In This Issue

• Basic Needs Pantry now available in 329 South Case

• Upcoming events

• Student org events, including the JMC Faculty Research Night

• Last Call: A few spots remain in the Spring Career Exposure Program

• Graduating this spring or summer? Help us share your story at JMC

• Opportunities of interest to JMC students

• Student resources in Case Hall

• Madisonian Mention: Melissa Aguilar Gabriel

JMC Basic Needs Pantry

A basic needs pantry for students is now open in Room 329 South Case. The self-serve pantry includes non-perishable food, hygiene and household cleaning items, and cold weather clothing, and is available during weekday business hours. The college also has a limited number of Meijer and Kroger gift cards for students experiencing food insecurity. Gift cards can be requested through Assistant Dean Brian Johnson ([email protected]).

Events

Women in Public Affairs: A Conversation on Leadership
March 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the JMC Library, 332 Case Hall. Curious about how women are shaping leadership in public affairs? Join a student panel hosted by the JMC EMBRACE Team. Panelists will include: Khushi Gooroochurn, Meghan Valade, Nahlia Moncrief, Ava Parsons, Anabelle Sanchez, Reiel Ghiglia, Elizabeth Maciel, Taylor Toth and Finni Padgitt.

Internships 101
March 31, 4:30 p.m. in 329 South Case. Learn about resources and strategies for finding an internship, and what satisfies the JMC Field Experience requirement. Learn more via JMC Events.
This event counts towards the JMC Career Readiness Badge.

Racializing the Ummah with Rhea Rahman
April 2, 2:30 p.m. in 303 International Center. Rooted in more than a decade of international research, Rhea Rahman’s study on Islamic Relief’s projects, methods and limitations reveals how racial capitalism permeates all aspects of humanitarianism. Rahman’s work explores the constraints Islamic aid entities face in the effort to disentangle themselves from neocolonialism and Western hegemony. Learn more via ISP.

Changemakers Speaker Series: Decriminalizing Homelessness 
April 2, 7 p.m. in Room 115 Campbell Hall. This conversation will feature two speakers working at the intersection of law, policy and community:

• Khadija Erickson, Executive Director of the Mid-Michigan Tenant Resource Center and Housing Chair

• Donovan McCarty, Director of the Housing Justice Clinic at MSU College of Law

Explore how legal frameworks and community actions intersect in advancing housing equity. Hosted by the Honors College. Register via Microsoft Forms

The Apology of Isocrates
April 3, 5 p.m. in the JMC Library, 332 Case Hall. Dr. Ariel Helfer, associate professor at Wayne State University, is JMC's inaugural M. Richard Zinman Scholar in Residence. His JMC residency explores the writings and legacy of the lesser-known classical philosopher Isocrates and his relationship to Socratic philosophy, revealing an influential tradition that shaped Western thought from ancient Greece through the Renaissance. Learn more via JMC.

Ask Us Anything: Grad & Law School
April 8, 4:30 p.m. in 329 South Case Hall. Join Karissa Chabot-Purchase and Lauren Michalak for a casual session, where they’ll draw from years of experience to answer any and all of your questions about the grad/law school exploration and application process. Register via Handshake.
This event counts towards the JMC Career Readiness Badge.

Student Org Events

Faculty Research Night
April 1, 6 p.m. in Club Spartan, 338 Case Hall. Learn more about JMC faculty research, with presentations by Profs. Wolf, Graham and Zierler. Pizza provided.

Jeopardy & Candy Night
April 9, 5 p.m. in 340 Case Hall. Join JMC Student Senate's International Relations Caucus for Jeopardy and international candy/beverages.

Student Senate Recognition Awards
Student Recognition Awards are here! This award highlights individuals who help create a positive reputation for JMC, whether that be through excellence in the classroom, commitment to creating positive change inside and outside JMC, significant career achievements, and/or generating an impact on JMC/MSU through participation in extracurricular organizations. Submit nominations via Google Form by April 9.

JMC Student Senate Gala
April 10, 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Graduate Hotel in East Lansing. Join James Madison College Student Senate to celebrate another incredible year at JMC. This year’s event will feature our traditional silent auction, with proceeds benefiting The Davies Project, a Lansing-based non-profit dedicated to “providing reliable transportation for seriously ill children and pregnant women to essential healthcare.” It’s a night of community, celebration and giving back. Buy tickets via Eventbrite.

JMC Career Exposure Program

We’re looking for 1-3 motivated Madisonians to join our Career Exposure Program from May 4-6 in Detroit, Michigan!

This is your chance to dive into the array of careers your Madison degree can unlock, connect with alumni and employers, and get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at real workplaces. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore, network, and discover what life beyond JMC could look like!

This year’s itinerary will include visits with alumni working at: 

• ACLU of Michigan

• City of Detroit

• Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce

• Ford Motor Company

• U.S. Department of State

We’re also putting together exciting panel discussions focused on careers in labor and organizing and careers in the legal field, plus a coffee chat with folks who serve on JMC’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Applications will be reviewed and considered on a first-come, first-serve basis until 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.

Spring & Summer 2025 Grads

• JMC is hosting a free professional portrait opportunity for Class of 2026 graduates on April 9. Schedule a time to have your photo taken via Qualtrics.

• Graduates are also invited to share a highlight from their time at the college to be featured on JMC’s social media channels.

Opportunities

Fulbright US Student Program: Teach, Study or Research Abroad Info Session 
Learn about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and how you can teach, study, or conduct research abroad after graduation. Open to MSU students (especially juniors and seniors) and recent graduates. These sessions will walk through eligibility, application tips, and the range of global opportunities available. All three sessions are identical, so you only need to attend one.  

• April 9, 5:30 p.m. in Room 201, International Center (with virtual option). Learn more via International Studies & Programs 

• May 8, 5:30 p.m. held virtually. Learn more via International Studies & Programs 

Academic Success Workshops

• Tips for Planning Presentations, March 30, 4 p.m.

• Growth Mindset & Learning, March 31, 4 p.m.

• High-Impact Study Techniques, March 31, 5 p.m.

  View more upcoming sessions hosted by MSU Office of Undergraduate Education.

Complete the Spartan Community Survey
Share your experiences and help shape the future of MSU! This confidential, voluntary survey takes just 15 minutes and invites students, staff and faculty to reflect on culture, belonging and overall satisfaction across our community. Enter the Spartan Community Survey sweepstakes to win exciting prizes, including early registration or move-in, an MSU parking pass, Spartan apparel, exclusive tours and more. Learn how to complete the survey.

Student Resources

Academic Advising
Academic advisors are available for drop-in advising through the Express Advising Center in 328 S. Case Hall on weekdays. Visit JMC’s website for more info.

Internships & Education Abroad Advising
Students with questions about internships and education abroad programs can meet with Field Experience Coordinator Lauren Michalak for drop-in advising on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. in 329 South Case Hall.

JMC Community Counselor: Drop-In Counseling
CAPS Connect counselor Victor Léon is available for free, confidential drop-in counseling on Monday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m. in S363 Case Hall. Visit MSU CAPS Connect for more information.

Writing Center at JMC
Need help working through an assignment, essay or presentation? The Writing Center at JMC in 341 Case Hall will be open Monday-Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. Schedule an appointment or drop in.

Office Hours with Assoc. Dean Linda Racioppi
Associate Dean Linda Racioppi holds weekly office hours on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in S359 Case Hall. Stop in to discuss your academic journey with college leadership. These drop-in office hours are open to all Madison students.

Connect with JMC’s Career Peer  
Need help with resumes, cover letters, personal statements or interview prep? Connect with JMC’s Career Peer, Taylor Toth, during weekly office hours held Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in S329 South Case or schedule on Handshake. Taylor can also review materials sent to [email protected].

Madisonian Mention: Melissa Aguilar Gabriel

Melissa is a first-year student at JMC. Learn more about her below!

“Hi! My name is Melissa Aguilar Gabriel. I am a freshman and an international first-generation Latina student from Trujillo, Peru, majoring in Comparative Culture & Politics, International Relations and Economics. I am pursuing a minor in Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (CMSE) and Science, Technology, and Environmental Public Policy (STEPP). My first language is Spanish, and I moved to to Louisville, Kentucky, 6 months ago (a month before my first fall semester started)!

“I am interested in working in space law constitutionalism, specifically on extraterritorial jurisdiction, space law treaties, and a sustainable approach to space corporate development industry and international sovereignty. I am also interested in tech law in the intersection between AI machine development and management and environmental public policy!

“In the past, I served as a U.N. delegate for Peru, youth parliamentarian in the National Congress of Peru, and advocating for H.H.R.R. indigenous security rights on environmental activists and the Gender and Inclusivity Committee to decriminalize and remove the bias on abortion and sexual integral education in educational institutions in the region.

“Beyond my home country, I had the privilege of beginning my path in research on a comparative analysis of authoritarianism in developing countries and constitutional flaws from Peru’s 1991 coup d’état that built the current structured political turmoil we face nowadays. I had the opportunity to publish this work at the Harvard International Review with Alpha Scholars and Harvard faculty support. From this experience, I have found my interest in learning more about my background and in the fields I am passionate about.

“In JMC and MSU, I am currently working on three research projects and one startup with the Burgess Institute at MSU.

“In the field of IR and CCP within JMC, I am currently working on a research project on finding the balance between environmental sustainable economy and AI machine development on data centers in response to water public supply consumption under a public policy approach in Michigan.

“I am currently working on an AI advanced project with the AI Club on building a model that predicts environmental hazards and impact on the variable of water public supply consumption in response to the building of data centers on the East Coast and Great Lakes regions. I recently received the opportunity to present as a startup with the help and funding from the Burgess Institute and Luis Montalvan, Humphrey Fellow at MSU, who was interested in investing in this project.

“Finally, I have the opportunity to contribute to research within Eli Broad College of Business with Professor Tessmer on sustainability on the stock market and how space development companies leverage space law constitutionalism flaws to leverage on the lack of sustainability benefits on the stock market space industry.

“Within MSU, I am involved with the International Student Association, the International Scholars Advisory Board at the Honors College, JMC Student Senate as Chair in the Freshman Caucus, the JMC Human Rights Lab, JMC Women of Color, Empowering Women in Law, Cultura de las Razas Unidas, RISE (Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment), TRIO first-generation program, pledge at professional pre-law fraternity KAPI, and I personally enjoy spending time with the Multicultural Greek Council.”

Have questions or submissions for this newsletter? Contact Jane Deacon ([email protected]).