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Ever wondered whether the electoral districts in your state are fair, or whether they favor one party at the expense of others? Michigan State University Professor Jon X. Eguia posed that question too and today released a newly built tool to help journalists, policy advocates, candidates, campaigns and citizens ask – and answer – the same question. Eguia’s newly released Partisan Advantage Tracker, developed with MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, is a user-friendly way to measure partisan fairness in elections to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Alumnus Frederick S. Addy made a tremendous impact on MSU—and was fortunate enough to have been able to watch his philanthropy take root and blossom, many times over, to the benefit of students and faculty in the Broad College of Business and the College of Social Science.
Michigan State University economist and professor Lisa D. Cook today was confirmed by Senate Banking Committee to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Cook is the first Black women to serve on the on board in its 108-year history.
Social science student and soon-to-be graduate Wisdom Henry has won the 2022 Richard Lee Featherstone Endowed Prize. The prize is awarded to MSU's most outstanding graduate based on criteria such as openness, curiosity, creativity, intellectualism, character and leadership - all of which Wisdom exemplifies through her work as a student, researcher and activist.
Navigating college as a first generation student can be a difficult experience. Finding research opportunities can seem doubly as daunting, but through the Michigan State University College of Social Science, funding and support exists to make the process manageable.
Political Science senior Danielle McClain hopes to encourage and motivate students to celebrate their journey to graduation as the 2022 University Convocation Speaker.
It's well known that when doing the same job, women are on average paid less than men - and for women of color, this gap is even more pronounced. So, how can women advocate for ourselves and each other when it comes to negotiating pay?
Psychology student Sam Barans, Psychology senior Jenny Vu and Psychology junior Belle Hoke have been announced as the 2021 winners of the College of Social Science Achievement Gala.
Dr. Carla A. Pfeffer is an associate professor within the MSU School of Social Work, the director of the Consortium for Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Health, and affiliate faculty in the Department of Sociology and Center for Gender in Global Context. Dr. Pfeffer's research centers on the health and wellness of marginalized people - including members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Master of Social Work student Sterling Bentley came to MSU to learn, not to teach. Not an unusual position for most graduate students, but for Bentley, this was as much about what happens outside the classroom as in it. For most of his adult life, Bentley, a queer trans man, has had to inform everyone around him about his identity, his orientation, and his passion for advocacy.
For graduating seniors, the end of the Spring semester can bring so many emotions: from excitement, joy and pride to uncertainty and anxiety about the future. This is why Lilli Meng, a Political Science senior at Michigan State University, is focusing the speech she will give at the College of Social Science Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on the hard work and tenacity that has carried her and her peers this far.
On April 13, 2022 in the Union Ballroom, undergraduate researchers, faculty and supporters gathered to celebrate the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF)
Ms. Ikram Adawe a MSU School of Social Work alumna and Arabic-fluent therapist who works with Arab American communities as well as refugee and immigrant populations in the Greater Lansing Area, providing them with trauma informed care.
Tamara Siblani is an third year MSU student who is majoring in Psychology and minoring in leadership of organizations. She is also treasurer of MSU Arab Cultural Society, which works to advance the customs and culture of Michigan State’s Arab students.
This month we celebrate our Dean’s Research Associate, Dr. Rebecca Karam. Dr. Karam’s research focuses on the making of Arab American communities and the racialization of Muslim Americans.
MSU’s renowned research center, Matrix: Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences was awarded a grant from The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The $346,206 grant is for The Quilt Index, a project that consists of thousands of images, stories and knowledge of quilts and their origins from across the world.
24 students in the College of Social Science were among a record breaking 179 MSU students that have achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA for their entire MSU academic careers. The students were recognized by the MSU Board of Trustees during their April 22 meeting with the Trustees' Award for Academic Excellence.
After almost 40 years of service, the College of Social Science is honored to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Charley Ballard - one of the most gifted teachers and devoted scholars to grace Michigan State University's campus.
Research in LGBTQ+ health is becoming an increasingly necessary field to identify and eliminate barriers to access of mental and physical healthcare for people of all ages. New research is also changing norms across the healthcare world, challenging long-held assumptions and recognizing the unique healthcare needs of the LGBTQ+ community. That’s why researchers at MSU, within the College of Social Science, are studying the experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities within the healthcare system.
What does it mean to be an American, how is this identity shaped and how does our identity inform our social relationships? These are all questions that graduate student Kelsey Osborne-Garth sought to answer during her time at Michigan State University through the MSU Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP).
“Rarely is there another person in any meeting room that I’m in that has the background that I have,” MIchigan State University alumnus Jeffrey Bennish laughed good-naturedly. Bennish is the Vice President of QuVA Pharma Inc., a 503B pharmacy drug manufacturer, who graduated with a degree in anthropology.
This year, the Michigan State University College of Social Science is thrilled to announce the four accomplished academics joining the Dean's Research Associate Program (DRAP) as a part of the program's third cohort of postdoctoral scholars.
In Madeleine Albright, we have lost a fabulous diplomat, a public servant, a gifted author and a great American success story. Born in Czechoslovakia, surviving the World War II bombing in London and coming to America, she rose to the highest diplomatic positions in our country.
Dr. Theda Skocpol, an MSU Sociology alumna. is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University, and is a world-renowned author. She has dedicated her life to equity, social justice education and activism.
Alexis Hampton is a fourth-year MSU undergraduate majoring in Public Policy. As the vice president of the Women’s Council, she advocates for all women-identifying students on campus.
Dr. Deborah Johnson is an MSU Human Development and Family Studies Professor and MSU Foundation Professor. Her research on racial and cultural development and coping skills of children in diverse settings, and her leadership and support of diversity scholars, embodies the mission of our College to advance women and build a more just world.
Following a rigorous review process, Nwando Achebe, the Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor of History, and associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the College of Social Science at Michigan State University, has been named one of 46 American Council on Education Fellows for academic year 2022-23.
Michigan State University’s ANDIE LAB (Accountability, Non-Discrimination, Inclusion in Employment) will host the Leadership Accountability in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference April 7 & 8 beginning at Noon EST. Speakers at the conference will offer guidance, challenge traditional DEI practices, and offer future research suggestions on how people can hold their leaders accountable to truly promote and support DEI within organizations.
Over the last two decades, almost 1,000 hydropower dams have been built around the globe. And while these dams provide many benefits to farmers, wildlife and the climate, the costs of their construction on local communities where they are built has largely been left out of the conversation - that is, until now.
MSU Provost Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. is recommending Pero G. Dagbovie as the associate provost for graduate and postdoctoral studies and dean of the Graduate School. The appointment will be effective April 22, pending approval by the Board of Trustees Prior to Board approval, he will serve as associate provost for graduate and postdoctoral studies and dean of the Graduate School Designate, beginning on April 11.
On Thursday, February 24 at 3 p.m., Dr. John Waller was seated in Berkey Hall room 307, listening intently to a group of Social Science Scholars as they presented their latest research - until class was interrupted by a surprise visit from Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley.
For many students, learning remotely has many benefits, especially in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: it allows for less traveling, less risk of exposure, and more opportunities to wear sweatpants all day. But there is a significant downside as well: loneliness and feelings of isolation, especially from peers.
When history unfolds itself in real-time, keeping up with current events can be extremely challenging - and the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces is no exception.
Faron Paramore. a graduate of the MSU School of Criminal Justice, is the 22nd Deputy Director of the United States Secret Service. Paramore oversees the agency's daily investigative and protective operations. He is trusted and respected for his integrity and ethics.
Jen Fry is a social-justice educator and Ph.D. student in the MSU Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences. Her research focuses on sports geography, centering the racial experiences of professional Black volleyball players in Europe.
Dr. Jualynne Dodson, an MSU Sociology professor, is an award-winning scholar who has dedicated her career to studying the religion and culture of African descendant peoples in the Americas.
Through the National and International Fellowships and Scholarships Office, 10 Michigan State University undergraduate students have been nominated for 12 prestigious national awards. Administered by the Honors College, the office helps interested undergraduate and graduate students pursue major national and international awards by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes.
When it comes to a potential romantic partner, there aren't many people who wouldn't consider a great sense of humor to be an extremely attractive quality. Why else would Pete Davidson be everyone's current celebrity crush?
A team of researchers from Michigan State University were commissioned by the Michigan State Police (MSP) to conduct an independent study analyzing data from traffic stops initiated by State Troopers in 2020. The research team consisted of Criminal Justice Associate Professor Dr. Scott Wolfe and two Criminal Justice Doctoral Students, Travis Carter and Jed Knode. Their findings concluded that racial and ethnic disparities were present and consistent across nearly all Michigan counties in the 2020 traffic stop data.
Deborah J. Johnson, Ph.D., a Human Development and Family Studies professor within the College of Social Science has been appointed as an MSU Foundation Professor.
For the second straight year, the College of Social Science’s online master’s program in criminal justice is ranked No. 5 in the nation. The program has consistently been in the top 10 since 2017. The program also maintained its No. 3 ranking for veterans.
Ms. Micaela Procopio graduated with a B.A. in History and a minor in Jewish Studies from MSU. She is a Holocaust educator who works to create dialogue around Holocaust history and combating antisemitism.
Jordan D. Robinson is a fourth-year MSU undergraduate majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Community Governance and Advocacy in the College of Social Science. He has minors in Jewish Studies, Leadership of Organizations, and Sociology. We are recognizing him for his leadership in Jewish student organizing and in combating antisemitism on MSU's campus.
Dr. Amy Simon is an Assistant Professor in MSU's History Department. Dr. Simon is a scholar of Holocaust Studies and European Jewish History. She exemplifies efforts to remember the impact of the Holocaust on today’s world.
Angela Hall Ph.D. has been named the next Faculty Excellence Advocate for the MSU College of Social Science. The Faculty Excellence Advocate (FEA) serves as a link between the Dean’s Office and the College’s Department/Schools to help implement diversity goals and evaluation criteria related to the recruitment, retention, promotion, and professional development of tenure-system faculty, fixed-term faculty, and academic staff.
Doctoral students Melissa Yzaguirre and Gia Casaburo in the College of Social Science launch the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Graduate Certificate pilot program funded by Creating Inclusive Excellence Grants.
Michigan State University economist Lisa D. Cook has been elected to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Each of us has something we are passionate about, as well as the capacity to create meaningful change as individuals - but when we connect with like-minded people who share our convictions and drive to make a difference, that's when the magic is amplified.
MSU College of Social Science Dean, Mary A. Finn, has appointed Amanda Guinot Talbot, PhD, as Director of the MSU Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI). Talbot has been serving as acting director since April 2021.
MSU’s Michigan Government Semester Program (MGSP), housed in the Department of Political Science, is about to kick off its tenth year with the most diverse class of students to date.
Many undergraduate students come to Michigan State University with the impression that they'll be able to earn their degree in just four years. And while that is definitely the case for most, others may find that the path from orientation to graduation is a little less straightforward.
Hayden Ferguson, Political Science senior and Army ROTC student, has been selected for the George C. Marshall Leadership Award. Hayden has served as cadet battalion commander during the fall semester and is the top senior in the Army ROTC program this semester.
Mr. Maen Hammad, an MSU political science alumnus. Mr. Hammad, photographer, filmmaker, and activist is an experienced human rights researcher and campaigner at Amnesty International.
Harnoor Kaur is a third-year MSU political science and criminal justice major whose work on violence against the trans community, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, and international law has won the respect of her classmates and professor in her ANP 321: Human Rights course.
Dr. Eric Montgomery, an adviser in the MSU College of Social Science’s Peace and Justice Studies, is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology who has dedicated his career to the study of peace, conflict, and human rights.
A Michigan State University graduate student in the Department of Psychology's clinical science program has discovered a link between the neighborhoods female adolescents grow up in and their risk of developing disordered eating patterns.
The saying goes, “with age comes wisdom,” but according to a recent study from Michigan State University, with age also comes an increase in one’s gratitude for the relationships, experiences and material things that we have.
Earlier this fall, Women and Minorities in Economics (WAMIE), hosted three MSU alumni in a panel event that students could join in person or by Zoom.
Two students within the MSU College of Social Science have been recognized by the Michigan State University Office of University Outreach and Engagement for fostering outstanding community engagement within their research.
The National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded Joseph T. Hefner, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Kentucky a five-year, $1.4 grant to develop a standardized graphic library to assist clinicians and biomedical researchers to communicate anatomical concepts with their patients and their families.
In early 2020, Prabhat Barnwal, Ph.D., MSU assistant professor of economics, was originally part of a team with researchers from Columbia University studying how to mitigate environmental risks in rural Bangladesh as part of an NSF funded project.
Eleven Michigan State University researchers have been recognized in the 2021 Highly Cited Researchers List compiled by Clarivate Analytics, including two from the MSU College of Social Science.
Veda Hawkins, the Assistant Director of Academic and Student Affairs within the Michigan State University College of Social Science, has won the 2021 MSU Outstanding Advising Administrator Award. This university-wide award recognizes advising staff who demonstrate the utmost commitment and exceptionalism towards students and the overall Spartan community.
The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) invited MSU undergraduate students enter to win “The Future of Work and Leadership” scholarship this fall. This contest was tied to an event held on September 30 by the same name, featuring women leaders.
The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) at Michigan State University has officially created a first of its kind student cohort for the 2021-2022 academic year.
The MSU A-CAPP Center’s Assistant Director of Research and Assistant Professor, Jay Kennedy, was called upon by Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee to testify November 17, 2021, on online COVID-19 misinformation regarding product and scheme threats facing Americans. This includes fake products, websites that sell unverified treatments, and fraudsters who portray themselves as legitimate service providers.
Michigan State University Department of Psychology professor Dr. Robin Miller has won the University Outreach and Engagement (UOE) Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Research. Together with her community partner, the MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights, Dr. Miller was recognized for her work advancing healthcare access for LGBTQ+ people with HIV in countries where homosexuality is criminalized.
As a kid, Don Weir followed his dad -- an amateur archaeologist working with University of Michigan in the 1930s -- around archaeological sites, collecting arrowheads and attending meetings. Looking back, it was a unique way to grow up, surrounded by people unearthing and analyzing artifacts.
Anne Marie Ryan PhD, a Professor of organizational psychology at Michigan State University has been awarded the prestigious Michael R. Losey Excellence in Research award. The award honors lifetime achievement in human resource research, recognizing significant past and ongoing research contributions that impact the HR management field.
Jason Cross, an enrolled citizen of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, is an MSU School of Social Work alumnus. An award-winning children’s advocate, Cross has a wealth of experience in the tribal government sector. He is presently the State Manager of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Compliance and Race Equity.
Roxy Sprowl, a citizen of Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, is a second-year student in the MSU School of Social Work and is in the MSU Social Science Scholars Program. She is a member of the Bridge Scholars Program, a STARR Scholar, and the Public Relations Representative for the North American Indigenous Student Organization (NAISO).
Dr. Heather Howard, an MSU Anthropology associate professor has dedicated her career to promoting our understanding of Native American heritage, through community engaged research.
MSU Economics Associate Professor Emilie Jackson researches the gig economy and its effect on workers and society as a whole. A general definition of the gig economy is the economic sector consisting of part-time, temporary, and freelance jobs.
Four Michigan State University students and alumni are finalists for the Marshall Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarship, including two from the College of Social Science. These are nationally competitive scholarships that support students attending graduate school in the United Kingdom. We will hear about the results of these competitions in the coming weeks.
The Michigan State University College of Social Science has renewed its incredibly successful Dean's Research Associate Program (DRAP) for 2022, meaning that three talented new associates will be bringing diverse skill sets, research interests and unique perspectives to MSU's campus next fall.
Michigan State University will host a workshop with a panel of youth and researchers on the importance of youth expression and agency - or their ability to influence their own decisions and their own lives - on Friday November 12 from 3:00-4:30 p.m at the MSU Broad Museum, 547 E Circle Dr, East Lansing. The workshop is free, open to the public. Middle-school- to high-school-aged youth and people who work with youth are especially encouraged to attend and participate.
Anna Maria Santiago, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Social Science at Michigan State University was awarded the Career Achievement Award by the Association for Community Organization and Social Action (ACOSA).
The MSU Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection’s (A-CAPP) Assistant Director of Education and Outreach, Kari Kammel, was called upon by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to testify November 2, 2021, on the problem of the sale of counterfeit goods by third-party sellers on e-commerce.
As the days continue to get shorter and colder, it is likely that you or someone you know has started to experience seasonal mood changes. Dr. Lily Yan, an associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology and director of the Light, Emotion and Cognition lab, explains how light exposure impacts our mood, memory and motivation.
The Michigan constitution requires that the 10-year census serves as a basis for redistricting our voting boundaries. Those boundaries guide elections for next 10 years, and play a crucial role in state policy, state taxes, revenues, economic development, right down to the decisions about education in our schools.
The Michigan State University Campus Archaeology Program is hosting the 7th annual "Apparitions & Archaeology" tour, an event that explores the history of MSU's campus as well as alleged hauntings that have taken place at the university. The event is free and open to the public, is family-friendly, and will take place on Tuesday, October 26 from 6-8 p.m.
Nearly 50 years ago, a young MSU School of Social Work graduate student was inspired to run for public office after a learning a local nursing home was being closed. Debbie Stabenow was 24 and won her first campaign by a landslide and went on to become Michigan’s first woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
Researchers at Michigan State University are calling on residents, who live or own property along the Great Lakes, to provide input regarding the management of Great Lakes shorelines in a new survey. A team of coastal scientists within the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at MSU have been working to better understand future challenges facing coastal environments, especially those brought about by human activity and climate change. Research from this team is taking a scientific approach to inform policy and management of Michigan's coastal communities.
“People make assumptions that criminal justice and social work are opposite ends of the spectrum, but they’re not, and I get to live in that intersection of the two,” said Derrick Jackson, director of community engagement at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office. During his early career as a social worker, Jackson gave examples of working with Washtenaw County youth and witnessing police officers as the first connection to people who needed access to resources such as homeless shelters or centers for survivors of domestic violence.
The Michigan State University Department of Anthropology hosted the joint annual meeting of the Midwest Archaeological Conference and the Midwest Historical Archaeology Conference October 7–9, 2021, on MSU’s campus. Jodie O’Gorman, MSU associate professor and archaeologist, led the team responsible for organizing the conference.
A Buddhist temple, a church, a hotel, grocery stores, homes, a barbershop - Nihonmachi or “Japantown” in Santa Barbara, California, was thriving in the 1920s and 1930s. But that was before February 1942, when President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 that allowed the United States government to incarcerate over 120,000 Japanese-Americans.
Dr. Cameron Whitley is an assistant professor at Western Washington University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. But before he was a Viking, Dr. Whitley was a Spartan, earning both his Master's degree and PhD from the Michigan State University College of Social Science.
John Steudle is a graduate student at Michigan State University earning his Master's degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations. Set to graduate in December, John is planning to work in an HR role with Cummins after leaving MSU.
Dr. Robin Lin Miller is a social scientist in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology, and is renown around the world for her scholarship and advocacy surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
James E. Clyburn, Majority Whip, in the United States House of Representatives will speak at the Wharton Center at 7:30 pm on Monday, November 8th, as a special guest of the Governor Jim Blanchard Public Service Forum. Tickets are now on sale at whartoncenter.com. General Admission is $25 and $5 for MSU students.
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institute of Health, awarded Yijie Wang, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and her team a five-year, $2,108,204 grant to investigate adolescents’ experiences of multiple forms of discrimination and its implication for substance use.
The Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education, recently awarded Ryan Bowles, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, a $2 million, 4-year grant to develop tools to help teachers support early writing development in young children ages 3-6.