Working on Campus

College is expensive. Fortunately, Michigan State is a great place to find a job while you’re taking classes! Working on campus has a lot of benefits- no commute, flexible scheduling to work around your class schedule, and being surrounded by other Spartans! I also think having a job helps me with time management, which is a really important skill to have in college. I currently work in the Office of Admissions and I LOVE my job as a campus tour guide! I’ve gotten to meet and work with really cool people and nothing makes me happier than getting to show visitors our beautiful campus. Did you know Michigan State has 98 miles of sidewalk?!  What’s great about working on campus is that there is a perfect job for everyone here. I have friends who work in research labs, coffee shops, bookstores, dining halls, tutoring centers, and numerous other places. So if you’re looking for a way to help pay for college, gain work experience, or meet new people, consider getting a job on campus! Check out www.myspartancareer.com and follow @internatstate on twitter, too!

Come visit campus for a tour!

Alexa

Sophomore

SRP 

Living and Learning in Case Hall

My favorite part of my freshmen year were my midterms. To most students, this sounds crazy. Who actually enjoys taking exams?

But the reason I liked midterm season so much was because I loved working with my friends around me. Many of the other students on my floor were in James Madison, and all Madison freshmen took MC 201, Intro to the Study of Public Affairs, together. Therefore, we were all reading the same books, listening to the same professors, and discussing the same concepts in section. We bonded over this class, and we used each other as resources.

I visited office hours for my professors and read the material closely, but what helped me the most was discussing the lectures and readings with my classmates. We bounced ideas off of each other and edited each other’s essays. We speculated about what the paper prompts might be and shared our opinions about the material. Studying and working together built a sense of camaraderie and boosted our GPAs at the same time.

There are many wonderful parts of Case Hall--the lovely dining hall, the convenient classrooms, the location. But the best part is that there are friends, peers, and resources everywhere you look.

Claire
Sophomore

South Pointe Dining Hall at Case

 Photo Courtesy of MSU Communication and Branding Strategy

A Freshman's Perspective

Throughout my first two semesters within the James Madison College, I have experienced many ups and downs. But there is something that has made the downs worth it, for example, the classroom experience.  My classroom experiences within these first two semesters have been amazing. These experiences have helped me bond and connect with other James Madison students, mostly over political jargon.  One of the great things about these classes is the size.  Since these classes are smaller than most on campus, they promote a community atmosphere that inspires teamwork and friendship.

When I started my second semester, I already knew that the friends I made in MC 201 and 111 are going to be friends I can rely on for the next three years of my college career.  I love this aspect of James Madison because it creates a close knit community of people that share so many things in common.

I also enjoy this format of classes because it is a better style for discussion-based teaching and learning. It makes it easier for the students to interact with the material, while the professor is still able to stay on task throughout the entire class session.  This also creates a prime environment for in depth analysis and research, it also provides enough one-on-one time for professor and student interactions within the allotted time of class.

As of this far, these two classes and the format of classes within James Madison have created great experiences that I will not soon forget.

Brandon

Freshman

My Favorite Class: Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice

When I get asked what my favorite course has been while I have been at James Madison College and Michigan State University, I have instant anxiety. Many of the courses I have taken have changed my life and have made me love attending class, including MC 395, Performing the Nation, as well as MC 482, Gender and Violent Conflict. However, after much thought I have concluded that my favorite class is MC/FW 445, Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice

           

Before I can explain why I loved this course, I must explain the events that brought my to take the course in the first place. Interestingly, I actively tried to avoid taking this course. With no background with endangered species protection and policy, I felt as though this course would only stress me out and leave me steps behind my classmates, as many of them were obtaining the Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy Minor (STEPPM). However, there were few courses offered and I knew that I needed a course that fulfilled my global governance requirement for International Relatiions. Ultimately, after speaking with other professors in attempts to create an independent study, I came to the conclusion that I had no option but to take MC/FW 445.

           

I was surprised in so many ways. As my first experience with topics like endangered species protection, the creation of protected areas, biodiversity, international environmental agreements and much more, I was not only interested in the course but became excited to attend class. I had always been interested in exotic animals, and the ability to speak thoughtfully of the plight of the rhinoceros or elephant is an amazing opportunity and was so different than so many of my other courses. In addition, this course succeeded in doing something that I believe higher education should aim to: Diversify students’ knowledge bases while providing real world practice in the topics at hand. Not only have I learned about a topic I had never expected to, but I can speak about this topic comfortably and confidently. Because the course is technically a course in James Madison (MC) and Fisheries and Wildlife (FW), there are so many perspectives from students in majors from Agribusiness to International Relations to Fisheries and Wildlife. With these diverse perspectives, including my own from CCP as the one of my major in this course, our class discussions are routinely fascinating but informed from multiple perspectives of the issues at hand. Finally, Professor Kramer has been one of the most supportive, understanding and organized professors I have ever had, and I appreciate his feedback and welcoming demeanor every morning at 8:30AM.

           

As the time for scheduling has arrived, I actively tell any International Relations student that this is a course that they should consider for their global governance requirement. The course has changed the number of possibilities that I can see myself reaching for in my future, and I will forever be thankful for the risk that I took when I enrolled for the course.

Danny
Junior

International Relations

Comparative Cultures and Politics

My Favorite Class: Politics and Markets

When asked what my favorite class I have taken in James Madison College over my four years I immediately am transported back to my spring semester of my sophomore year and MC 241- Politics and Markets with Professor Emmett.

I was interested in the Political Economy minor and was told that MC 241 would be the perfect for me to test whether I liked the program of study as well as get a requirement out of the way for my Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy major.

I enrolled in the class and was at first nervous about the amount of books that we would be reading over the semester. The book list had approximately 7 books on it, on the higher end for a Madison class, and they were all on economic theory. I was nervous about it, but I went into the class with an open mind.

I have not learned more from one class than I did in MC 241.

Professor Emmett leads the class through discussion. We make the seating in a complete circle and he starts the class with a question. It was intimidating at first but soon I came to love the way the class was structured as the class was completely discussion based as opposed to lecture based. I felt that I learned a great deal from this class because of the discussion based. What was more, is I gained a really deep understanding of economic policy because that was what the class focused on.

The aspect that I most liked about the class was not only the discussion based learning but also the material covered. The course focused on the debate between John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich Hayek. Having the modern economic policy debate contextualized in that manner allowed me to better understand the debate as well as formulate my own opinions.

I ended up choosing the Political Economy minor because of MC 241 and the nature of the class. Having mostly discussion based classes that really encouraged my learning and understanding of the subject matter was incredibly rewarding and fun.

Stephen
Senior
Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy
Political Economy Minor

Hunting For Internships

Hello Everyone,

We apologize for our absence from the blogging world over the past few months. We're going to kick off our new series of blogs with a post from Erica, who just returned from interning at the U.S. Department of State during the fall. Here's what she has to say:

Hello blogging community, my name is Erica and I’m a senior double majoring in International Relations and Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy through James Madison College at MSU. It’s hard to believe that I am working my way through my final undergraduate semester. These past 4 years have flown by faster than I thought possible, but I’ve done all I can do to make the most of my Spartan experience. With graduation quickly approaching I've been filling out lots of applications and am trying to figure out what my life will look like post-MSU.

As daunting as this task is I have to say that James Madison College’s required Field Experience has provided me with a great foundation for the career hunt. James Madison College students are required to complete a field experience or study abroad for credit once they reach junior status. These experiences help students take their learning outside the classroom and apply their skills to real world scenarios. I have been fortunate enough to complete multiple study abroad programs and internships and each of them has been an eye-opening experience. However, my most recent experience during the 2013 Fall Semester was the internship I chose to use for my Field Experience.

I made the choice to spend my fall semester off campus in order to complete my program. Many students complete their internships during the summer sessions or stay in the Lansing area, but I relocated to Washington, D.C. and took the opportunity to intern with the U.S. Department of State. The experience was almost surreal, but it couldn’t have been a more perfect fit for my studies and academic interests. I moved down to Washington, D.C. at the end of August, just as many of my peers were beginning their classes at MSU. During my 14 weeks in D.C. I was still enrolled as an MSU student but instead of attending classes I was working 40 hours a week. The shift into the work environment was not unknown to me, having worked as a student employee at MSU, but I’ll admit that is was a little odd not going home and having homework to complete. Instead I stayed busy maintaining my connections with student groups at MSU while also building numerous new friendships and connections in the D.C. area. I explored the city on weekends and tried to soak up all D.C. had to offer…which included a great Spartan network that bonded over MSU Football at the local MSU bar.

At the conclusion of the internship I was required to write a couple of papers reflecting on my experience and what I have learned. While the papers have been helpful in processing all the things I did over the 14 weeks in D.C., I think one of the biggest lessons I learned was the perseverance of applying to internships in the first place. During the spring of my junior year I applied to countless internship programs. I felt like all I did was constantly edit my resume and cover letter and more often than not I would send off my application and never hear back. However, as I return to the application process—now for full-time positions—I appreciate the countless hours I spent on applications last year. Now, not only do I have practice with application and interview skills, but I can discuss the various projects and assignments I have completed during my internships. And better yet I know that while it may take hours upon hours of applications, success is possible. 

Erica
Senior
IR & PTCD 

From Mississippi to Madison: Out of State Perspective

“Where are you going to school?” “Michigan State.” “Oh wow, that’s far. It’s cold up there, isn’t it?” Now, if I had a dollar for how many times I had this conversation my senior year of high school, I probably would far from the mark of the typical broke college student. Unfortunately, that’s not how the world works, so here I am in Michigan…in the cold…and far from home. I am from Hattiesburg, Mississippi! Most people haven’t heard of this city, but if you’re at least familiar with the Gulf Coast (Gulfport/Biloxi), it’s an hour north of there. You might be wondering, “Why is she at Michigan State?” Well there are a lot of answers to that question, but the biggest things for me were the Honors College and James Madison College. I knew that between the two, Michigan State was the place for me. The decision to come here was pretty easy after I visited here a couple of times. I literally fell in love with campus and everything that MSU was about. I knew I couldn’t see myself anywhere else. Fortunately, everything worked out, and here I am having the time of my life. 

I believe that being an out of state student has shaped my experience here at MSU by pushing beyond my limits and out of my comfort zone. These two things are something that anybody should aim to do during their college years, but I had to do so from the very beginning. I didn’t know anybody here, and I also knew as much about MSU and East Lansing as I was told during my visits. When I first got up here, I had the choice to either put myself out there to try and make friend while getting familiar with the area or keeping to myself. I chose the former, and I am glad I did. Beyond all this, being from Mississippi definitely makes breaking the ice easy! I already have so much to talk about with someone because Mississippians aren’t all over the place here in Michigan. 

Of course, with any good comes the bad, but it’s not too bad. As an out of state student, most of my time is spent here in East Lansing during the school year. Some out of state students go home for thanksgiving break, but since it is so short, most choose to stay on campus. The other breaks are lengthy enough, but the issue comes in when you just want to get away from campus for a weekend- you really can’t. With that comes tip number #1, make friends who live in Michigan!!! It can really come in handy sometimes, but I believe the lack of ability to have a regular change of scenery made the madison transition a little harder because being around JMC, Case, and other madison students is already a regular thing, but it is even more of a big deal if you’re out of state because you’re around it 99% of the time. For me, it took some adjusting to that because sometimes I would just want to get away for a bit, so I’d end up just getting frustrated with having the same scene all the time. This is probably the worst thing that comes along with being an out of state student in Madison. Other than that, it’s pretty cool! As an out of state student, especially since I’m from the south, I bring a different perspective on issues that are being discussed in class. You could do the exact same!

I know that when planning to go to school out of state from wherever you live, there are always a lot of people who don’t think it’s the best idea or even try to talk you out of it. Tip #2- Do what you think is best for you! I know would have missed out on so much had I let the distance or fear of the cold or anything else keep me from attending MSU. That being said, if you’re out of state and considering coming to Michigan State, I highly recommend it (no surprise there!). I do have some suggestions though. 

1- Allow yourself to miss home. You don’t need to act like to don’t miss it in order to stay afloat here. It’s natural, so let nature run its course!

2- Try to make friends and get involved/plugged in as soon as you can!

3- Try joining clubs or groups that feature some traveling because it’s nice to get away from East Lansing whenever you can (Ex. I joined MSUIRO which is the competitive Model UN team here, and I was able to go to Philadelphia last fall for a conference! It was great)

4- Don’t forget about friends back home! It’s hard to manage the friendships from far away, but they are essentially your easily accessible to key to home next to your family. It’s definitely manageable to balance friendships here and at home.

5- Don’t let being an out of state student hold you back from ANYTHING! Once you come to MSU, you are just like everybody else here- an MSU student. The fact that you’re not from around here shouldn’t mean at thing!

6- Finally, this is the biggest thing. Remember that you’re at MSU because you want something from MSU. Whatever that might be go and get it and chase after it constantly! You’re here for a reason, so shine bright :)

Florence 

Sophomore 

International Relations and Comparative Cultures & Politics 

Easing the Transition: Freshman Seminars Abroad

                In the August before I started my freshman year at Michigan State University, I decided to apply to go on a Freshman Study Abroad to Salvador, Brazil. I wanted to the chance to meet professors, especially because the two professors going on the trip taught for James Madison College, where I would be attending. I also thought it'd be helpful to get to know other new students who shared similar interests, like traveling, as me. The application process for the FSA wasn't very difficult, but I had developed convincing arguments about the benefits of study abroad to persuade my parents into supporting my trip. I was accepted into the program, and convinced my parents studying abroad would be largely advantageous for me. I quickly grasped that my dream of traveling outside the country (further than Canada, that is) would soon become a reality. I was very nervous in the weeks leading up to my departure; I didn't know anyone else who I would be traveling and spending two weeks with. However, I realized that this mirrored what my transition to MSU would be like.

                My time in Brazil was filled with the befriending of my fellow students, many who were also entering James Madison, exploring the city and culture of Salvador, and building up a relationship with my professor. The schoolwork was not overwhelming, but it gave me a fair idea of the level of writing that was expected of students in James Madison. It definitely helped to prepare me for the work in college.  I loved the opportunity to meet and talk with students who were in the same place in their lives as I was. We were able to discuss what we were excited about for MSU and our fears about roommates and classes. This helped to dilute my own worries about the future, since I knew that other people were also nervous. When I returned back home, and had to wait two weeks before entering college, I could hardly wait. Traveling independently abroad gave me a taste for freedom that made me even more eager to come to MSU. Now being a freshman at MSU, I realize more than ever how beneficial my study abroad to Brazil truly was. It gave me the confidence to explore an entirely new place on my own, which smoothed my transition into college and also made me more open to trying new experiences.

Ellery

Freshman