Access Champion: Jalen Smith

December 6, 2024 - Becky Jensen

Social media is one of the main methods of communication for so many people these days. It can be a powerful tool for any individual, business or institution. Here in the MSU College of Social Science we have many social media channels that relay numerous messages to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the entire Spartan Community. Leading that effort in the college is support staff member Jalen Smith. He works during the workday, and often beyond, to be an exemplary steward of information to help the college communications team tell stories of success. 

Smith, who has been the college’s social media manager since 2021, is one of the main driving forces in amplifying a lot of different content, but specifically sharing the content about people you will see in the Access Matters Newsletter. He creates posts on the college’s social media channels that feature the people making huge differences in our world. Jalen enjoys celebrating others in this way as it aligns with his core values tied to equity. 

“I think my vision for a more equitable world is a world in which all people can live freely and be their authentic selves without fear of being. For us to be able to appreciate the differences in one another. A world in which we lead with kindness first but also understanding that not all our struggles are the same, to have empathy for those that may not think the same as us or live the same way we do and to recognize everyone as equals in our society and to not actively cause harm to someone else because of their identities,” he said. 

Smith is a Detroit, Michigan native, and Cass Technical High School graduate, where he was a member of the Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program and ultimately achieved the highest Army JROTC rank of Cadet Colonel. While in the program, he served as the Cass Tech Renegade Battalion Public Affairs Officer (Battalion S-5) and later as the Detroit Public Schools Corps of Cadets Security and Intelligence Officer (Corps G-2).  

Smith has been a part of Michigan State University since he was a first-year undergraduate student, where he went on to earn his bachelor’s degree. During his time as a student at MSU, Smith was involved in the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment program, a writer for the Black Sheep satirical news source and worked for Residence Education and Housing Services as a service center student supervisor. In 2017, he began working in the MSU College of Social Science’s Dean’s office as a clerk and discovered his passion around social media management while collaborating on some projects with the communications team, eventually working his way up to his current role.  

“If I can just help make an impact, even for one student, who maybe got a scholarship, or is benefiting from us sharing some information about vital programs here at MSU, it’s so worth it. Social media can make a huge difference,” said Smith. 

Smith might not realize it, but he too makes a difference with his friendly demeanor. Ask anyone in the college, and you can’t help but smile when Smith is around. 

"No matter what challenges come his way, he truly is a positive force in our office. Jalen knows everyone it seems and has a lot of knowledge about how things work in the college. He always keeps a cool demeanor and can execute his work with true professionalism. I know he will take my designs and use them to communicate effective and relevant content on our social media channels," said Eric Martin, College of Social Science User Experience Designer. 

“It is a simple saying, but it is one I live by, and that is to treat people the way you would want to be treated. I always try to live my life with positivity first. It is so easy to become fixated on all the negatives of life and the world we live in, but I always try to look at it as a glass half full instead of a glass half empty, and I genuinely believe people feed off that energy,” added Smith.  

In his spare time, Smith is an avid traveler, concert go-er, writer who loves to journal and is a big fan of MSU and Detroit sports. Being part of the MSU community is a huge part of his life. 

“MSU is a special place to me because it is such a huge part of my identity from student to my current career. I have met lifelong friends and made so many fond memories that I will cherish forever. Working at MSU truly is a one of kind experience that provides you access to an orbit that is extremely rare. It is a great joy to be a Spartan. It is not always easy, but Spartans never quit,” said Smith. 

 

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