Celebrating the Class of 2025
In This Issue
Celebrating the Class of 2025
JMC’s Chicago Career Exposure Program
Career support for alumni
College news from Madison faculty and students
Alumni Notes
Connect with the JMC Alumni Association
Interested in connecting with the James Madison College Alumni Association and supporting alumni engagement initiatives? The Board of Directors invites JMC alums to share their information via Google Forms.
JMC Class of 2025
James Madison College officially celebrated the Class of 2025 during the college’s Spring Commencement Ceremony at the Wharton Center on May 3. Lisa D. Cook, member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and JMC professor, addressed graduates as the college's commencement speaker (read her speech online).
Thank you to the Madison alumni who sent in handwritten notes of congratulations to graduates of the Class of 2025. They were distributed to JMC’s newest alums during Commencement Ceremony celebrations on May 3. We look forward to continuing this initiative for our future grads! Contact JMC Alumni Coordinator Elizabeth Newman (enewman@msu.edu) with questions.
Chicago Career Exposure Trip
Nearly 20 JMC alumni hosted students during the college’s recent Career Exposure Program to Chicago. This annual trip is designed for Madison students interested in exploring various professions, networking with alumni mentors and employers, touring workplaces and discovering new cities. Highlights from this year’s trip included meetings with alumni at Uber, McDonalds Global Headquarters, Google, the EPA and United Airlines.
Alumni Career Support
Action at the federal level continues to create many challenges for the Madison community to navigate. Although the college’s Career Services office specializes in early career readiness for current students and new alumni (two years out or less from graduation), there are a few ways we’re offering additional support to our wider alumni community in this moment.
MSU’s Alumni Office recently invested in a resource called CareerShift to support alumni in mid- and late-career roles facing unexpected transitions. CareerShift is a robust job search and employer contact database that allows users to view aggregated job opportunities, search employer contacts, set up job alerts, and access free job search tools and webinars.
This summer, MSU’s Career Services Network is offering nearly twice as much programming as usual during the summer months, and alumni from any year are welcome to tune in. Check out the full list of this summer’s offerings.
Don’t forget to visit JMC’s private LinkedIn group. This is not only an excellent space to start conversations about career transitions, networking, and mentorship, but also a valuable resource for exploring leads shared by Madisonians across various professions.
Karissa Chabot-Purchase (PTCD ‘06)
Career Services Office
James Madison College
More College News
JMC Prof. Sherman Garnett has published a new book, The Reluctant Political Thinker: Czesław Miłosz on Crisis, the Poetic Life, and the Cold War Political Imaginary. Czesław Miłosz was a prominent poet and writer for almost eight decades. He remains a figure in world literature four decades after he won the Nobel Prize and more than two decades after his death. The book had its genesis when Garnett attended a poetry reading by Miłosz soon after he won the Nobel Prize in 1980. Miłosz’s works (and Polish dictionaries) have ever since been constant companions, though this book grew out of issues and readings that were part of teaching at Madison and lectures at MSU and Jagiellonian University.
The James Madison College Alumni Association Board of Directors celebrated six recent recipients of Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Alumni Awards at JMC Parade of Honors in April. Three professors emerti and three Madison alums were honored at the event.
JMC Prof. Jordan Cash was a recent guest on the Understanding Congress podcast, where he discussed his book Congressional Deliberation: Major Debates, Speeches, and Writings 1774-2023
JMC Prof. Amanda Flaim received an MSU Teacher-Scholar Award earlier this year, which recognized her exceptional commitment to teaching and student mentorship. She is the fourth consecutive JMC recipient of the award.
Lekhana Gogineni (SRP '25) was one of 271 graduating seniors who left MSU with a 4.0 GPA this spring. She received the MSU Board of Trustees’ Award in recognition of her accomplishments.
Read the story behind Spartan Food Security Council, an initiative created by Madisonians that works to address food insecurity among college students.
Alumni Award Nominations
The James Madison College Alumni Association (JMCAA) is seeking nominations for the Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Alumni Awards:
The Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates Madison alumni who have achieved prominence in their fields and dedicated service to the college.
The Honorary Alumni Award recognizes non-graduates whose efforts have significantly contributed to the progress and development of the college.
Submit your nominations via Google Forms.
In addition, the JMCAA is also seeking recipient recommendations for the MSU Alumni Association Grand Awards in the following categories:
Distinguished Alumni Award
Alumni Service Award
Young Alumni Award
Honorary Alumni Award
Philanthropist Award
Learn more and submit your JMC nominations for the Grand Awards via Google Forms.
Give Green Day Update
The JMC community exceeded our Give Green Day goal for the Experiential Learning Fund, raising more than $11,000 in support for our students. These donations will allow more Madisonians to transform classroom knowledge into real-world expertise through internships and study abroad opportunities.
New JMC Associate Director of Development
Joseph Agosta (IR ‘22) joined the college in February 2025 as the Associate Director of Development. He leads the college’s fundraising and alumni engagement efforts to support scholarships, faculty research, experiential learning and programmatic priorities. Contact him directly at agostaj@msu.edu.
Alumni Notes
Glenn D. Oliver (Social Science - Urban '84) recently published “The Expansion Effect: How to Elevate Your Thinking, Align with Abundance, and Redefine What’s Possible.” The book explores ideas Oliver first learned to embrace at JMC, inspiring “ambitious minds to think bigger, move with clarity and challenge limitations.”
Sarah L. Nirenberg (PTCD '09) was named to DBusiness magazine’s “30 in their Thirties,” which celebrates metro Detroit’s rising business professionals in their 30s who have made significant achievements in their respective fields, demonstrating leadership, innovation and success. Nirenberg is an attorney and shareholder with Butzel, where she represents employers involved in litigation pertinent to all areas of employment law.
Jessica Brasington (CCP, IR '16) was appointed Development Director of Noah at Central last year, leading fundraising, grant writing and communication initiatives to support Detroiters experiencing homelessness. Under her leadership, the organization successfully rebranded, launched a record-breaking summer fundraising campaign and is now preparing for a capital campaign to expand its impact downtown.
Amy Ann Moore (SR '90) is a member of the Lay Dominican Order and recently retired after serving 32 years in public health. She served in the West Bank Palestine with Meta Peace Team in October 2024 and is on tour presenting an interactive experience titled Achieve Peace 2025.
Kyle Korte (IR '24) was selected as one of the 2025 Provost’s Global Scholars at the University of Maryland. The program provides grants to students undertaking global research, which will allow Korte to travel to Austria to study innovative climate infrastructure.
Norma “Normington” Smihal (IR, PE '94) celebrated one year of "Just the Sip," a monthly vodcast that explores the world of wine from a novice perspective. Drawing upon the critical thinking and communication skills honed during her time at JMC, Norma aims to make wine education accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Share great news about yourself or a fellow JMC alum.
Join the JMC Alumni LinkedIn group.