Planning to make the most of JMC

            Upon coming to Michigan State, I had no idea what time my here would be like in terms of my college. I came in with many interests, and I wanted to find a way to fit all of them in my academic program. For how many interests I had, it was definitely a daunting task. Fortunately, Michigan State and James Madison have a great advising system in place. More specifically, James Madison has a great first-year advisors. I am sure the first time I met with my advisor she thought I was crazy, but she was really helpful in mapping out what my future at MSU could like. One of the most helpful things I did was to make a four year plan. At the time we made it, my advisor told me that it was going to change. I didn’t believe her. Looking back, I can’t help but laugh because I don’t know why I thought I had it all figured out.

            The four year plan really helped me get an idea of everything that I could do while at MSU and served as a helpful guide when it came to planning courses each semester. After my freshman year, I ended up with an African studies and an International Development specialization added to my program. Adding on these specializations really helped me narrow down which classes in Madison would be the best for me. Now, everyone doesn’t have to do a specialization or even minors (I’m minoring in French), but they are really helpful for getting creative with your academic program.

            Now, I must mention that at MSU, depending on what you choose to do, it’s not likely that you’ll have just one advisor. I meet with advisors for French, African studies, International Development, and the Honors College. It sounds like that might add a lot to my schedule but there are no requirements with meeting with them. It’s all on an as needed basis, and let me tell you, they are extremely helpful when you need them! They are honestly there to help every step of the way- especially through any changes that come through your academic program (i.e. picking up or dropping a major). Also, if you’re lucky to get close enough to your advisor, they’ll help keep you on track and be a listening ear. They just want to see you succeed!

            Of course, it is always a great feeling when you go to your advisor and get good news. I remember when I was meeting with one of my advisors at the beginning of this school year, and she asked me if I would be graduating soon. I was 100% shocked, but it turns out that somehow my four year plan had change to a three and half year plan. I definitely didn’t see this coming as a freshman, but I am truly grateful for all the support my advisors have given me over the years. With their help, I have been able to get the most that I can out of my time hear at Michigan State. 

Florence

Junior

IR 

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

Love of Languages

Like many students who enter James Madison College, a love of learning languages and cultures was a motivating factor in the direction of my higher education. While I have always intended to major in International Relations and Comparative Cultures and Politics, I knew that I wanted to continue learning the foreign language that I had developed a love for: Spanish. Upon arriving at the university, I completed my Madison language requirement using Spanish and continued to take Spanish classes for my first two years at MSU.

However, I made a drastic decision and picked up a new language for the Fall of my 2^nd year: Portuguese. As a language that is rarely (if ever) taught at the primary and secondary education levels in most American school districts, Portuguese may appear as a random decision for many. However, for others it makes complete sense. Brazil is a rising nation in every aspect of today’s world, which will be very visible in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and Summer Olympic Games that the South American nation will host. In addition to this growing importance, the similarity yet difference that the language had to Spanish was enticing, as was the fact that it is a rarely studied language in American society, which I hope will set me apart when I begin applying for jobs after graduation.

Like many other languages at MSU, Portuguese is fortunate in that it has a smaller more intimate department at the University, meaning a strong community is formed and a support network is personalized. This fact, in addition to my love for learning the language, encouraged me to adopt Portuguese as a minor despite the fact that I had already studied a different language for a full year.

This decision, however, will not force me to stay over four years in undergraduate education and in fact opened an entirely new opportunity to me: studying abroad in Brazil. While the program that James Madison College offers in Brazil is conducted in English, the fact that I was learning Portuguese and would have a year under my belt during the program encouraged me to apply and really enjoy my time spent abroad. I had the valuable experience of both attending a Madison study abroad program while emerging myself in a culture that I hope to one day become a part of. This had many benefits, including background and contextual education that allows me to both use my Madison class in my language courses as well as the other way around.

My decision to adopt Portuguese as a minor is a decision that I continue to be pride of and I hope will pay off in the future. While every student is different and has unique ambitions, I would encourage any student who wishes to further round out their education to pursue a language they enjoy beyond what is required of them.

Danny B.

Junior, Comparative Cultures & Politics and International Relations