James Madison College at Michigan State University

The final installment of our summer field experience series shows how public affairs work happens close to the communities policies are meant to serve.

This story features six JMC students applying classroom skills to internships focused on housing advocacy, health care access, food systems, campaigns, constituent services and natural resources policy:

-Andrea Guitron-Ortiz ( IR, SRP) conducted policy research and community outreach with Abundant Housing Michigan in Flint, supporting housing advocacy efforts across the state.

-Elida Hughes-Margolis (IR, SRP) is exploring natural resources policy, advocacy and public service with the Forest Service International Foundation in Washington, D.C.

-Nora Kaltenbach (SRP) worked with Flatwater Farms LLC in Buchanan, connecting agriculture, food access, sustainability and public affairs.

Sammy Leggett (PTCD, SRP) is serving as Volunteer Outreach & Canvassing Lead for the Rashida Harrison Campaign for State Senate.

-Erin Delaney (SRP, Journalism) supported constituent services, communications and event planning in Chairwoman Lisa McClain’s District Office.

-Madison MacDonald (PRC, Women's & Gender Studies) worked with Allen Neighborhood Center in Lansing to help neighbors access health care programs, food assistance and community resources.

Read the final story in our summer internship series at the link in our comments.

🎉 Calling Michigan middle and high school teachers: Join JMC's Academy for Civic Education for a one-day professional development colloquium on Sept. 19. Hosted on MSU campus, the event will explore the connection between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

The program will include two sessions examining selected primary-source readings, followed by a session with a Jack Miller Center pedagogy expert on practical ways to integrate original texts into the classroom. Because this event takes an in-depth look at a single topic, teachers who attended JMC-ACE’s summer program are also encouraged to participate.

Lunch and a $150 stipend are provided. A $40 registration deposit is required and will be returned with the stipend after participants complete the program. An optional provided dinner will also be held on Sept. 18.

Link in comments to learn more and register.

We’re proud to celebrate three Madisonians who were among just 53 students nationwide selected for this year’s highly competitive Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute.

More than 700 undergraduates from across the United States applied for the fully funded, seven-week fellowship, which prepares students for graduate study and careers in public service. Participants complete graduate-level coursework in economics, statistics, policy analysis and writing at host institutions including Harvard University, Princeton University and the University of Michigan.

Lila Abdullah and Jai Patel participated in the University of Michigan cohort, while Ethan Pyscher attended the Princeton program.

Please join us in congratulating Lila, Jai and Ethan on this outstanding achievement!

How can homeowners associations move from being barriers to becoming partners in sustainability?

In a new article for The Conversation US, JMC Prof. Daniel Kramer and MSU doctoral student Madeline Carr explore how HOA rules shape native landscaping, water use, wildlife habitat and residential solar energy. They found that while many many impose restrictions that limit sustainable practices, some associations with pro-environment rules show significant positive effects on yard sustainability.

Read their article:

HOAs are often barriers to sustainable landscaping and solar energy – here’s how they could be bridges instead Climate change, biodiversity loss and water conservation are often framed as problems in need of national policies. However, there is an often more important level of governance: the neighborhood.

Incoming Madison students, families and supporters: Fall is almost here!

Whether you’re joining JMC as a first-year or transfer student, our online welcome guide brings together the key dates, events and resources you’ll need over the next few weeks. Find information about required first-week events at JMC, advising, MC 100, move-in, course enrollment, student support and more.

Welcome to JMC: Information for incoming Madison students Key dates, events and resources for incoming James Madison College students, including Colloquium, advising, MC 100 and move-in at MSU.

Summer study abroad season is coming to a close. JMC's International Relations in Brussels trip wrapped up in late July, with visits to NATO Headquarters, US Mission to the EU (The U.S. Mission to the European Union - USEU Brussels) and an end-of program dinner during their final week in Belgium. Led by Madison faculty members, it is one of MSU's longest-running education abroad programs.

The fourth installment of our summer internships series focuses on law, legal advocacy and policy, with six Madisonians who spent parts of their summers in Michigan, California and South Africa:

-Krisha Patel (IR & PRC) supported land rights and immigration work at the Legal Resource Center in Cape Town.

- Abraham Jaafar (IR, PRC & Digital Storytelling) shadowed attorneys and helping with legal documents, deposition summaries and court records.

- Jacqueline Russell (PTCD & Criminal Justice) reviewed evidence, drafting legal memos and joining her supervising attorney in court.

- Melissa Aguilar Gabriel (PRC & IR) researched space law, environmental policy and questions of international jurisdiction at Norwood Space Company in Los Angeles.

-Isaac Peck (PTCD) learned about state law and how attorneys represent local governments.

-Hana Thorson (PTCD) helped constituents and researched a bill proposal on elections and technology in Michigan House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri’s office.

Hear more from each student about their summer internship experiences: https://jmc.msu.edu/news/2026/07/summer-internships-4

JMC Prof. Mark Axelrod is part of an international team of researchers that found women make up nearly 40% of the global small-scale fisheries workforce, more than double what many traditional datasets suggest. Because official counts often focus on commercial, vessel-based fishing, they can miss women’s contributions to subsistence fishing, fish processing and trading.

Their work offers a practical framework for connecting existing data and filling critical gaps, giving policymakers a fuller picture to guide economic planning, conservation and gender equity.

Read more from MSUToday:

Better data reveals women’s overlooked role in global fisheries New research finds women make up nearly 40% of the global small-scale fisheries workforce, underscoring data gaps that affect policy, conservation and equity.

What can undergraduate research look like at JMC? For three Class of 2026 graduates, it helped turn broad academic interests into focused projects and gave them clearer direction for life after JMC.

Through close faculty mentorship and hands-on work, Nahlia Moncrief, Will Castanier and Rachael Lee explored topics ranging from foodways, public health and social policy to Saudi foreign policy, human rights investigations and water politics in Central Asia.

Read how research shaped their time at James Madison College and their plans after graduation: https://jmc.msu.edu/news/2026/08/jmc-undergraduate-research

JMC ACE 🤝 Spartan Stadium.

A few favorite moments from the Spartan Stadium tour during the inaugural JMC ACE program for high school students earlier this month.

Know a rising high school junior who might be interested in exploring life on campus next summer during the 2027 Academy for Civic Education? Links in comments to learn more and join the ACE mailing list.