Dear JMC Spartans,
I hope you are enjoying the start of a much-deserved break after a busy fall semester. It’s been wonderful to experience the energy of the Madison community as we resumed most activities and events that we had missed the last few years.
Faculty Research Nights brought students and faculty members together for an evening of food and research on Nov. 1-2. We are fortunate to have faculty who study such a wide range of topics. Opportunities to learn from one another outside of the classroom are one of the many benefits of our residential community.
We also managed to squeeze in a couple of Faculty Brown Bag Talks and our new tradition that began last spring: JMC Lunch and Breakfast Chats. I know our students, faculty and staff appreciate these informal moments to connect and enjoy a meal. Thank you to Justin Burkett, our events and alumni coordinator, for making sure we are well fed and mixing it up with a range of cuisines each time.
Two new research collaboratories launched this semester: the Equitable Development Collaboratory with Assistant Professors Amanda Flaim, Sejuti Das Gupta and me at the helm, and the Indo Pacific Collaboratory (IPC), involving a number of faculty members including Cameron Thies, Robert Brathwaite, Siddharth Chandra, Yasu Komori, Myunghee Lee and Simei Qing. We know these programs will foster important work and give our students new opportunities to engage in participatory action focused on international or local development.
The semester also saw the initiation of the Madison Research Tutorial (MART) program. The MART program was created to provide a student centered and in-depth research experience consisting of a faculty-led small tutorial (2-3 students) to explore a topic of interest. The small size of the tutorials is designed to develop research-related skills that empower students to explore and engage in research opportunities both within the college and at MSU. Additionally, our newest cohort for the Madison Diversity Leadership Program (MDLP) begins their work in January. Congratulations to these 10 students who will join Dr. Das Gupta and me in the classroom and for a two-week study abroad experience in India.
As we look ahead to spring semester, I know the college will feel the loss of two of Madison’s finest professors. Colleen Tremonte and Connie Hunt taught their final courses this fall. We will miss them dearly as they’ve made such an impact on the lives of so many students and colleagues.
Next semester we welcome Dean Thies’ return to Madison. We also have an exciting new advising option for students. Drop-in advising sessions will be offered daily, Monday-Friday. Spring 2024 is around the corner but for now, sit back and relax. Enjoy your time with family and friends, and safe travels to all.
Linda Racioppi
Professor / Associate Dean of Faculty Research and Academic Affairs
James Madison College