2020-2021 Academic Year Archives
In Memoriam: Dr. Robert F. Banks (1936 - 2021)
August 13, 2021
The Madison community recently received the sad news that Dr. Robert F. Banks, MSU's former Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, and former professor, advisor, and Dean of James Madison College, passed away on July 22nd.
Four JMC Faculty Members Receive Waltzer Teaching Excellence Awards
July 1, 2021
James Madison College professors Gene Burns, Melissa Fore, Kirstin Hasler Brathwaite, and Benjamin Lorch were recently selected by the Faculty Affairs Committee to receive Ken and Sandy Waltzer Teaching Excellence Awards.
Alumnus Spotlight: Olivia Hunt
June 30, 2021
Alumnus Spotlight: Olivia Hunt (IR, Japanese ‘05) (she/her/hers) Senior Policy Counsel, National Center for Transgender Equality
Alumnus Spotlight: Andi Salinas
June 30, 2021
Alumnus Spotlight: Andi Salinas (CCP, SRP, '13) (they/their/theirs) Youth Well-Being Manager, Human Rights Campaign
Madison Graduate Kaavya Ramesh Reflects on Unique Career Path
May 26, 2021
Kaavya Ramesh (IR, CCP, Chinese ’14) has spent her career at roles at the American Enterprise Institute, The ONE Campaign, DreamWorks (under NBCUniversal), and now as an Associate Manager, Global Brand and Marketing – Dolls at Mattel.
JMC Alumnus Shares Insights into Role in Federal International Trade Administration
May 26, 2021
Salim Bhabhrawala (IR ’98) was recently named the Critical Minerals Sector Lead at the United States Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. He has been assigned to the taskforce working on President Biden’s Executive Order to secure domestic material supply chains, such as those for advanced batteries in electric vehicles.
Alumnus Richard Cordray Named Head of Federal Student Aid
May 4, 2021
Richard Cordray, former Ohio Attorney General and former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has been appointed to serve as the top official overseeing the federal government's portfolio of student loans and array of financial aid programs.
JMC Faculty Members Publish Book
May 3, 2021
Professors Norman Graham, Folke Lindahl, and Timur Kocaoglu recently published, "Making Russia and Turkey Great Again? Putin and Erdogan in Search of Lost Empires and Autocratic Power."
Alumna Lauren Bealore (SRP '11) Highlighted by Forbes
April 28, 2021
Lauren Bealore, Democracy Director for State Innovation Exchange and Co-Founder of Y.A.B. (Young, Ambitious, and Beautiful), was recently featured in Forbes for her influence on the political landscape-- especially for Black women.
JMC Alumnus Offers Insight into the Work of Civic Innovation
April 28, 2021
Nada Zohdy (IR, Arabic ’10) discusses her work in civic engagement and reflects on how JMC prepared her for current role
Alumnus M.J. Crawford Serving at U.S. Embassy in Pakistan
April 9, 2021
M.J. Crawford (IR '11), a Flint, MI native, is currently serving as a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Madison Alumnus Amanda Sloat Named NSC Director for Europe
April 9, 2021
Dr. Amanda Sloat (PTCD '97) recently joined the Biden Administration, where she is serving as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe.
JMC Alumnus Reflects on Past Year in New York City Emergency Management
March 29, 2021
Kevin Clark (IR ’87) has worked for the City of New York for over 30 years, with almost 20 of them at New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM).
Madison Donors Raise the Bar During Give Green Day!
March 23, 2021
JMC sets record on Give Green Day in an effort to support the JMC Emergency Scholarship Fund, which provides assistance to students with financial hardships.
Give Green Day: JMC Emergency Scholarships Meet Critical Needs
February 22, 2021
Generously support the JMC Emergency Scholarship Fund throughout Give Green Day on March 16th. Your contributions will have a profound and meaningful impact on the lives of Madison students.
Professor Jennifer Goett Publishes Article on Youth Activism and Nicaragua's 2018 Insurrection
February 19, 2021
Professor Jennifer Goett recently published an article in The Journal of Latin American and Carribbean Anthropology.
Michael McConnell (JMCD ’76) Appears on PBS News Hour, Publishes Book
February 10, 2021
Alumnus Michael McConnell (JMCD ’76) has recently published a timely book and appeared on PBS News Hour.
Collapse and Rebirth: A Living Archive on the Collapse of the USSR and Beyond
January 27, 2021
Professor Martha Brill Olcott and over a dozen current Madison College students and recent graduates have been working since June 2019 on a historic Living Archive project.
Professor Lisa Cook Elected to National Academy of Social Insurance
January 26, 2021
Professor Lisa Cook Elected to National Academy of Social Insurance.
4th Annual Social Justice Arts Festival Award Winners
January 25, 2021
4th Annual Social Justice Arts Festival Award Winners
Professor Lisa Barksdale-Shaw Leaving JMC
January 21, 2021
Professor Lisa Barksdale-Shaw has accepted a tenure-system position in the English Department at Arizona State University beginning August 2021.
Residential Colleges Awarded Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant
January 15, 2021
James Madison College, Lyman Briggs College, and the Residential College of Arts and Humanities have been awarded a Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant to create a Residential Colleges Advancing Racial Equity and Advocacy (AREA) Program.
John Walters (JMCD '74) Named President and CEO of Hudson Institute
January 6, 2021
Alumnus John P. Walters has been named president and chief executive officer of Hudson Institute.
JMC & RCAH Awarded Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant
January 4, 2021
A collaborative effort between James Madison College and the Residential College in Arts and Humanities has received a Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant for multi-year funding.
Professor Robert Brathwaite Awarded Council on Foreign Relations Fellowship
December 18, 2020
Professor Robert Brathwaite recently received a Council on Foreign Relations Fellowship
Alumnus Landon Fortenberry Awarded Rangel Fellowship
December 16, 2020
JMC alumnus Landon Fortenberry was recently awarded a highly competitive 2021 Rangel Fellowship to study in a graduate program that aims to prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service.
Professor Lisa Cook and Dr. Amber Benton Win Excellence in Diversity Awards
December 15, 2020
JMC faculty and staff members Professor Lisa Cook and Dr. Amber Benton have been named two of Michigan State University’s Excellence in Diversity Award winners for 2021.
Professor Yael Aronoff Releases New Co-Edited Book
December 3, 2020
Ten leading scholars and practitioners of politics, political science, anthropology, Israel studies, and Middle East affairs address the theme of continuity and change in political culture as a tribute to Professor Myron (Mike) J. Aronoff whose work on political culture has built conceptual and methodological bridges between political science and anthropology.
Alumnus Christopher Burtley Named to Governor's Black Leadership Advisory Council
November 13, 2020
Alumnus Christopher Burtley (IR '12) has been selected to serve on the Governor's Black Leadership Advisory Council.
Professor Lisa Cook Named to Biden-Harris Transition Team
November 11, 2020
Michigan State University economist Dr. Lisa Cook has been selected to serve on President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris's transition team. Dr. Cook is a professor within the Department of Economics in the College of Social Science at MSU, as well as a Professor of International Relations in the James Madison College.
Two JMC Professors Receive 2020 #iteachmsu Educator Award
November 10, 2020
A new initiative at MSU recognizes educators in the community who contribute to the university’s teaching and learning mission. The Thank an Educator initiative, which launched in 2018 through #iteachmsu at the MSU Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology, is a community-led effort aimed at valuing and celebrating the contributions that so many make to MSU.
Four JMC Students, One Alumna Nominated for Prestigious Scholarships
October 19, 2020
Michigan State University has nominated four JMC undergraduate students an alumna for nationally competitive graduate school scholarships: the Marshall Scholarship, the Mitchell Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarships. All of the scholarships support students attending graduate school in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
Four JMC Students, One Alumna Nominated for Prestigious Scholarships
October 19, 2020
Michigan State University nominated four JMC undergraduate students an alumna for nationally competitive graduate school scholarships: the Marshall Scholarship, the Mitchell Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarships.
JMC Senior Abii-Tah Chungong Bih Named Finalist for Global Rhodes Scholarship
October 14, 2020
Abii-Tah Chungong Bih is an Honors College senior majoring in international relations, and comparative cultures and politics from James Madison College. She is a MasterCard Foundation Scholar from Cameroon, which is a global program aimed at “developing Africa’s next generation of leaders” who will transform their countries.
$1M grant from Luce Foundation launches interdisciplinary program on Mekong sustainability
July 23, 2020
A Michigan State University interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff is working to foster environmental justice in Southeast Asia. The Henry Luce Foundation’s Initiative on Southeast Asia, or LuceSEA, is providing $1 million in funding to help create the Mekong Culture WELL project.
JMC Professors Receive Inaugural Ken and Sandy Waltzer Teaching Excellence Award
June 11, 2020
James Madison College professors Colleen Tremonte and Daniel Ahlquist have been selected by the Faculty Affairs Committee as the first two recipients of the Ken and Sandy Waltzer Teaching Excellence Awards.
MSUFCU Best Paper Awards Announced
June 10, 2020
Three James Madison College students have been selected for the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union Dean’s Choice Award Scholarship for Best Paper in Public and International Affairs.
JMC Human Rights Lab Assists Gasoil Smuggling Investigation
June 8, 2020
James Madison College's Human Rights Lab's analysis of satellite imagery will be used as evidence in a legal case by TRIAL International against smugglers of Libyan gasoil.
JMC & MSU Libraries Receive Largest Gifts in Histories
May 29, 2020
Research scientist Keelung Hong has made a $6.1 million gift to Michigan State University in honor of his spouse, alumnus Stephen O. Murray, a sociologist, anthropologist and independent scholar who died in 2019. This is the largest cash gift in the history of Jamesl Madison College and the MSU Libraries.
Dr. Linda Racioppi Recommended to be JMC Interim Dean
April 14, 2020
Linda Racioppi, associate dean for research and professor in James Madison College, will be recommended as interim dean of the college, succeeding Sherman Garnett, who is stepping down as dean after two decades of service.
JMC Senior Awarded James C. Gaither Fellowship
March 11, 2020
Vishnu Kannan, a Michigan State University student interested in international affairs, was awarded a nationally competitive research assistant fellowship through the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C.