Portia Chana (she/her) is a senior graduating from James Madison College this spring with a B.A. in social relations and policy, and political theory and constitutional democracy with minors in history, and LGBTQ and sexuality studies. During her time at MSU she has held leadership roles in Delta Phi Epsilon, The Sunrise Movement and JMC Student Senate. She is also the senior assistant recruitment coordinator for James Madison.
When I decided where I wanted to go for university, the number one thing on my checklist was feeling happy and welcomed in the campus community. Choosing to be a Spartan at Michigan State was the beginning of one of the best decisions I made. With 50,000 students, 1,000 registered student organizations, and 200 majors, there were countless opportunities and combinations of academics I could’ve created for myself. And though the size of campus was new and exciting, it was also intimidating. It wasn’t until I walked through the doors of Case Hall that I truly found the community I was hoping for.
Being a student in James Madison College provided me with the resources to intern with organizations I care about, gave me the opportunity to study abroad in Amsterdam, and introduced me to the clubs I’ve been a part of since my first year. Through these experiences, I’ve been able to apply what I have learned about public policy from classes to real world experiences, including working with Michigan legislation and learning about gender and sexual politics and how that shapes sex education in the United States. Plus, I have gained lifelong friends every step of the way.
I’ve had so many opportunities that have made such an impact on my four years of college, but the one I’ve poured my heart into most has been my role in the JMC Recruitment Office as part of the Office of Justice, Equity and Inclusion.
Through this role I’ve worked in-office with four amazing people who are just as passionate and dedicated about talking to prospective students as I am. We’ve traveled to high schools around the Midwest to meet students in their hometowns and share our stories about JMC. We’ve held over 15 in-person and virtual JMC information sessions for prospective students and their families over the last academic year alone.
We ran our second successful year of PRIME, our pre-college program for Lansing high school district students. And believe me when I say those initiatives are just the tip of the iceberg of the work that goes into ensuring prospective students make the most informed decision.
What’s been incredibly special about my role in the recruitment office is how I’ve seen high school students’ faces light up when they hear what JMC can offer them and how they can envision themselves fitting in with this community. It’s even better when I receive an email from a student telling me they’ve committed to JMC or when I get to see those students I talked to as high schoolers in the hallways of Case Hall now.
I found the community I belong to right here in JMC. All I can hope for now, looking back on my time in this office and this college, is that I’ve inspired a high school student who looks just like me to go out and take hold of the resources and opportunities that are waiting for them.
Before starting my college career, all I ever wanted was a community where I felt I belonged and, for that reason, having to say goodbye to JMC is so hard. But I know Spartans are everywhere and I look forward to hearing “Go Green” in the community I find myself in next.