Welcome to campus, both new and returning Madison students! As we begin the fall semester, we are excited you’re here and look forward to the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the JMC community.
Over the summer, faculty and staff have been hard at work, developing new support services and enhancing existing ones to ensure you have the resources you need to thrive. I’ve highlighted a few initiatives below and you can expect to hear more in the weeks ahead:
- Wednesdays with Madison will be held in Case Hall every Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. These weekly events will offer opportunities to connect with fellow students and JMC faculty and staff, gain academic and professional skills, and engage with topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Stop by the JMC Library on Aug. 28 for the first Board Game Night event.
- Madison Academic Diversity Initiative (MADI) will provide students with academic resources and networking through mentorship from Madison faculty. MADI participants will develop professional connections with JMC faculty, attend monthly cohort meetings and complete a community service project. Students will receive information on how to apply to participate by email in September.
- EMBRACE (Empathy, Mindfulness, Belonging, Respect, Advocacy, Conversation and Equity) is a new monthly dialogue led by the Office of Justice, Equity and Inclusion (OJEI). This series — open to all JMC students, faculty and staff — will help familiarize participants with principles of DEI and work to collaboratively define these concepts within the JMC community. The first EMBRACE event will be held on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in Club Spartan.
- Led by the JMC Advising Team, the First-Year Mentoring Program will pair incoming students with upper-level peer mentors within the college. Mentors will connect new students to the college community, help cultivate a sense of belonging and provide information and academic resources on campus. The program is currently reviewing mentor applications and will share information for first-year students interested in being mentees by email in September. Learn more about FYMP >>
- BRIDGE will support the celebration of cultural events and identity-based landmarks throughout the year, including but not limited to Hispanic Heritage Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Women's History Month and Mental Health Awareness Week. Students are encouraged to visit OJEI (S355 Case Hall) to suggest ideas or request assistance in celebrating these events.
- Early Start 2024: The Early Start Program was thrilled to welcome 40 Madison students to campus last week. Early Start serves first-generation and other incoming students who may benefit from additional support as they transition to JMC and Michigan State. This year’s program included introductory classes with JMC faculty, tours of MSU and East Lansing, and a trip to the Michigan State Capitol and the Michigan Supreme Court. Learn more about Early Start >>
The upcoming semester will be challenging, but we're confident in our ability to meet these challenges head-on as a community. We look forward to supporting you throughout your academic journey and will regularly invite your feedback to ensure that our programs are meeting your needs. We invite you to lean on our supports, to challenge yourself and to make the most of the opportunities that come your way.
Cameron G. Thies
Dean and MSU Foundation Professor