JMC News:  Honors, Awards and Lansing Event

Welcome to JMC News, the e-mail newsletter of James Madison College. Thank you for your interest in all the great things happening at Madison.  Please send this newsletter to other JMC alumni and friends and encourage them to subscribe.  For the latest news at James Madison College, visit www.jmc.msu.edu. 

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JOIN US at the Reception for Lansing-area Madison Grads at the Capitol!
Thursday, May 15, 5:00 – 7:30pm
Troppo, Downtown Lansing
All Madison alumni welcome
Hosted by the JMC Alumni Association and Madison College
RSVP to Donna Hofmeister
                                                                                    
Commencement Fast Approaching
May 3, 2008, 12:30 pm
Wharton Center
Alumnus Jeff Williams (IR ’94) will give the main address and Kristin Sulewski (IR/SRP ’08) will present student remarks.  

Two of MSU's top debaters, Madison students Garrett Abelkop (IR senior) and Carly Wunderlich (PTCD/chemistry junior) took on a debate team from Wake Forest University for “eco-friendly water wars” debate on Earth Day at the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C. 
                                     
Adam Wagner (IR/Muslim Studies, senior) was awarded a Critical Language Scholarship for the Intensive Summer Institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.  This highly selective scholarship will pay all his expenses to study intermediate level Arabic in Salalah, Oman during the summer 2008. 

Professor Curtis Stokes' book The State of Black Michigan, 1967-2007 (Michigan State University Press, 2007), co-edited with Joe T. Darden and Richard W. Thomas will be a featured book in the 2008/09 Faculty Author exhibit in the MSU Main Library.

Seven Madison students participated in MSU’s University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) on April 11:  Nada Zohdy (IR/Muslim Studies junior), Allison Campbell (IR senior), Yvette Efevbera (IR), Emily Adama (SRP), Nicholas Micinski (IR), Debrah Lee (PTCD), and Brett Staron (IR).  The UURAF is an opportunity for highly motivated students to showcase their scholarship and creative activity to the university community.  

Madison College was well represented at this year’s 5th Annual Undergraduate Student Conference sponsored by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) held April 16 and 17.  JMC students who presented papers were:  Lauren Tomaszczyk (IR senior), Cora Bebiak (IR senior), Ann Marie Gordenier (IR/SRP senior), Allison Horowski (IR senior), Jessica Wayne (IR senior) Angela Nurse (SRP senior), Cory Connolly (IR junior), Lauren Verbiscus (IR/CCP junior), Kelly Steffen (IR junior), and Jennifer Seager (IR junior).

Madison alumnus, Peter Spadafore (SRP ’07) is the recipient of the prestigious political leadership fellowship awarded in February by MSU’s Michigan Political Leadership Program (MPLP). Spadafore is the Associate Director for the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association.  As a student, he served as the President of the JMC Student Senate. 

Alex Hill (IR junior) won a Homer Higbee International Education Award for his work as executive director of SCOUT BANANA, a non-profit organization that supports health-related projects in Africa.  

Samantha Mills (IR senior), an intern in the office of Michigan Rep. Robert B. Jones, won the 2008 Daniel Rosenthal Legislative Intern Award. The Rosenthal Award was established by the family of the late Daniel Rosenthal, an MSU student who died in 1977. He was one of the first to take part in the MSU’s Legislative Student Intern Program.  After graduation, Mills will depart for Latin America with the Peace Corps.
 
Madison Sophomore Steven Book (CCP) was selected by Coca-Cola as one of four finalists for the Coke Zero Ultimate Dream Job.  Steven attended and wrote an official NCAA blog about the 2008 NCAA Men’s Final Four games in San Antonio TX.  He was selected from hundreds of applicants by displaying passion and dedication to Spartan basketball. 

Senior Monica Mukerjee (IR/Psychology) received the Outstanding Community Impact Award by the Michigan Campus Compact April 5, 2008. This award is given to five undergraduate students and one graduate student from the state of Michigan for their dedication to community service and civic engagement, from a nomination pool of nearly 600 students. 

Upcoming JMC Events
                                             
Annual Homecoming Tailgate 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Two hours before kickoff
Case Hall
This tradition attracts over 100 alumni, faculty, students, friends and family. 
Bring your guests and come even if you are not attending the game.
                                        
Founders Circle Luncheon
In honor of the late Peter Lyman, one of Madison’s founding professors
Madison presents:  Mimi Ito, Research Scientist, USC Institute for Multimedia Literacy and School of Cinematic Arts
October 24, 2008
11:30 to 2:00, Luncheon and Lecture
Kellogg Center, MSU
Everyone welcome
Panel discussion and events honoring the legacy and scholarship of Peter Lyman to follow that day.

James Madison College Board of Directors

Officers      
President:  Kendra Howard-Averett (MS ’92)
Vice President:  Richard Warren (IR ’98)
Treasurer:  John Lindley (PE ‘00)
Secretary:  Peter Spadafore (SRP ’07)

Board Members
Regina Bell (PTCD ’96)
Lance Binoniemi (PE ’01)
Rachel Harris (SR ‘04)
Fred Headen (JMCD ’78)
Tim Soave (Ethnic ’73)
Scott Sowulewski (IR ’86)
Ruju Bhatt Srivastava (IR ’93)
Scott Watkins (IR ’01)
Amy Witt (PTCD ’99)

Please contact Kendra Howard-Averett if you would like to get involved in the JMCAA.

Contact Donna Hofmeister – hofmeist@msu.edu or 517-353-9977
to RSVP or for more information on any of these events.

Sign up for the JMC Alumni Registry
Join over 800 fellow Madison alumni in this voluntary database on the Madison web site.