, with additional pages for bibliography or end notes. Applicants may be sophomores, juniors, or seniors. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.
Criteria: Papers will be selected based on their significance, originality, and quality of writing.
Recipients of these awards will have the scholarship credited to their MSU accounts.
Recipients will also be required to present their research at James Madison’s Research Showcase on April 29th, 2016, where they will also receive their award.
All submissions must be posted electronically at: jmc.msu.edu/msufcu
First Prize: $1200
Second Prize: $ 800
Third Prize $ 500
Questions may be directed to Associate Dean Julia Grant at grant@msu.edu
Inaugural - Rachel P. Kahan Memorial Scholarship Endowment for the MSU / Washington, DC Internship Program
Kahan Memorial Scholarship Announced
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the establishment of The Rachel P. Kahan Memorial Scholarship for the MSU / Washington, DC Internship Program. Established by Rachel’s family and friends in her memory, the Rachel Kahan Memorial Scholarship strives to honor her enthusiastic spirit of community engagement.
Rachel P. Kahan graduated from James Madison College in 2007 with a degree in International Relations and a specialization in Muslim Studies. While at Madison, Rachel participated in the MSU/DC Study Program by completing an internship in Washington, enjoying both the experience and the time she spent in our Nation’s Capital. After graduation, Rachel moved to the Washington, DC area to begin her career, where she became actively involved with the local MSU Alumni Club, the DC Spartans. Rachel served on the executive board of the DC Spartans and held the office of treasurer when she was diagnosed with the cancer that took her life at age 26.
Rachel touched the lives of so many Spartans and fellow citizens in her short life, and she will continue to inspire active community participation and leadership qualities through her scholarship fund. Had she survived, Rachel would have turned 30 this past July, the same month that Rachel’s Memorial Scholarship became fully endowed. As a result of the $39,253.44 donated by family and friends in her memory, Rachel will continue to encourage current and future generations of Spartans to pursue civic engagement, particularly in Washington, DC. Rachel P. Kahan Memorial Scholarship awards will assist those young Spartan recipients who wish to follow in her footsteps to experience that same connection with our Nation’s Capital that resulted in Rachel’s combined love of the District of Columbia and all things MSU.
JMC student Matthew Rappe awarded Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the selection of Matthew Rappe as the recipient of the Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship at James Madison College. Rappe is a first year student, planning to double major in International Relations and Comparative Cultures & Politics in James Madison College, with a minor in Arabic. Mr. Rappe is a native of Chicago, Illinois. The Cummings Scholarship is intended to support students who will contribute to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of James Madison College because of their unique life experiences. Students who have exhibited leadership skills, overcome adversity, and shown an interest in multiculturalism and diversity are strong candidates for this scholarship.
The Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship award is currently $3,500. The Cummings Scholarship has been awarded annually since 2001 to an incoming first year student at James Madison College.
The Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship was established by Jeffrey Cummings, a 1984 Madison graduate, to honor his parents and their life-long commitment to public affairs, civic activities, and education. They raised four sons with love, guidance, discipline, support and educational opportunities, all of whom have successful careers in business and the law. The scholarship is intended to help build a culture of diversity and inclusion within James Madison College.
“The research and creative works of seven Michigan State University students has earned them the Martin Luther King Jr. Advancing Inclusion through Research Award.
The award builds the body of work authored by students that supports the ideals of inclusive excellence through topics of inclusion, diversity and marginalized populations. This year’s competition encompassed the themes from the university’s Project 60/50.
Student research papers and creative projects completed in 2015 and submitted by members of the Honors College, James Madison College, Lyman Briggs College or the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities were considered.
First prize was awarded to Kairsten Nitsch for her research paper, “Structural Racism and Normalized Whiteness as Driving Forces in Racialized Urban Agricultural Movements.” Nitsch is a member of James Madison College, and is also in the Honors College.
Second prize was awarded to Ewurama Dankah for her research paper, “Affirmative Action and Postsecondary Education.” Dankah is a member of both James Madison College and the Honors College.
Third prize was awarded to Lyman Briggs College students Brittany Ladson, Sydnee Wargo, Tia Barbera, Erin Schaner and Lindsay Dean, for their website, STEM Under the Microscope. Ladson and Dean are also in the Honors College.”
Michigan State University senior Sarah Kovan, from Okemos, has been named a 2016 Rhodes Scholar.
A member of the Honors College majoring in comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and human biology in the College of Natural Science, Kovan is MSU’s 17th Rhodes Scholar since the awards began in 1904. MSU’s first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1919.
The Rhodes Trust chose 32 scholars from an applicant pool of 2,000. Half the scholars selected are women.
“Being named a Rhodes Scholar is an incredibly amazing and humbling experience, and I couldn’t have gained this recognition without the unending support from the MSU community,” Kovan said. “As a scholar-athlete, I’m most proud of the accomplishments I have achieved in collaboration with my teammates, like our most exciting wins. It is in these successes, and in the camaraderie created in those moments, that make me proud to be a Spartan athlete.”
Kovan is a starting midfielder and captain for the MSU women’s soccer team, earning Academic All Big-Ten Awards in 2012, 2013 and 2014, along with the 2015 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award and MSU Scholar-Athlete Award.
She is the daughter of Jessica and Jeff Kovan, director of MSU sports medicine and team physician for MSU basketball, soccer, track and softball.
Professor Linda Racioppi commented on Sarah's success: "Sarah is a top-notch student and varsity athlete who embodies the values and spirit of the Rhodes Scholarship. Drawing on insights and skills learned in her Comparative Cultures and Politics major and from her overseas experiences in Sri Lanka and Israel, Sarah has been able to address issues of development, gender equality, and sociopolitical representation. She is an extraordinary student, but as importantly, she is an exceptional human being whose interest in and commitment to international health and development issues run deep. It’s hard to imagine a more worthy Rhodes Scholar! "
Dear JMC Faculty and Staff,
Given the continued issues surrounding inclusion in the College and our ongoing efforts to foster dialogue, I want to share with you President Simon's recent statement on campus efforts to focus on race.
Sherman Garnett Dean, James Madison College
Our commitment to diversity
President Lou Anna K. Simon
11-13-15
Recent events on college and university campuses across the country demonstrate that racism and indifference remain persistent societal problems. And they are not distant issues. As I have talked over time—and continue to talk—with members of the Michigan State campus community and with our neighbors in the greater community, I recognize these issues are part of our lives in a real and present way. More...
Matthew Rappe awarded Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship
First-year JMC student Matthew Rappe (IR/CCP/Arabic minor), a native of Chicago, is the recipient of the Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship at James Madison College. The Cummings Scholarship, established by JMC Distinguished Alumnus Jeffrey Cummings (MM ’84), is open to all incoming first-year JMC students. It supports students who will contribute to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of James Madison College because of their unique life experiences and demonstrated excellence in preparing an essay addressing contemporary public policy issues. Students who have exhibited leadership skills, overcome adversity, and shown an interest in multiculturalism and diversity are strong candidates for this scholarship.
The Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship award is $3,500 and the essay competition is open to all incoming first year James Madison College students.
The Nelson and Marlene Cummings Scholarship was established by Jeffrey to honor his parents and their life-long commitment to public affairs, civic activities, and education. They raised four sons with love, guidance, discipline, support and educational opportunities, all of whom have successful careers in business and the law. The scholarship is intended to assist James Madison College in its efforts to recruit and retain students whose presence will further the College’s compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a racially and ethnically diverse student body.
For more information:
Mr. Jeffrey I. Cummings, alumnus of JMC at MSU
Making a gift to the Cummings Scholarship
JMC student Eloise Mitchell awarded Dixie C. Platt James Madison Fellows Scholarship
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the selection of Eloise Mitchell as the recipient of the Dixie C. Platt James Madison Fellows Scholarship at James Madison College. Ms. Mitchell is a first year student, planning to double major in International Relations and Comparative Cultures & Politics in James Madison College, with a minor in Arabic. Ms. Mitchell is a native of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Scholarship awardees are recognized for their past achievements and potential contributions to James Madison College.
Dixie Platt (aka “The Steel Magnolia,”—a nickname bestowed by students, which she gladly accepted) sometimes thought of herself as “Dolley Madison,” because she joined MSU’s Madison College in 1969 - the second year of the college’s founding. Her first role in Madison College was as the Assistant to the founding Associate Dean, Robert F. Banks. As her involvement in Madison intensified, Dixie became Director of Academic and Student Affairs. In this role, she especially enjoyed serving as advisor for Madison freshmen, who were also enrolled in the Honors College. Over her MSU career, she was a part of the Madison community for 27 years. During that time, she met families and many generations of students and worked closely with the faculty. She became a strong believer in James Madison College and the education it offered. Given her love for all things Madison, she was made an honorary alumna of both Madison College and MSU. The target audience for this scholarship reflected Dixie’s outlook: while she was protective of all students, she was especially sensitive to freshmen whose adjustment was critical for a happy and productive education. Dixie’s scholarship was one of the first endowments for the College, and it remains a vital part of its financial help for qualified students.
The Dixie C. Platt James Madison Fellows Scholarship is renewable for up to four years, which means that recipients may be awarded $8,000 throughout their undergraduate degree program. Last year’s Dixie Platt JMC Fellows Scholarship recipient, sophomore Carolyn Ayaub from Brighton, Michigan, is majoring in Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy in James Madison College, and will receive this renewable scholarship for three more years.
Ten outstanding senior ambassadors have been named to the 2015-16 Homecoming Court. Three of the ambassadors are James Madison students: Teresa Bitner (SRP/Education), Bradley Disbrow (IR/microbiology/Honor College), and Nate Strauss (CCP/journalism).
Ambassadors, who were endorsed by an individual or an organization, were chosen through a highly selective process. The students were evaluated based on his or her leadership, community involvement, academic excellence and Spartan pride. A group of MSU faculty, staff, alumni and students conducted personal interviews with students to select the final 10 court ambassadors.
“This year I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with 10 of the most diverse, talented and devoted Spartan students that we have here at Michigan State University,” said Homecoming Court adviser Natisha Foster. “These students represent the vast experiences both in and out of the classroom that make MSU a world class institution.”
The students have begun their duties as ambassadors this summer, as they have been representing the MSU student body at various alumni, community and university engagements. They will continue their commitment through the 2015-16 school year. During homecoming week, Sept. 28 – Oct. 3, ambassadors will attend many functions, including the parade on Oct. 2 and the football game on Oct. 3.
Inaugural Frank H. Knight Scholarship Awarded
Michigan State University and James Madison College are pleased to announce the selection of Kevin Mills as the recipient of the inaugural Frank H. Knight Scholarship. Mr. Mills is a Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy major in James Madison College, with a minor in Political Economy. He is also pursuing a finance major in the Eli Broad School of Business. Mr. Mills is a native of Novi, Michigan.
The Knight Scholarship of $500 is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy major whose undergraduate work exemplifies an intellectual curiosity for the practical application of where economic principles, political theory, and ethical deliberation intersect. The scholarship was created by Tiberian Advisers, LLC, the company founded by James Madison College alumnus Bradley Dizik (PTCD, 2006). Mr. Dizik created the Knight Scholarship in appreciation for the education his professors at the College provided him in political theory, ethics and economic principles. An anti-corruption and financial regulatory attorney, Mr. Dizik's career is dedicated to helping his clients understand how ethical and economic principles can inform and support their decision making and business processes. Mr. Dizik chose to name the scholarship for the noted economist Frank H. Knight (1885-1972), Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor of Social Science and Philosophy at the University of Chicago, who helped make the integration of politics, economics, and ethics integral to the emerging field of constitutional political economy.
As part of his studies in Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy and Political Economy, Mr. Mills took two political courses from Professor Ross B. Emmett, a historian of economics who has focused much of his work on Frank Knight. The two courses were MC 241: Politics and Markets, which included readings from Frank Knight as well as other economists in the Chicago tradition, and a senior seminar focused on “Liberty, Justice, and Constitutionalism,” with readings on constitutional political economy from Knight, F. A. Hayek, John Rawls, and John Tomasi. These courses, along with his studies in finance, make him a prime example of the kind of student the Knight Scholarship was designed to honor.
In response to the award, Mr. Mills remarked: “I would like to thank both James Madison College and Tiberian Advisers, LLC for providing an excellent opportunity for PTCD students interested in the niche of political economic ethics to feel that their hard work in academia is not without reward.”
Congratulations to the 8 JMC students and 12 other MSU students who will participate in the seventh annual MSU William A. Demmer Scholars Program in Washington, D.C. this summer, in a variety of internships including those in federal agencies and non-governmental organizations: Joe Brennan (PTCD junior), Lizzie DePentu (CCP junior), Quincy Kittle (CCP sophomore), Mitch Roberts (IR junior), Simon Schuster (SRP junior), Linsey Stauffer (SRP senior), Bryn Williams (CCP sophomore), Sarah Wisely (IR junior). While in the program, students meet once a week for a class taught by Mark Rey on natural resources policy. Every Saturday, students get firsthand experience in the subjects they learned about that week by going on field trips to Grey Towers National Historic Site, the Watergate Complex and the U.S. Capitol.
Congratulations to Becky Barann (SRP/Econ/Honors College) JMC senior who was chosen MSU's Student Employee of the Year! Becky has been a member of the Spartan Marching Band for five years, serving as band president this past season, is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a national honor fraternity, and Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary band fraternity, and has completed two study abroad programs. She has been a valuable and excellent student employee in the JMC Admissions Office since the fall of 2011.
James Madison College at Michigan State University is pleased to announce that Bradley L. Dizik , PTCD & PE ’06, founder and managing principal of Tiberian Advisers LLC and Dizik PC, has made a commitment to establish a new scholarship award, the Frank H. Knight Scholarship, at the College. The Knight Scholarship will be awarded each year to one student in the amount of $500.
“I value what JMC has afforded me since graduation,” Dizik said. “I wanted to give back to the College by creating a scholarship that could be used to provide financial assistance to current students.
“With this commitment, Bradley Dizik has taken a distinctive approach to supporting the next generation of leaders at JMC,” said Ross Emmett, Professor of Political Economy and Political Theory at James Madison College. “We are deeply grateful that a young alumnus has chosen to give back to the College, and to present and future scholars.”
“Scholarships allow the College to uphold its commitment to attracting the best and brightest students from around the world, and it ensures that these students can accept an offer of admission without anxiety over a burden of debt,” Dizik said. “I could not imagine a better way to support the place that helped shape my career and my future.”
Mr. Dizik received his LL.M. in securities and financial regulation from Georgetown University Law Center, and his J.D., cum laude from Michigan State University, where he served as a team captain and an award winning member of the Moot Court and Advocacy Board. He is a recipient of the Federal Bar Association’s Edward H. Rakow Scholarship Award for academic excellence in corporate and securities law. Mr. Dizik was also recognized for his “extraordinary academic performance” in International White-Collar Crime and was the recipient of the book award in Securities Regulation. Mr. Dizik received his B.A. in political theory with a specialization in political economy from James Madison College at Michigan State University. He is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars.
In 2012, he founded Tiberian Advisers LLC. Before starting Tiberian, Mr. Dizik was a member and co-manager of an international law firm’s financial regulatory reform working group, where he advised clients concerning new financial regulatory reform legislation and its impact on regulatory compliance, investments and litigation risks. Mr. Dizik represented clients before regulatory bodies and drafted comment letters in association with the Dodd-Frank Act’s rulemaking process. Prior to joining Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Mr. Dizik served as a research consultant to the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation, a 501(c)(3) research organization dedicated to improving the regulation of US capital markets. Mr. Dizik has also done stints with the SEC’s Offices of General Counsel and International Affairs, where he focused on the international enforcement of the federal securities laws, and provided technical assistance to foreign regulators.
To learn more about Tiberian Advisers LLC, visit tiberianadvisers.com.
Join us in celebrating the career of Professor Ken Waltzer! Professor Waltzer is retiring this academic year and Jewish Studies is commemorating his 43-year career at Madison and MSU.
The MSU Alumni Association is proud to Livestream Keynote speaker Wallace Jefferson, Attorney and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas.
MSU’s Ken Waltzer shaped students, academia and Holocaust scholarship for 43 years.
As last year ended, Ken Waltzer completed 43 years of teaching, scholarship and service as professor of history at Michigan State University’s James Madison College. He helped save the college and worked to build MSU a solid Jewish Studies program, while teaching thousands of students and reaching many more through curriculum development.
Congratulations to Varsha Koduvayur, senior in James Madison College, the Honors College, and the College of Arts and Letters, for being awarded a nationally competitive research assistant fellowship through the Carnegie Junior Fellows Program within the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C.
Varsha Koduvayur is an Honors College senior majoring in international relations and comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and Arabic in the College of Arts and Letters. She is MSU’s second Carnegie Jr. Fellow.
JMC junior Joseph Brennan (PTCD/Honors College) is one of four students nominated by MSU for the nationally competitive Udall Scholarship. The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to American Indian nations or to the environment. Each year, the foundation awards up to $5,000 for educational expenses to 80 outstanding students in the United States.
Congratulations to Madison juniors Raziel Lavalais (PTCD/HC/Econ), and Florence Otaigbe (IR/HC) who have been chosen as national finalists for the national Truman Scholarship!
JMC senior Varsha Koduvayur (IR/CCP/Arabic/Honors College) was chosen as a finalist for a nationally competitive research assistant fellowship through the Carnegie Junior Fellows Program within the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Congratulations to the MSU Debate team, including Madison students Tyler Thur, Jack Caporal, and Quinn Zemel, with math junior Margaret Strong, for receiving two first-round bids for the National Debate Tournament – designating them as two of top 16 teams in the country. http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2015/debate-teams-head-to-national-tournament/
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union
Dean’s Choice Award Scholarship
for Best Public Policy Paper
Deadline for Submissions: March 1st!
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union is supporting James Madison College by providing $2500 in scholarships for the best student papers addressing an important issue in public policy.
One of the missions of James Madison College is to produce students who are exceptionally prepared to identify social and political problems, evaluate existing solutions to problems, and suggest creative strategies for addressing pressing issues in public policy. This award will recognize students whose papers best advance that mission, demonstrating an ability to pinpoint gaps in existing research, and using their own research to improve our knowledge of the efficacy or lack thereof of current public policies. Students may write about any problem in public policy, whether the problem is domestic or international.
Specifications: Papers should be well researched, explain the problem to be addressed, the methods to be employed, a discussion of the research and its implications, and use appropriate academic documentation. Papers should be no shorter than 15 pages in length, with additional pages for bibliography or end notes. Applicants may be sophomores, juniors, or seniors. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.
Criteria: Papers will be selected based on their significance, originality, and quality of writing.
Recipients of these awards will have the scholarship credited to their MSU accounts.
Recipients will also be required to present their research at James Madison’s Research Showcase on May 1, 2015, where they will also receive their award.
All submissions must be posted electronically at: jmc.msu.edu/msufcu
First Prize: $1200
Second Prize: $ 800
Third Prize $ 500
Questions may be directed to Associate Dean Julia Grant at grant@msu.edu
The ninth biennial Race in 21st Century America conference is FREE to attend and it brings to campus leading scholars, community activists, public officials and residents, representing racial, ethnic, gender and ideological diversity, to participate in an important conversation with the MSU community about the problem of race in America. Though the conference will cover a number of areas, our theme this year is Race and Democracy. The race conference, as we call it, is fundamentally designed to examine systems of power and privilege in the United States, especially the ways in which they impact communities of color. We also identify specific goals and strategies that promote democratic, yet radically transformative, social, economic and political structures…Our project is not simply about identifying and examining problems, but especially proposing actionable recommendations for addressing twenty-first century challenges.
Nick Keywork is a double major in finance and international relations at MSU. He is a top student recruited to MSU from Texas, as an Alumni Distinguished Scholar. He interned at Renaissance Macro Research, where he did historical research on market trends and economic relationships for a company that sells investment advice to hedge funds and other investment firms. He focused on the high caliber classes and rigor at MSU.
James Madison College was the recipient of the Excellent Progress toward Advancing Diversity within Community award from MSU as a group that has exemplified diversity and inclusion in extraordinary ways. The recipients were honored at the 2015 All-University Excellence in Diversity Awards Ceremony and Reception Feb. 16. http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2015/recognizing-groups-individuals-for-excellence-in-diversity/?utm_campaign=standard-promo&utm_source=msufacebook-post&utm_medium=social
Congratulations to JMC and Honors College seniors Varsha Koduvayur and Brittany Zwierzchowski who have been nominated for the Carnegie Junior Fellows Program within the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2015/two-honors-college-seniors-nominated-for-nationally-competitive-research-assistant-fellowship/
The MSU Debate team of JMC seniors Jack Caporal (IR) and Quinn Zemel (IR) came in first place in a crowd of nearly 50 teams at the University of Miami debate tournament last week. They bested teams from Emory University, the University of Michigan, Dartmouth College, Vanderbilt University, the University of Kentucky, Indiana University and Trinity University.
Hannah Jenuwine (SRP senior) published "Third Grade Reading and Retention Policies to Improve Education Outcomes " in Student Pulse 6.10 (2014).
Just in time for flu season, a new Michigan State University study of “the mother of all pandemics” could offer insight into infection control measures for the flu and other epidemic diseases.
Siddharth Chandra, director of MSU’s Asian Studies Center and professor in MSU’s James Madison College, and Eva Kassens-Noor, assistant professor of urban and transport planning with a joint appointment in the Global Urban Studies Program, studied the evolution of the 1918 influenza pandemic, aka the “Spanish flu.” In 1918, the virus killed 50 million people worldwide, 10 to 20 million of whom were in India. In the United States alone, the Spanish flu claimed 675,000 lives in nine months.
“We need to pay more attention to public health,” Chandra said. “If we get another flu pandemic and it infects tens of millions in the U.S., killing half a million people, that’s going to be worse than anything that’s happened to us in at least the last 50-to-100 years.”
Prof. Mark Largent discusses Ebola hype on WILX
Watch the video of the James Madison College event with Richard Cordray, from Friday, October 10, 2014. Livestream provided by the MSU Alumni Association: http://new.livestream.com/msualumni/RichardCordray
Watch the video of the James Madison College Founders Circle event with Professor Gordon Wood, from Thursday, October 9, 2014. Livestream provided by the MSU Alumni Association: http://new.livestream.com/msualumni/GordonWood
Congratulations to JMC senior Paul Rose (IR/CCP/Russian) who has been nominated by MSU for the Marshall Scholarship. During his time at MSU, Rose has worked as a research assistant and served as a student representative for the university at the G20 Youth Summit. He is the recipient of the Office of Study Abroad Award for Academic Excellence. Rose plans to pursue political science and international studies.
Professor Yael Aronoff's article “And, how does that make you feel?", The psychology behind Israel's Gaza war and the truce that followed, appears in Foreign Policy August 27, 2014.
New dates for 2014 Fall Visit Days for high school seniors and their families: September 26, October 13, October 24, November 10.
The JMC spring commencement can be viewed online from WKAR-TV here...
Professor Yael Aronoff's book, The Political Psychology of Israeli Prime Ministers: When Hard-Liners Opt for Peace, will be published by Cambridge University Press, May 2014.
Professor Constance Hunt was awarded the 2013 Top 15 Distinguished Professor of the Year Award by the Presidents Council of Michigan. The Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan serves as a forum for the presidents and chancellors of Michigan's 15 public universities to discuss and frame positions on key higher education finance and policy issues.
Parade of Honors program for 2014
James Madison College
Senior Honors Program
2014 Thesis Defense Schedule
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STUDENT |
DATE |
TIME |
LOCATION |
PROFESSOR |
THESIS TITLE |
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Corey Carone |
April 24 |
10:00 a.m. |
319L South Case Seminar Room
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Craig |
“Tocqueville and Modern Science: How Scientific Authority Exacerbates Soft-Despotism and the Implications for Liberal Democracy and the Soul”
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Teresa Dettloff |
April 24 |
1:00 p.m. |
JMC Library |
Zierler |
“An Examination of Arms Control: The Merits and Limits of the Bilateral and Multilateral Approaches”
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Cole Lussier |
April 25 |
10:00 a.m. at JMC Research Conference
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JMC Library |
Kleinerman |
“Weighing an Active Judiciary: The Supreme Court’s Control Over Morality”
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Ansel Courant |
April 25 |
11:30 a.m. at JMC Research Conference
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JMC Library
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Rohs |
“Transnational Writing and Performance in ‘Public’ Digital Spaces: Wikipedia and the 2013 Protests in Brazil”
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Matthew Needham |
April 25 |
3:00 p.m. at JMC Research Conference
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JMC Library |
Emmett |
“Political Entrepreneurship Efforts in Education Reform”
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Michigan State University is proud to host the 2014 annual meeting of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies. Presentations and workshops will be held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, which is on the campus of Michigan State University. Given MSU’s proud history as the nation’s pioneer Land Grant University and its commitment to research and education that engages scholars from the humanities, natural sciences, arts, social sciences and professions, the 2014 AIS conference will invite participants to explore the ways in which interdisciplinary studies engage today’s problems and opportunities.
The theme of the 2014 AIS conference, “Interdisciplinary Public Problems, the Global Community, and Diversity,” emerged from a growing consensus that public problems—problems affecting multiple groups and populations across cultures in a diverse, global community—require insights and tools from a variety of disciplines, perspectives, and practices. As scholars and teachers, we are members of both local and global communities with a mandate to explore the roots and potential solutions to public problems and to educate a generation that is capable of addressing them. To do this, we must interrogate, integrate, and expand existing knowledge by creating collaborative relationships among disciplines in the arts, humanities, and sciences and by adopting integrative modes of research, education, and learning, communication, and policy-making.
Outstanding JMC junior Joel Arnold (SRP/Urban Planning) has been selected as a finalist for the Truman Scholarship. Arnold is a squad leader for the MSU Spartan Marching Band and served as an intern for Flint Mayor Dayne Walling (SR ’96), will travel to Chicago March 7 for an interview with the Truman Foundation’s Regional Review Panel. More than 650 students submitted an application from 289 colleges across the country. Michigan State has previously produced 16 Truman Scholars, 11 of them Madison students. JMC’s Jolisa Brooks was also nominated by MSU to compete in the scholarship. She is from Detroit, is president of the Case Hall Black Caucus, and served as a Spartan Ambassador to China as part of a Residence Education and Housing Services program.
https://nifs.msu.edu/news/msu-band-leader-selected-truman-scholarship-finalist
Beth Zinman, wife of Professor Dick Zinman, passed away February 14, 2014 after a long bout with breast cancer. In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral, but there will be a memorial service later this spring or in the fall. Details will be announced as soon as possible.
Also at Beth’s wish, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her memory to the Leelanau Conservancy (105 1st St. Leland, MI 49645) or to James Madison College at MSU (Case Hall, 842 Chestnut Rd., East Lansing, MI 48825).
Professor Zinman's retirement event was postponed due to Beth's illness. We are looking at dates in the fall of 2014 to reschedule the celebration.
DEBATE MEMBERS EARN FIRST ROUND AT-LARGE BID FOR NATIONAL DEBATE TOURNAMENT
Madison students Kaavya Ramesh (IR/CCP/Chinese/Honors College senior) and Tyler Thur (IR sophomore) have earned an at-large bid in the first round of the National Debate Tournament, designating them as one of the top 16 teams in the country. The national tournament will be held at Indiana University from March 28 to April 1.
MSU Debate Team members Kaavya Ramesh and Tyler Thur have earned an at-large bid in the first round of the National Debate Tournament, designating them as one of the top 16 teams in the country.
By receiving this at-large bid, Ramesh and Thur automatically qualify for the national tournament, bypassing the normal procedure.
Other colleges that earned at-large bids include: University of California-Berkeley, Georgetown University, Harvard University, University of Kansas, University of Mary Washington, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Oklahoma, Rutgers University, Towson University, Wake Forest University and University of West Georgia.
“Bids are voted on by a panel of coaches from around the country and designate a team as among the top 16 two-person teams based on season-long performance,” said Debate head coach Will Repko. “This is a huge honor for Kaavya and Tyler and the MSU Debate program as a whole.”
Additional members of Debate will participate in the District 5 qualifying tournament, which will be held at U-M beginning Friday.
The national tournament will be held at Indiana University from March 28 to April 1.
The MSU Debate Team is a part of the Honors College. For more information, go to www.debate.msu.edu.
- See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/debate-members-earn-first-round-at-large-bid-for-national-debate-tournament/#sthash.ujr3ZMdx.dpuf
Three student leaders at Michigan State University have been nominated for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship.
The scholarship nominees are: Joel Arnold, a junior majoring in social relations and policy in the James Madison College and urban and regional planning in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Jolisa Brooks, an Honors College member and junior majoring in political theory and constitutional democracy in the James Madison College; and Sean Fitzpatrick, an Honors College member and junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies in social science in the College of Social Science and arts and humanities in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities.
“All three of these students are passionate about public service,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the MSU Honors College. “Michigan State University has given them the opportunity to explore their passions and we are pleased to nominate them for the Truman Scholarship. We look forward to seeing what each one will accomplish next.”
Michigan State has previously produced 16 Truman Scholars.
Arnold is from Davison, Michigan and a graduate of Davison High School. He is a squad leader for the MSU Spartan Marching Band and president/co-founder of LiveWorkDetroit! at MSU.
Arnold served as an intern for the City of Flint Planning Department, and as an intern for Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, an MSU Truman Scholar in 1995. He has volunteered in several Genesee County political campaigns and currently works as a store manager for MSU Sparty’s convenience store. He’s the recipient of the Davison Community School’s Music Program Scholarship.
He plans to pursue a master’s degree in urban planning.
“Given my experience in Flint and Detroit, it would be essential to have a federal level internship in Washington, D.C.,” Arnold said. “I would be interested in participating in this opportunity and would like to work on issues related to urban development or transportation.”
Brooks is from Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Renaissance High School. She is president of the Case Hall Black Caucus and served as a Spartan Ambassador to China as part of a Residence Education and Housing Services program. Brooks has studied biodiversity crisis in Madagascar and has served as a resident assistant in Case Hall.
She was an intern for Trout Unlimited in Washington, D.C. Brooks serves as a peer educator for the MSU’s Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Program, a volunteer for the Taking it to the Streets Service Program, and is a volunteer for the James Madison College Leadership Club. She is the recipient of the MSU Black Alumni Scholarship, the Donald and Barbara Koch Environmental Studies Scholarship, the Midnight Golf Scholarship, and the Michael J. Berkeley Memorial Scholarship.
Brooks plans to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy with a concentration in environmental policy.
“I have always known that I wanted to dedicate my life to public service,” Brooks said. “If I receive the Truman Scholarship, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in globalization and development. I hope to influence social policy both domestically and abroad and ultimately work in the United Nation’s Social Development Division.”
For more information:http://honorscollege.msu.edu/news/three-michigan-state-university-student-leaders-nominated-truman-scholarship‹
Madison Students Help MSU Debate Take First Place in Indiana Tournament
The Michigan State University Debate Team recently took top honors at a tournament hosted by Indiana University Jan 24-27. and was runner-up in the Weber Round Robin held in Utah. The two-person team ofIR juniors Jack Caporal and Quinn Zemel took the top spot at Indiana, going 7-0 in the preliminary rounds and defeating the University of Iowa in the final round. At the Weber Round Robin, IR junior Aniela Butler and math sophomore Margaret Strong went 6-1 in the preliminary rounds and finished in second place after losing a tough match to a team from the University of North Texas.More about the competitions and Madisonian success...
A JMC Student Once Again Wins the MSU MLK Jr. Award for Best Paper
JMC senior Kristi Schmidt (SRP) won the $500 first place prize in MSU's MLK Jr. Advancing Inclusion through Research Award for her paper “Research Verses Reality: Examining the School to Prison Pipeline in Detroit Public School.” The award was given for the first time in 2011 and a Madison student has won the top prize each year.
LANSING — The Lansing School Board announced their new officers today and it included a change at the top as they selected Peter Spadafore as its new president.
"I'm honored to be chosen by my colleagues as the next president of the Lansing School District Board of Education," Spadafore said in a statement. "We have a strong board dedicated to serving the children of the district and I look forward to the year ahead."
Spadafore, a Michigan State University alumnus, is currently the vice-president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan, and previously worked for the Michigan Association of School Boards. Joining Spadafore are former president Myra Ford as vice president, Rachel Lewis as secretary and former president Shirley Rodgers as treasurer.
"The Lansing School District is fortunate to have an experienced, energized leadership team and Board of Education," Lansing school superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul said. "Spadafore is uniquely qualified to lead this team which includes Myra Ford and Shirley Rodgers who have both served terms as school board president, and Rachel Lewis who is simply an outstanding young leader and very active in many community and school issues."
JMC senior Caleigh Nowlin (IR/Honors College), along with Honors College student Milan Griffes, was nominated for the Carnegie Jr. Fellows Program.
Read more: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/students-nominated-for-carnegie-jr-fellows-program/
JMC Alumnus Paul D’Anieri (IR ’86), along with Jose Bermudez, Deborah Kochevar, Sarah Mangelsdorf, and June Youatt are finalists in the search for MSU Provost.
Lesley Weber (SR '97) passed away on 12/31/13 in NYC. After graduating from JMC she went to Loyola Law School in Chicago. She worked for Allstate for many years and recently received a promotion and moved to NY. Lesley was a member of the MSU Alumni Association and a true Spartan through and through. http://www.wasikfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Lesley-Weber/#!/Obituary
Alumnus Lawrence Sheets is featured in Spartan Saga: http://spartansagas.msu.edu/spotlight/1039/
Congratulations to the MSU Debate Team and Madison students for their strong performance at Wake Forest! Kaavya Ramesh (IR/Chinese/CCP senior) and Tyler Thur (IR sophomore) were the top-finishing, two-person team. JMC's Jack Caporal, Quinn Zemel, and Aniela Butler also finished strong.
JMC alumnus Nathan Triplett was elected as mayor of East Lansing. Triplett has served on the East Lansing City Council since 2007 and as pro tem since 2011.
Alumna Helen Rosenthal was elected to the New York City Council last week. Congratulations to Helen! http://www.helenrosenthal.com/about_helen
The Michigan State University Debate Team, which includes a number of James Madison students, placed three two-person teams in the top 25 at the Harvard University tournament. The debate was held Oct. 26-28 on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
The top-finishing two-person MSU team consisted of Honors College students Kaavya Ramesh, an international relations, Chinese, comparative cultures and politics senior, and Tyler Thur, an international relations sophomore, who finished 17th out of 77 teams competing from 36 schools.
The team of international relations junior Aniela Butler and math sophomore Margaret Strong finished 19th. And the team of international relations junior Jack Caporal and international relations junior Quinn Zemel placed 25th.
Siddharth Chandra, with JMC students Samuel Peters and Nathaniel Zimmer, (2013) published "How powdered cocaine flows across the USA: Evidence from open-source price data," Journal of Drug Issues, in press.
Amanda Sloat (PTCD/Honors College ’97) recently began working as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Affairs at the State Department. In this capacity, she is responsible for issues related to Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, as well as for coordinating with Europeans on U.S. engagement with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Most recently, she served as Senior Advisor to the White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Region. Sloat holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Edinburgh. She has published a book (Scotland in Europe: A Study of Multi-Level Governance) and numerous academic articles on comparative European politics. She served as president of the James Madison College Student Senate and is currently a member of the college's Board of Visitors.
JMC senior Kaavya Ramesh (IR/CCP/Chinese/Honors College) has been nominated for the Marshall Scholarship.
Kaavya Ramesh, an Honors College senior majoring in international relations and comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and Chinese in the College of Arts and Letters has been nominated for the Marshall Scholarship. Two other Michigan State University students have been nominated for the prestigious scholarship, and one the Rhodes Scholarship. The awards allow students to pursue their graduate studies at universities in the United Kingdom. All three have chosen different fields of study, including neuroscience, ecological economics and public health. MSU has a strong history with these awards, producing 17 Marshall Scholars and 16 Rhodes Scholars. To see more click here
The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and Grand River Connection named the Greater Lansing region’s top young professionals who are expected to contribute significantly over the next ten years.
The seventh annual "10 Over the Next Ten" were recognized tonight at the University Club of Michigan State University.
Peter Spadafore
Peter Spadafore works as legislative director for Acuitas, LLC, an advocacy firm based in downtown Lansing, where he focuses on appropriations and policy analysis on a wide range of issues. Spadafore was elected to the Lansing School District Board of Education in 2011. He is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University where he studied social relations and policy with an emphasis on education policy and homeland security.
WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was conceived by a Harvard professor, embraced by the Obama administration and pushed into law by Congressional Democrats determined to expand the federal government’s authority to protect borrowers from abusive lending practices — all in the space of just three years.
Richard Cordray was confirmed as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief almost two years after his nomination.
But even after the agency opened its doors in July 2011, almost exactly two years ago, its legal authority remained uncertain so long as Republicans prevented the confirmation of a director to lead the agency, as required by law.
That barricade collapsed on Tuesday. Republicans agreed to allow the confirmation of Richard Cordray, by a vote of 66 to 34, cementing a new era of expansive federal oversight of companies that lend money to consumers.
Joseph J. Baumann (IR ’00), former counsel to the state House of Representatives majority caucus and deputy legal counsel to the Department of Community Health, has been named by the Michigan Supreme Court as its new General Counsel, succeeding Matthew Schneider (IR ‘96), who has been appointed by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette in April 2013 to be his Chief Legal Counsel. Chief Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. said that Baumann was the unanimous choice of the Court. Baumann was previously an associate in the public policy and governmental relations division of Dykema Gossett, where he specialized in health care, real property, and energy litigation. He was the 2006 recipient of the Michigan State Police’s “Award for Professional Excellence” for the DCH’s Hurricane Katrina response.
For information about the Less Commonly Taught Languages at MSU, go to: http://linglang.msu.edu/languages/asian-languages/lctl/
For questions about the Turkish or the Uzbek languages taught at MSU, please contact Timur Kocaoglu at timur@msu.edu or Danielle Steider at steider@msu.edu.
Video 1 - former JMC student Alyssa Meyer on Why Study Uzbek
Video 2 - MSU graduate student David Baylis on Why Turkish is important
Video 3 - MSU undergraduate student Hannah Selig on Why Study Turkish
Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) are world languages that are less frequently studied by Americans. All languages except English, French, German, and Spanish are considered LCTLs. The MSU LCTL program coordinates those less commonly taught languages that have variable enrollments, but are considered of critical need. Some of these are taught as traditional teacher-fronted classes, and some are taught as individualized, small-group classes. Most of the language classes offered are open to everyone, but some have limited enrollment or may only be available for graduate students who have received language fellowships.
Kara Brewer
HOMETOWN: Essexville, MI
MAJOR: International Relations (James Madison College) with a French Minor and a Specialization in Business
STUDY ABROAD: French Language, Literature, and Culture in Tours, France, Summer 2012
OTHER: Every member of immediate family has attended or is currently attending MSU; Member of the Koch Scholars Program at MSU
James Madison College senior Elena Herfi has won a Boren Undergraduate Scholarship to study Arabic in Amman, Jordan during the 2013-2014 academic year.
Established by the National Security Education Program, the Boren awards are designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills. This year, 947 students applied for the Boren Scholarship and 161 students were chosen as recipients.
Herfi, a graduate of Grosse Ile Township High School, and Honors College member, is dual majoring in comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and Arabic in the College of Arts and Letters. She plans to study cultural anthropology in graduate school and pursue a career in the foreign service after earning a graduate degree.
In addition to studying Arabic in her classes, Herfi studied abroad in Morocco and participated in the Arabic Flagship Programs at MSU and the University of Texas at Austin.
The James Madison College Parade of Honors Program lists the myriad of honors bestowed on Madison students during the 2012-13 academic year.
Alumnus Tom Boyd Featured in National Documentary
Ingham County Chief District Court Judge Tom Boyd (Minority Majority Group Relations, '85) is featured in a national documentary film. The film, Defending Gideon, was released last month on the 50thanniversary of the United State Supreme Court deciding Gideon v. Wainwright (decided March 18, 1963). The Gideon decision clarified that the 6th amendment “right to counsel” required the states to provide indigent persons accused of serious crime with an attorney. Defending Gideon was screened at the U.S. Department of Justice's 50th Anniversary Gideon Event, introduced by Attorney General Eric Holder.
Defending Gideon is narrated by Martin Sheen and also features former Vice President Walter Mondale and former New York Times journalist, Anthony Lewis (author of Gideon’s Trumpet). Judge Boyd and State Representative Tom McMillin are featured because of their efforts to reform Michigan's indigent defense system. Representative McMillin plans to reintroduce legislation this year to establish minimum standards for all local communities when providing counsel to indigent criminal defendants.
The Constitution Project is a national organization dedicated to a bipartisan approach to grappling with key constitutional issues confronting Americans in the 21st century. Defending Gideon can be seen athttp://www.constitutionproject.org/publications-resources/defending-gideon/.
Sophomores Amanda Kruzel & Hannah Jenuwine are fourth place winners in the 2012 Students Reinventing Michigan Competition (SRMC). Their mentor professor was Constance Hunt. The SRMC sponsors an annual competition open to all Michigan undergraduate and high school students, with the goal of engaging students in finding solutions to contemporary problems that face the Legislature and citizens of Michigan. The topic for 2012 was: “How All Students Entering College Can Be College Ready.”
For more information: http://studentsreinventingmichigan.com/
Madison students defend senior theses:
Prof. Mark Largent has accepted a position as the new Associate Dean for Lyman Briggs College at MSU. He will spend about half of his time in Briggs and will continue to teach two classes a year in Madison.
James Madison and Economics Professor Lisa Cook appeared on the Melissa Harris-Perry show on MSNBC to discuss the sequester and its impact on Michigan.
The Michigan State University debate team and JMC students Kaavya Ramesh and Evan Hebert has been awarded a first round at-large bid to the 67th National Debate Tournament 2013, to be held at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, March 28 – April 1.
Ramesh, a graduate of Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, Ga., is a junior Honors College member triple-majoring in international relations and comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and Chinese in the College of Arts and Letters. Hebert, a graduate of Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, is a sophomore majoring in international relations in James Madison College.
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Inaugural Conference for James Madison Seniors!
JMC junior Natalie Lyons won the $500 first place prize in MSU's MLK Jr. Advancing Inclusion through Research Award for her paper, "Domestic Violence in Korean-American Communities: The Role of Culturally Sensitive Feminist Reform."
Sharing Economic Realities and Expertise: MSU Professor Spends Valuable Year at the White House with the Council of Economic Advisers
One of the most expansive professional development experiences for an economist is to advise the President of the United States. Lisa Cook had that opportunity recently, serving as a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers. During the year-long appointment she focused on the euro zone, macroeconomics, technology and innovation, and entrepreneurship.
JMC alumnus Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and a Research Scientist at the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University, discusses climate change on Moyers and Company.
Professors Constance Hunt and Colleen Tremonte are part of a multi-college team led by MSU’s Graduate School who developed and won a grant funded by the Teagle Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to prepare future faculty for a career in academia, focusing especially on science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. MSU is one of seven universities – the only university in Michigan – to receive an award as part of the group's initiative, "Preparing Future Faculty to Assess Student Learning." The program is designed to help universities enhance graduate student skills and promote understanding in the assessment of undergraduate learning.
Professor Mohammed Ayoob is featured in an article in MSU's Engaged Scholar, a publication of University Outreach and Engagement. The article starts on page 12.
We are sad to announce that JMC alumnus, and devoted and active Board of Visitors member, KEVIN EDMUND RUSHTON died October 17, 2012, at age 54, of Bloomfield Hills.
EAST LANSING, Mich., October 5, 2012 — Claire Glenn has been nominated by Michigan State University to compete for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Glenn, a graduate of Simley High School in Grove Heights, Minn., and an Honors College alumna, graduated in December 2011 with dual majors in social relations and policy in James Madison College and piano performance in the College of Music. If selected, Glenn will become MSU’s 17th Rhodes Scholar.
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Section on the History of Medicine: Vaccine: The Modern American Debate |
Over the last two decades, American parents have become increasingly concerned about the possible side effects of the many vaccines they are legally compelled to provide for their children. A scientific debate about the issue emerged in the late 1990s and was quickly settled within the medical community. Nonetheless, parents' fears persist, and today nearly 40% of American parents have refused or delayed at least one routine vaccination for their children. Concerns that vaccines might cause autism are commonly cited by parents, but scientists and physicians have stridently rejected any connection. The vaccine-autism debate is a proxy debate. Behind it loom a number of serious and sometimes intractable problems with modern vaccination schedules. The medical community has been unwilling or unable to address the underlying concerns that animate parents' fears, and many parents have seized on the claim that vaccines cause autism because it reflects many of their anxieties. This talk will describe the emergence of the modern American vaccine debate and uncover some of the concerns that animate parents' anxieties about vaccines.
Mark Largent is an historian of science and medicine and director of the Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy Specialization (STEPPS) in James Madison College at Michigan State University. His research and teaching focuses on the role of scientists and physicians in American public policy. He has written on the evolution-creation debate, the professionalization of American biology, Darwinism, the history of the American eugenics movement and recent debates over compulsory vaccination. He is the author of Breeding Contempt: The History of Coerced Sterilization in the United States (2008) and Vaccine: The Modern American Debate (2012) and is currently writing a history of Reye's Syndrome.
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The bitter debate over whether vaccines cause autism is masking real problems with the modern inoculation schedule and encouraging a growing number of parents to refuse recommended vaccines for their children, argues a Michigan State University scholar.
In his new book “Vaccine: The Debate in Modern America,” Mark Largent writes that extremists for and against vaccinations have clouded the issues for parents seeking to make the best possible decisions for their children’s health.
Kaavya Ramesh (IR sophomore) has been selected for the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program to study Chinese in China during the summer of 2012. Kaavya is among the approximately 630 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students selected for the U.S. Department of State’s CLS Program in 2012 to study Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, or Urdu languages. The students spend eight to ten weeks in intensive language institutes during the summer in 14 countries where these languages are spoken. The CLS Program provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to increase language fluency and cultural competency. CLS Program participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. The CLS Program is administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) and American Councils for International Education.
Jackie Stewart was a devoted and beloved staff member at Madison for 41 years. Obituary and information about her memorial service.
Jackie was the recipient of the 2007 Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff award, which exemplified her commitment to James Madison College.
View the photo gallery and video from the James Madison College Washington DC Career Exposure Tour
The JMC Career Services office hosted the first career exposure trip for 24 Madison students during spring break 2012. The trip was a tremendous learning and networking experience for the students, allowing them to learn what successful alumni have done with their degrees. Thank you to all our wonderful alumni and their staff who hosted the college and made the students feel welcome and a part of the Madison community.
The JMC 2012 Commencement is available to view online:
James Madison College has a new address!
Case Hall
842 Chestnut Rd Room S369L
East Lansing MI 48825
For more details, see http://campusaddresses.msu.edu/
Alumna Rachel Kahan (IR 2007) died on Friday, April 27 after a battle with an aggressive oral cancer. There will be a memorial service on May 2nd, at 1:30 PM at the Dorfman Chapel, 30440 W Twelve Mile Rd, Farmington Hills MI 48334. Her Madison friends have established a scholarhip in her name to benefit JMC students participating in the semester in DC program. To contribute to this fund, contact Rocky Beckett at 517-432-2117 or make a gift on-line at: www.givingto.msu.edu.
Three Madison students, who will be working with the Michigan Breast Cancer Coalition as Advocate Leaders and Student Ambassadors, Liz Lupher, Emily Steinert and Crystal Matti, have all received scholarships to attend the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Emerging Leaders Program and Advocate Summit and Emerging Leaders Training. They will be travelling to Washington, DC with members of the Michigan Breast Cancer Coalition in May and will have opportunities to meet with other students from across the U.S. and many leaders in public policy, advocacy and research.
The Michigan State University debate team of Kaavya Ramesh and Evan Hebert recently won the Freshman-Sophomore Nationals title. They also were named one of the top 16 debate teams in the country –the youngest team to receive that honor.
Ramesh, from Alpharetta, Ga., is a second-year international relations, Chinese and comparative cultures and politics major, and Hebert, from Bloomfield Hills, is a first-year international relations major.
En route to winning the tournament, they defeated teams from the University of Iowa, Northwestern University and the University of Michigan. During the championship round against U-M, the team debated the issue of human rights in Bahrain, specifically the political implications if the U.S. were to intervene.
Professor Linda Racioppi has won the Ralph H. Smuckler Award for Advancing International Studies and Programs. Professor Racioppi's nomination was supported by both the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and James Madison College for her accomplishments and working collaboratively across the university to advance international studies.
A Lecture series on the Arab Spring and Transitions to Democracy
MSU All-University Awards were presented at the annual awards convocation February 14th. Professor Constance Hunt is the recipient of the MSU Alumni Club of Mid-Michigan Quality in Undergraduate Teaching Award. Professor Daniel Kramer received the Teacher-Scholar Award. The MSU Awards Convocation and "State of the University" address by President Simon can be viewed online at WKAR.org.
A New Approach to 21st Century Governance
Ashley Diane Herzovi: The United Nations should repurpose the Trusteeship Council to oversee states with long-term issues of self-governance due to conflict that are thus unable to provide basic human necessities to their constituents. This action would allow the UN to contribute to long-term governance solutions.
Ashley Herzovi is a student at James Madison College at Michigan State University. This article was first published by our partner Roosevelt Institute Campus Network in their "10 Ideas for Defense & Diplomacy" publication.
Rebecca Farnum (IR), who once served as an intern for First Lady Michelle Obama, will take her passion for environmental justice to the United Kingdom next year as one of two students from Michigan to be named a 2012 Marshall Scholar. Farnum, of Mt. Pleasant, earned one of 36 coveted Marshall Scholarships. She is MSU’s 13th Marshall Scholar, Madison's 9th.
Professor Mohammed Ayoob's recent article"Turkey's Kurdish conundrum" appears in Foreign Policy.
Congratulations to JMC alumni Laura Casey, Derek Dobies, Patrice Johnson, Peter Spadafore,Larry Spataro, Zack Stanton, Nathan Triplett, and Dayne Walling on their successful elections Tuesday.
ased on academic accomplishment and excellence in research, community engagement and other leadership activities.
The White House Internship Program announced today that Charlie Kraiger, JMC IR junior, is among its incoming participants for the Fall 2011 session.
2011-2012 Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Teaching (IIT) Fellows
The 2011-2012 Fellows are: David Baylis (Department of Geography, College of Social Sciences), Ann Chrapkiewicz (Department of Anthropology, College of Social Sciences),
Betsy Ferrer (Department of Teacher Education, College of Education), Hannah Klautkeh (Department of Communications, Collge of Communications), Emma Trentman
(Department of Second Language Studies, College of Arts and Letters), Baburhan Uzum (Department of Second Language Studies, College of Arts and Letters),
Antonio Vasquez (Department of American/Chicano Studies, College of Arts and Letters).
Please see program website http://grad.msu.edu/iit/.
Lisa Cook, assistant professor in James Madison College and the Department of Economics at MSU, will offer her expertise on a team chosen to advise President Barack Obama on matters of economic policy. Cook began a yearlong appointment on August 8 on the president's Council of Economic Advisers. Specifically, she'll focus on issues related to international economics and science and innovation, and call upon her research in macroeconomics and the Michigan economy to help address the nation’s high unemployment rate.
Read Professor Kleinerman's (co-authored with Vincent Phillip Munoz) article "Did Founders Create War Powers?" in the Weekly Standard and NPR.
Read the article "The other side of radicalization in Bahrain" in Foreign Policy by Madison alumnus Justin Gengler.
Read MJ Crawford's piece "To Protect and Serve: Women in Security Forces" in the Atlantic-Community.org. In order to curtail the rising number of female suicide bombers in Middle Eastern countries undergoing conflict, there must be an increase in women serving within military and police forces. This will undoubtedly contribute to the safety of the region and bolster the status of women around the world.
Lisa Cook calls for major changes in consumer behavior. Despite living in the "epicenter of the Great Recession," Michigan residents continue to do a poor job budgeting their money, according to a study by an MSU economist who recommends major changes in consumer behavior and financial education.
Alumnus John Heffern will be nominated by President Obama as Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. Heffern is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at USNATO, Brussels. Prior to his current post, Mr. Heffern served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Executive Assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia. His career has also included overseas assignments to Japan, Malaysia, Ivory Coast and Guangzhou, China. From 1994-1996, Heffern served as a Pearson Fellow on the Asia Sub-Committee for the House International Relations Committee. Prior to entering the Foreign Service, he served in the Office of Senator John C. Danforth as the Senator’s Office Director and Research Assistant.
Professor Mark Largent has been named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowship winner for 2011-2012. He will spend the next year in Washington, DC working at the National Science Foundation, where he will lead a project to assess and reform the NSF's Living Stocks Collections for Biological Research.
Curtis Stokes and the April 2011 Race Conference are featured in a Seattle Medium article "Women In Prison - What About The Children" by Julianne Malveaux, keynote peaker at the conference.
"There are more than 200,000 women who are currently incarcerated, 115,000 in federal or state prisons and 99,000 in local jails. Nearly 1 million women are on probation – representing 26 percent of those on probation. 98,000 are on parole. Women’s incarceration has grown by over 800 percent in the last three ..."
Brian Palmiter is this year's winner of the Jack Chapin Memorial, awarded to the outstanding senior in PTCD. Brian graduated with a 3.95 GPA. His many other awards include a research fellowship from the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (2009-2010), which culminated in his article "Letting Sleeping Scandals Lie? T.H. White and the Consequences of Executive Accountability," published in A Dialogue on Presidential Challenges and Leadership (2010), and an internship at the Scientific Freedom, Responsibility, and Law Program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010-present), during which he is working on and writing about issues of professional ethics. For the next two years, Brian will be with Teach for America, teaching in Memphis, TN.
Lisa Cook received a $157,000 grant award from the National Science Foundation to conduct further research on the Economics of Innovation. The focus of this work will be patent activity among minorities and women and runs from 2011 to 2013. The work on which the award is based can be found in the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Working Paper Series at http://www.nber.org/papers/w16331.pdf.
Joseph DeLeon (CCP senior) received the Dorothy Carr Houvener Award from the French department in the College of Arts and Letters.
The Muslim Studies Program and the Asian Studies Center at Michigan State have been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Social Science Research Council to pursue a project titled “Migrations of Islam: Muslim American Popular Culture in the 21st Century.” The MSU project will include a series of public events planned for Fall 2011 and the production of a documentary film on the topic Muslim American culture. Mohammed Ayoob, University Distinguished Professor of International Relations and Coordinator of the Muslim Studies Program, and Salah D. Hassan, Associate Professor in the Department of English and Core Faculty in Muslim Studies, are the Co-PI’s on the project, which will be administered by the Asian Studies Center. This grant is the second awarded by the SSRC to the Muslim Studies Program in the past 3 years.
Alumnus Terry Terry is President of MessageMakers, recently recognized as one of the 2011 "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch," an awards program sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation and presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.MessageMakers is a full–service production company specializing in live events, video production and learning programs, with more than 30 years of worldwide experience and proven success.
An article in the MSU News about Race in 21st Century America: The 7th National Conference.
Madison seniors Isabel Laczkovich, Nicholas Pfost, and Sharmaake Sabrie will receive the MSU Outstanding Senior Award at a ceremony in April. The award is given to 30 MSU students and selections are made by the MSU Senior Class Council. Congratulations!
President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate JMC alumna Dereth Glance for Commissioner, International Joint Commission, Department of State. She is currently the Executive Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a non-profit citizens environmental and public health advocacy organization in New York and Connecticut. Previously, Ms. Glance worked for Defenders of Wildlife, Citizen Action Coalition of Indiana, and the Michigan League for Human Services.
IR senior Eric Branoff was awarded a Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship through the MSU Asian Studies Center and the U.S. Department of Education. The FLAS Fellowship program is designed to meet critical needs for specialists in American education, government, and other services of a public and/or professional nature who will utilize their skills in training others and in developing throughout the United States a wider knowledge and understanding of other countries and cultures. FLAS fellowships offer tuition payment of up to $18,000 per year (graduate) $10,000 per year (undergraduate) and a monthly stipend for each.
JMC students Aaron Foote (SRP) and CJ Demmer (PTCD) appear on ABC in Charleston during a visit to the slave market museum while on a spring break field trip with the Madison Futures class.
Professor Dan Kramer is to be awarded the John K. Hudzik Emerging Leader Award at the 2011 International Award ceremony on March 23rd.
Isabel Laczkovich will receive the MSU outstanding senior award at an event in April. Originally from Germany, she moved to the United States 9 years ago with her family. Her primary academic focus at MSU has been researching the European Union and currently she is editing the last chapters of her thesis on public engagement with the EU. Isabel is also president of the MSU chapter of Toastmaster International and has been a regular speaker for the MSU Speakers Bureau. She is founder and president of the student group "Linking Lansing & U," an initiative by the Mayor of Lansing connecting MSU students with the City of Lansing, building talent retention, and helping the city's economy.
Read Mohammed Ayoob's recent article "The GCC shows its true colors."
Claire Glenn, Courtney Hurtt, and Elizabeth Dunham were the first recipients of the MLK-inspired award. Mitch Goldsmith earned honorable mention. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically..." And Michigan State University students have recently demonstrated how well they have taken this philosophy to heart. The MLK Jr. Advancing Inclusion Through Research Award was created in 2010 to showcase the legacy of King's ideals of inclusive excellence through current students' research.
Alumnus Steven Webster (Urban '75) will be taking over as CEO and chairman of Prima Civitas Foundation, replacing David Hollister, who will continue as senior vice president and senior advisor. Webster is currently vice president of governmental affairs at Michigan State University. He will be Prima Civitas Foundation’s chief executive for knowledge enterprises and economic development. Prima Civitas Foundation, which has a mission of aggregating knowledge resources from Michigan’s universities, colleges, community colleges and other entities, will expand its services to make them available statewide. Previously, the foundation had focused on a region throughout the center of the state and over into the Thumb.
Yael Aronoff, James Madison College Professor and Michael and Elaine Serling and Friends Chair of Israel Studies, is a 2011 recipient of the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award which is awarded to faculty who early in their careers have earned the respect of students and colleagues for their devotion to and skill in teaching and who have shown scholarly promise.
Nell Hennessy, a Madison alumna from the first graduating class, died February 4, 2011 after a brave battle with cancer. Hennessy, Chief Executive Officer of Fiduciary Counselors Inc., was widely respected in the employee benefit community for both her professional leadership in the development of employee benefit law and her generous mentorship and friendship to employee benefits practitioners throughout her career. She was a generous friend to James Madison College.
IR senior Mikayla Bouchard is a cast member of a new play debuting at MSU, "Happy Holy Days." The play is an irreverent philosophical comedy which explores the intertwining of secular and religious celebrations in a collection of contemplative scenes both profane and profound.
IR senior Eric Branoff and IR junior Samuel Peters have been awarded 2011-2012 Shao Chang Lee Scholarships, Branoff in the amount of $4,000 and Peters, $3000.00. The scholarships are awarded by the MSU Asian Studies Center.
PTCD senior Kevin Pietrick is the recipient of a $500.00 Veterans for Peace Scholarship, awarded by the Utah Phillips/J. David Singer Chapter 93 of Veterans For Peace, to a Michigan resident who will pursue studies in a peace studies program or other program that actively promotes the study of global conflict resolution or issues of peace and justice.
Alumnus Patrick Paige (SOCEC '87) was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Acument Global Technologies, Inc. in Troy MI, one of the world’s leading providers of mechanical fastening systems. Paige previously served as Vice President and General Manager.
Alumnus Matthew Schneider (IR ’96) has been named chief of staff and general counsel to the Michigan Supreme Court. He succeeds JMC alumnus Michael Gadola (IR '85) as general counsel and Carl Gromek as chief of staff. Schneider most recently worked in the public corruption unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit, where he has prosecuted members of organized crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs. [Detroit News Article]
Eric Branoff has been awarded the Habib Scholarship for spring semester. Recipients are selected on the basis of their enrollment in the Muslim Studies Program Specialization at MSU. Branoff was previously awarded a Boren Scholarship for the study of Arabic in Amman, Jordan.
Alumnus Richard Cordray taking top post with federal consumer protection bureau.
MSU is using $7 Million from an anonymous gift to match new endowed scholarships at the University. Several Madison alumni have helped the college establish the James Madison College Spartan Scholarship Challenge and are encouraging all Madison alumni and friends to consider donating to the fund. The college's goal is $100,000 including the matching funds from MSU. As of December 9th, there has been $49,100 raised of the $67,000 needed to reach the JMC goal.
Have your gifts to this JMC scholarship matched by MSU at a 50% ratio. Also consider a pledge over multiple-years to maximize the matching gift from MSU.
CCP/IR junior, Spencer Nordwick, spent the summer in Krakow, Poland writing a historical fiction novel.
Alumnus Jeff Williams named CEO of Public Sector Consultants.
Student Anna Schroen awarded $15,000 Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship.
Alumnus Michael Gadola (IR ’85) was named legal affairs director for Michigan Governor-elect Snyder. Gadola has served as legal counsel to the Michigan Supreme Court for the last 10 years.
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The MSU debate team of Madison junior Josh Miller (SRP) and freshman Randy Rossman took home first place the weekend of Oct. 30 at the Motor City Classic Tournament, hosted annually by Wayne State University. Several other MSU debaters had a very successful weekend, including JMC students Val McIntosh (IR sophomore) and freshman Paul Piro.
Madison has just created a new Facebook Page for updates on the college. Please join us there.
Professor Ramazan Kilinc was awarded a grant for his project "The Role of Religious Beliefs and Institutions in Generosity: Catholicism and Islam," with two professors from Arizona State University (Carolyn Warner, Political Science; Adam Cohen, Psychology). The project examines charitable giving and voluntarism of the adherents of Catholicism and Islam in Turkey, France, Italy and Ireland. The project is funded by the Templeton Foundation, through the University of Notre Dame (budget $ 363,666).