College of Social Science Scholars Program alumni gather in Denver
December 12, 2025
A heartfelt thank you to our Colorado-based alumni who joined Rachel Schmidt (Senior Director of Development, College of Social Science) and Dr. John Waller (Director, Social Science Scholars Program) for a highly memorable event in Denver on November 21. John Van Eden (James Madison '91, Human Resources and Labor Relations '93) and his wife Marcia hosted our group with the utmost generosity, and we were delighted to welcome ten Spartans and their spouses to the gathering. The focus of the evening was reflections from three recent graduates, pictured above - Maysa Sitar (Political Science '21), Bill Wetzel (Criminal Justice '21), and Astley Siwela (Economics '20) – about their experiences in a unique MSU initiative, the Social Science Scholars Program.
The Scholars Program was created in late 2013 to give cohorts of able and mature undergraduates the richly personalized experience of a small liberal arts college, plus the benefits of attending a global research university. With close faculty guidance, Scholars take seminar classes together, undertake major research projects, assume leadership positions on and off campus, study abroad, complete demanding internships, and graduate into exciting career opportunities. Indicative of how much Scholars gain from the program, to date, they have won 14 of the nation’s most prestigious national and international awards for graduate study, and another 12 Scholars have reached the national finals for competitions like the Rhodes and Truman.
On the evening of November 21, Maysa, Bill, and Astley all spoke about how the Scholars Program set them up to thrive. By virtue of faculty guidance and their own brilliance, they all flourished at MSU and are now realizing their enormous professional potential. Maysa was one of only 12 students from across the country to be awarded a highly prestigious Mitchell Scholarship; she used the funding provided to earn a master's degree in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice in Northern Ireland. Returning to the US, Maysa assumed her dream job as a Voter Accessibility Administrator in Denver.
After leaving MSU, Bill gained his law degree from the Washington University School of Law before becoming a Colorado State Deputy Public Defender. Astley, originally from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, went on to complete an MA in International Economics and Finance at Brandeis University. He’s currently a Senior Consultant at Deloitte in Denver. All three emphasized the importance of the dedicated mentorship provided by the Scholars Program and reflected fondly on having belonged to close-knit cohorts of eager and dedicated students.
Maysa, Bill, and Astley were also effusive about the key role played by MSU alumni in their achievements. They acknowledged the collaborative nature of success and, especially, of the power of the Spartan network to open both doors and minds to new opportunities. Alumni donors made it financially feasible for all three to spend a glorious month studying in the UK with Dr. Waller. Just as importantly, they gained from the wisdom and experience of the college’s alumni with whom they were paired. Bill’s mentor, Patrick Grobbel (Criminal Justice '86), arranged for him to fly to Washington DC to meet with attorneys in various fields to help him decide on the type of law career to pursue. This mentoring initiative is among the most distinctive and valuable aspects of the Scholars Program. In fact, one of the Scholar Program’s recent graduates, Eli Duguid, credits our host of the evening, John Van Eden, with having been "pivotal" in preparing him to "navigate corporate spaces as a first-generation professional." Another of our guests, Ian Bird (History '72), has now generously mentored three Scholars.
Thank you to Maysa, Bill, and Astley for sharing your stories with the group, John and Marica for the warmth of your welcome, and to our valued Spartan supporters for attending.
If you would like to learn more about the Social Science Scholars Program, and its remarkable students and graduates, click here.