The following updates were shared in JMC's November and December alumni newsletters. Subscribe to the newsletter online. Share an alumni-related update (including your own!) via Qualtrics:
Justin Appleman (IR ‘24) is teaching English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Moldova.
Emma Baran (SRP ‘24) has moved to Washington, D.C., and serves as a Staff Assistant for U.S. Senator Gary Peters.
Kitson Dong (IR & Accounting ‘22) is a senior auditor at Ernst & Young, an international accounting firm in Detroit.
Christopher Fernandez (PE ‘93) started a new company, Agentic Connect, focused on individuals in the labor market realizing direct benefit from a human-centered AI approach.
Lisa Hooper Heileman (Urban ‘86) has begun her seventh season as a Christmas performer. Serving the Thunder Bay region, Heileman assists the Salvation Army and many charities to bring hope and cheer to the community. Working in Metro Detroit, Heileman shows live reindeer and educates the public about their attributes.
Garrett Jones (PTCD ‘17) earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison after defending his dissertation, “The Implied Powers Presidency: Outside but not Against the Law.” He is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Thomas Jefferson Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
Joshua Lake (SRP ‘24), a MSU Political Science Master of Public Policy student, was awarded the Ira Polley Memorial Scholarship. Students performing at the highest level receive the award.
Diana Maurer (IR ‘88) was selected as a Fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration. She is currently a Director of Defense Issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Jessica Newman (SRP ‘08) was recently appointed as a trustee to the Ferndale School Board.
Alex Plum (IR, PTCD, PE ‘08) testified to the Michigan Senate Committee on Appropriations on the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts to schools and community health centers and adolescent health outcomes. Plum is the CEO of Michigan’s largest adolescent health center.
Caleb Rose (PTCD ‘25) joined the new cohort of Humanities at Hertog Fellows. Only 60 fellows were selected worldwide.
Amanda Sloat (PTCD ‘97) started a new role as Professor of Practice in International Relations at IE University in Madrid, Spain. She also co-launched a new podcast called Power and Purpose, available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts. Listen to a recent episode on ie.edu featuring Bridget Brink, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, who spoke with JMC students in Case Hall on Nov. 11.
Trina Van Schyndel (IR ‘06) was selected as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
