Spring Break Beyond the Comfort Zone

For spring break, I went on a study away trip to Friday Harbor, Washington, a small town located in the San Juan Islands in the Salish Sea. I spent a week at the Friday Harbor Laboratories run by the University of Washington studying the history of the station, the marine biological life studied by scientists, and the unique career paths that people take that bring them to this beautiful island. I also made an incredible set of new friends and discovered life beyond my comfort zone.

Before I went on this trip, I knew nothing about marine biology. I did not consider myself an outdoorsy person at all. I liked exploring busy cities, going to museums, and seeing musicals. I had heard that this trip involved lots of hiking and time spent in the laboratory, and I worried that it would be obvious that I was out of my element.

But my nerves at seeming out of place were unfounded. The scientists at the labs and the residents of the island were incredibly welcoming and warm. They recognized that the students on the trip were from all different majors and backgrounds, and they emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary work. We collected samples of small marine creatures from the docks and observed how they suctioned on to hard and smooth surfaces in the lab. I never knew it could be so fascinating and fun to play with starfish and barnacles!

Collecting animals stuck to tires on the docks.

I also did not realize how much I would enjoy hiking and exploring the lab grounds. The beaches were rocky and the shores were steep, but that did not deter our group from thoroughly exploring the island. We scrambled over rocks, discovered caves, and climbed over fallen trees. At the end of every day I was exhausted and muddy, but I feel asleep with a smile on my face.

The view from the top of Mt. Constitution

The greatest part of the trip was the other MSU students. We were a diverse group—our majors ranged from international relations to fisheries and wildlife to neuroscience, and our ages ranged from freshmen to seniors. But throughout the week, we developed a supportive group dynamic and wonderful friendships.

We learned about each other’s interests and majors, as well as our backgrounds and families. We told stories as we made s’mores over a huge fire and played board games and ping pong well into the night. On this trip, I learned how to skip rocks and shoot pool. I also realized that the best people to learn with and from are my fellow students.

What I really discovered on this trip was the purpose and beauty of being in college. This trip forced me out of my comfort zone. I met new people and had incredible experiences that made me a better person and helped me focus on what was really important in my life. College is a time to explore, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to travel to these beautiful islands and push my own boundaries.

Claire

Sophomore

IR & SRP

Where do we go from here?

Following up on my last post about graduation, I thought I would write really quickly about what types of careers my friends have gone on to in their first year out of JMC. I feel like I have a unique perspective as a fifth year senior in Madison. A large majority of students graduate from the college in four years, which means this year I've been able to see how many of my friends have launched their career paths right from my facebook newsfeed. Here's a little sample of what some of my friends have gone on to do in their first year after graduation (I included the person's major at the end of the line):

• Pilot in the US Air Force (IR)
• Staffer for MI Governor Rick Snyder (PTCD)
• Elementary School Teacher with Teach for America in Detroit and Houston (SRP)
• Staff Member at a non-profit in northern Michigan (SRP)
• Campus Coordinator for a Boston non-profit (CCP, IR)
• Student teacher at a mid-Michigan high school (PTCD, Secondary Education)*
• Accounting staff member at Goodyear Tires (SRP, Accounting)
• Community & Volunteer Organizer at a non-profit in Detroit (SRP)
• Economic Analyst for the State of Michigan (IR, Economics)
• Project Manager at a political consulting firm in Washington, D.C. (SRP)
• Graduate School at University of Miami, Ohio (PTCD)
• Cast Member at Walt Disney World (IR)
• Corps Member with City Year Detroit (SRP)
• Tax Associate at a national accounting firm (IR, Finance)
• Staff member at Georgia-Pacific (IR)
• Staffer at the MI Department of Community Health (SRP)

*My friend who is student teaching is fulfilling this requirement for the MSU College of Education

This is just a sample of my friend network (this list is slightly SRP-heavy because I'm friends with many more SRP majors - that's my major as well). As you can see, there's no cookie cutter career path for Madison grads. My friends have gone on to work for campaigns, political offices, lobbying firms, giant corporations, small non-profits, public school, and everything in between. As for myself, I am going to work for a public accounting firm in Detroit. 

In my opinion, the most important part of a Madison education are the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills students gain throughout their time here. Those are skills that are transferrable to any job in any industry. My critical thinking and communication skills helped me the most in my two accounting internships. If you're able to sell yourself and those critical skills in a job interview, you could literally go anywhere in the world! 

For more examples of careers chosen by JMC grads, feel free to check out the Careers section of the JMC Website! This page has awesome graduate reports, collected by our dedicated career consultant, which break down the students who go to on to graduate school, law school, and the work force. It includes many examples of positions held by recent JMC grads as well as salary and geographic information. 

Becky 

Senior

SRP & Accounting

Finding a home away from home

       Coming to college, I knew I wanted to be involved in extracurricular activities. In high school I was involved in everything- sports, band, theatre, church, service clubs- you name it. In college, I really wanted to find organizations that were meaningful and would help me grow as a student, a leader, and as a person in general. Freshman year, I made two of the best decisions of my life: going Greek and applying to be a Resident Assistant.

       Both of these roles are a big commitment, and I am so happy to be able to pour so much of myself into them. Greek life at Michigan State is such a great community of dedicated, fun, and service-oriented students. I am proud to call myself a Delta Gamma, and in my sorority I have truly found my home away from home. Our philanthropy is Service for Sight, and through Delta Gamma I have been able to volunteer at the Penrickton Center for Blind Children, raise money to produce braille materials, and provide support for members of our armed forces returning with visual impairments. Here on campus, we cheer on teams at our annual Anchor Splash and Anchor Slam tournaments, participate in East Lansing’s Safe Halloween event, and walk all night at MSU’s Relay for Life. Whether it is at a philanthropy event, a chapter meeting or just a movie night at the house, I love spending time with my sisters and I know they are always there for me. I am so glad I found such a great way to get involved in the community and find my best friends!

       

My Delta Gamma sisters in front of our house

       When deciding to be a Resident Assistant, I knew that it would be a huge responsibility. Just going through the interview process was intimidating, let alone the prospect of having fifty residents and being their mentor and go-to resource. Now that we are part way into the school year, I can honestly say that I have the best job. The interpersonal and leadership skills, time management, and responsibility I have gained from this position amazes me. It has been the most rewarding experience to help new Spartans adjust to living at MSU and work through all of the ups and downs of college life. Getting involved was one of the best ways I was able to make MSU my home, so I make it my goal as an RA to encourage my residents to find the extracurriculars that will help them grow during their time here, just as I have.

The 2014 Akers RA staff

        While academics are the main purpose of coming to college, I believe extracurricular involvement is what makes these years so meaningful. Whether it’s a sports team, cultural group, or any organization you choose to be a part of, I hope everyone finds what makes them happy and helps them become the best version of themselves.

Alexa

Sophomore

SRP

Mixing Madison & Business

They say you're not supposed to mix business with pleasure, right? Well in my case, I mix the two every day! I am a senior double majoring in social relations & policy and accounting. While I have been a James Madison Student since my freshman year, I decided about halfway through my time at MSU that I did not want to pursue a career in public policy. However, I enjoyed my JMC classes so much that I didn't want to give them up! That's when I decided to double major in accounting and SRP. It added a year on to my graduation date, but the benefits of two strong degrees made the extra time worth it.

Freshman Year Schedule - MC 201/202 & MC 111/112 are first year JMC courses

In the spring of my freshman year, I officially declared myself a double major in social relations & policy and political theory & constitutional democracy. I had enjoyed my first year Madison courses and I really liked some of the PTCD professors. However, after taking my first full PTCD course, I decided that the topics in that major didn't suit my interests. I decided to drop my PTCD major, but still wanted to pursue two majors at MSU. At my mom's suggestion, I tried out an accounting course in the spring of my sophomore year. I really enjoyed my introductory accounting course and decided to pursue my second degree in accounting.

Sophomore Year Schedule - MC 280/281 are SRP, MC 270 is PTCD

The Eli Broad College of Business is a separate college from James Madison (although it is still a part of Michigan State University). This means they have a separate admissions process for their college. Students must take five prerequisite courses (Accounting 201 & 202, Economics 201 & 202, and Computer Science 101) in addition to filling out an experiential profile and completing a case study. Once students reach junior status and have completed these prerequisite courses, they can apply to be official members of the college. I had already completed honors classes in Economics 201 & 202 for my JMC requirements, so I only had to complete the accounting and computer perquisites before I could apply. I submitted my application in the fall of my junior year and was accept over winter break. Now I am officially a member of James Madison College and the Eli Broad College of Business, which means I will get two separate B.A.s when I graduate.

Junior Year Schedule - I crammed in a TON of classes. In retrospect, this was a little bit too much!

It's important to note that in taking on two rigorous programs like JMC and an accounting degree, I added a full year on to my academic plan. I will be graduating after 5 full years at MSU. This happened for a couple reasons:
1) I decided late in my sophomore year that I wanted to add a business major.
 2) I would like to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) when I graduate, which means I had to take some extra classes to qualify to take the CPA exam.
3) After taking 17 credits per semester my junior year, I decided that I did not want to overload myself with coursework, so I spread out my remaining classes in a way that I will only take 12 credits per semester my last two years.

1st Senior Year Schedule - I backed off a lot on the credits. This is giving me more time to focus on harder classes!

If you're interested in combining JMC and a degree from a different college, there is probably a way you can still finish in four years. If the four year plan is something you want to stick with, make sure you're constantly meeting with your advisers in JMC and in the Business College to keep track of your progress and your requirements!

After completing an accounting internship with Marathon Petroleum this past summer, I decided that when I graduate I would like to pursue accounting full-time. This does not mean that my SRP degree is pointless! The main reason I continued with Madison is because of the critical writing and thinking skills that are taught in the college. My Madison courses have helped me become a very strong communicator, which is valued in every job. During my internship this past summer, my supervisors complimented my communication skills and my professionalism when conveying information in the work place. My technical accounting skills came from my accounting coursework, but my ability to breakdown a problem, analyze it, and then convey it in an email when asking for help was all thanks to JMC. I believe these communication skills will be even more helpful when I complete a tax internship with Plante & Moran (a regional accounting firm) next summer.

Taking on an additional major outside of JMC definitely comes with its challenges. It forced me to be very organized and creative in the way I planned my schedules. I meet with advisers in both of my colleges at least once per semester to make sure I am still on track for graduation. However, the benefits of being part of two very strong programs at MSU have helped me solidify my career path and attain multiple internships. These benefits are not reserved only for students double majoring in Madison and Business; they apply across all of the other colleges at MSU. Students are free to double major between any two colleges they wish. So if you prefer International Relations and Music Education, or Political Theory and Biology, go for it! The key is being aware of the programs you're entering and making sure that you truly enjoy both of them. I love both of my majors - accounting satisfies my need for problems that have concrete solutions and can be figured out logically, SRP allows me to be creative when I try to analyze and solve problems in social policy. This is what works for me, so don't be afraid to go after the combination that works for you!


Becky B.
Senior, Social Relations & Policy and Accounting