JMC Connect Newsletter: Week of April 7
Upcoming events and opportunities of interest to JMC students (week of April 7, 2025)
In This Issue
Upcoming JMC events
Student org events and updates
Upcoming scholarship and award competitions
Opportunities for JMC students
Resources to help you navigate life on campus, including the JMC Writing Center
Check your inbox on Friday for the weekly Internships & Job Opportunities edition of this newsletter.
Missed a previous newsletter? View the JMC Connect archive online.
Events
Ground-Level Insights from Israeli and Palestinian Peacebuilders
April 7, 5:30 p.m. in JMC Library (332 Case Hall). Engage with Ashraf al-Ajrami and Ayala Brilliant, Palestinian and Israeli peacebuilders working to bridge divides in one of the world’s most complex regions. The discussion will focus on both the practical challenges and opportunities of working toward peace within a polarized landscape, as well as the skills and mindsets necessary for peacebuilding and diplomacy. Learn more via JMC Events
Drum Circle Musical Performance
April 8, 5:30 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). Be in community and recharge through the power of art and music as part of JMC Wellness Week. An MSU drum circle will perform in Club Spartan between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Feel free to drop by or stay the entire hour.
EMBRACE Dialogues Movie Night: APIDA/A Heritage Month
April 9, 5:30 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). A dialogue and community dinner followed by a screening of Moana 2. This family-friendly event invites community members to engage in a meaningful discussion about what it means to be APIDA/A while enjoying a delicious meal (word has it, boba will be on the menu!). Register to attend via Eventbrite
Capital City Film Festival: JMC Alum Spotlight
April 9, 6 p.m. in Stage One (2200 Lake Lansing Rd., Lansing). Madison alum Anthony Hand (IR ‘91) will be in Lansing to celebrate the debut of his debut independent animated film, "Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero," at the Capital City Film Festival. Find more information via Capital City Film Fest
Community Coloring Activity
April 10, 5 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). Join a community coloring activity and paper flower-making activity led by a studio artist in the College of Arts & Letters as part of JMC Wellness Week. The goal is to permanently display the finished coloring art project in Case Hall.
Selling Institute Faculty Research Seminar with Prof. Sherman Garnett
April 11, 12 to 1:30 p.m. in the JMC Library (332 Case Hall). JMC Prof. Sherman Garnett will present “A Shared and Unshared City: Grade and Miłosz on Vilnius” during this Serling Institute Faculty Research Seminar. Complimentary lunch provided. Learn more via JMC Events
State of the College Community Breakfast
April 16, 9 a.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). This event will provide an opportunity to gather and learn more about the college. We will celebrate the accomplishments of our community, address current challenges and share other updates from the 2024-25 academic year. RSVP via Eventbrite
Malicious Compliance: Strategies of Resistance and Imagination
April 16, 2 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). Presented by Race in the 21st Century Americas. In an era where systems of oppression and bureaucracy often serve as tools of disenfranchisement, what happens when we use the rules against themselves? Explore how students can strategically wield their education, power, privilege, and lived experiences to resist oppressive institutions, corporations, and government policies. This 2.5-hour in-person workshop will be led by nationally recognized healing justice consultant and abolitionist organizer Tashmica Torok. RSVP via Eventbrite.
Virtual Event: Those who are unable to join the in-person event can attend a one-hour webinar on Friday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. via Zoom.
Trump 2.0: Unpacking the First Three Months
April 16, 6 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall). In a faculty round-table discussion, JMC Profs. Mark Axelrod, Ben Lorch and Jennifer Sykes will explore the first three months of the Trump presidency. They will offer perspectives on Trump's use of executive orders, how American institutions are being impacted, and shifts in policy connected to national security, international development, tax policy, domestic economic impacts and environmental policy.
Student Organizations
JMC Student Senate: Student Recognition Awards
Do you know a JMC student who helps create a positive reputation for JMC through excellence in the classroom, commitment to creating positive change inside and outside JMC, who has significant career achievements, or is generating an impact on JMC/MSU through participating in extracurricular organizations. Nominate them for a student recognition award! Nominations due by April 17 via Google Forms
Frequencies of Fusion Concert
April 13, 4 to 7 p.m. in Eastern High School (626 Marshall St., Lansing). Great Lakes to Ganges seeks to connect marginalized communities through the power of music, while addressing critical healthcare and educational disparities. This South Asian-American Fusion concert will raise funds for World Medical Relief, Edgewood and Birth Detroit. It will feature performances that are a fusion of South Asian and Black culture, with many students performing. A mix of singing, dancing, instrumental, classical Indian music, and much more. Buy tickets via Eventbrite and learn more via Instagram
Right to Work or a Fair Wage: A Debate Over Law & Labor in Lansing
April 14, 12:15 p.m. in Room 324, MSU College of Law. Speakers will include attorney W. James Young and MSU Prof. Nicholas Ohanesian. Catered by Ohana Sushi. Hosted by The Federalist Society. Learn more via Instagram
JMC Student Senate: JMC Gala
April 25, 7 to 9 p.m. in Demonstration Hall. Gala season is here! Formal attire is encouraged but not required. Masquerade masks will be provided for attendees. Purchase tickets via Eventbrite
Scholarships & Awards
Guyer Public Policy Internship Award
Secured a Summer 2025 internship in public policy? Undergraduate students of any major are eligible to receive scholarships in the Guyer Public Policy Internship Program. Students must arrange to be employed in a public policy-related internship and enroll for MSU internship credit. Scholarships of at least $1,000 will be applicable towards students' tuition. Students receiving the scholarship are expected to participate in Guyer program activities including the mandatory orientation session taking place May 5 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. Learn more and apply by April 11 via Guyer Award Application Form
Washington Diplomatic Academy Summer Scholarship
The Washington International Diplomatic Academy is offering a summer scholarship opportunity for students interested in international diplomacy. The 2025 Summer Diplomatic Academy, running from July 8-30, provides practical training with career diplomats, covering essential skills for careers in embassies, consulates, government agencies and NGOs. Scholarships of $1,000 are available for select universities, and students can apply by referencing Prof. Linda Racioppi’s name on the application form. Apply by April 15. Apply and learn more via Diplomatic Academy Website
George Watt Essay Contest 2025
The Watt Prize is now accepting submissions for essays or thesis chapters on the Spanish Civil War, global anti-fascist struggles of the 1920s and 1930s, or the contributions of international volunteers who fought for the Spanish Republic. This opportunity is open to both graduate and undergraduate students worldwide, the contest offers cash prizes: up to $1,000 for graduate essays (3,500-12,500 words) and up to $500 for undergraduate essays (2,000-10,500 words). All submissions must be emailed toWattAward@alba-valb.org by July 5. Learn more via Alba-Valb Website
Opportunities
Ford Leadership Forum Survey
Public Sector Consultants is conducting a survey on behalf of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation on its Ford Leadership Forum. MSU students are invited to complete the survey via Qualtrics
Resources
JMC Writing Center
The JMC Writing Center is located North Case, Room 341. Writing Consultants offer Madison students one-on-one peer assistance with a variety of writing tasks, from academic papers to personal statements and resumes. Learn more via the JMC Writing Center website
JMC Community Counselor: Drop-In Counseling
CAPS Connect will be back in Case Hall every Monday (1:30 to 3:30 p.m.) this semester! CAPS Connect provides a place to talk about what's on your mind during a brief, free, confidential conversation with a CAPS counselor. It is a great way to receive one-time support and expert suggestions, or get to know CAPS staff and the services available to you. To sign up and see all location/scheduling options, click here.
JMC Career Peers Office Hours
JMC’s Career Peers, Taylor Toth (PTCD, SRP '26) and Justina Giglio (SRP '25) hold weekly office hours in Case Hall. Schedule a meeting with them through Handshake or email jm.career@msu.edu with questions on resumes, cover letters, internships, interviews and law/grad school applications. Spring Semester office hours are Mondays and Wednesdays, 2 to 4 p.m., and Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
JMC Express Academic Advising
Need to meet with an academic advisor? JMC’s Advising Center in 328 South Case Hall is open daily for express drop-in advising:
Monday-Thursday: 12:30 to 4 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Find more information, including whether you should use express advising or schedule an appointment, on JMC’s website.