Kwesi Brookins, Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement
Preparing Our Next Generation of Spartans
University Outreach and Engagement has a threefold mission: to support the university, advocate for engaged scholarship, and foster public access.
In this letter, I’d like to highlight how UOE fosters public access to university expertise and resources for the next generation of scholars through our pre-college programming. We offer a wealth of programming and resources to K-12 educators and students around the state.
The 13th annual MSU Science FestivalExternal link - opens in new window, beginning April 1, offers hundreds of free public events for all ages exploring science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics at MSU and select sites throughout the state. Consider bringing family or friends to campus next month to sample hands-on science activities!
The Science Festival also partners with area schools, offering programsExternal link - opens in new window including Girls Math and Science Day, Natives in STEAM Exploration Day, and a Student Sustainability Summit. We provide Michigan educators with free nature journals to encourage students to explore the natural world and record their observations as part of BioBlitz, a community-led biodiversity survey ... Read more
Featured MSU Engaged Scholars
- Sriram Narayanan, Ph.D.
- Eli Broad Endowed Professor, Department of Supply Chain Management
- Broad College of Business
The gentle hum of more than 2,000 sewing machines is a familiar sound to the 700 employees working in Peckham’s manufacturing facility as team members connect the fabrics that, in their final stage, will be used by the U.S. military. For Sriram Narayanan, a professor with MSU’s Broad College of Business, that steady hum was once unfamiliar, but a partnership with the Lansing-based nonprofit changed that nearly 11 years ago.
In 2014, Narayanan was introduced to Peckham while serving as one of MSU’s Lilly FellowsExternal link - opens in new window. In this role, he mentored students as they participated in service-learning opportunities with organizations across the state. During that time, one of Narayanan’s student teams worked on a Peckham-sponsored project related to lean manufacturing, igniting a decade-long partnership between him and Peckham ...
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- Tama Hamilton-Wray, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor
- Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
A young woman became emotional as she shared what it meant to her to be a part of Grit, Glam, and Guts (GGG) at a fundraiser for the Lansing-based organization that seeks to inspire, equip, and empower teen girls.
“She said, ‘I’m so grateful for the community,’ because it taught her first to love herself and to love her skin,’’ recalled GGG founder Cameo King, recounting the powerful moment. While GGG is open to all, the focus is on the experiences of Black girls.
“It just tore everybody up in the room, because I think we all have those experiences in life where it is something about ourselves that society tells us isn’t valuable, isn’t worthy, or that we shouldn’t like,” King said. “And for this young lady—and for a lot of young ladies—it was her skin color. For somebody else, it could be their hair. It could be their nose. It could be their lips. It could be their body.” ...
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Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, and community partners who will be recognized at the annual Michigan State University Outreach and Engagement Awards CeremonyExternal link - opens in new window on Thursday, March 20, at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
The ceremony, which will also be livestreamed, shines a light on exemplary high-quality community-engaged scholarship and university outreach activities.
By connecting university knowledge with partner/community knowledge, this year’s award winners have actively demonstrated MSU’s unwavering commitment to collaborative, participatory, and transformative work.
“The efforts of university representatives and their community partners is a true testament to the vast impacts that can be made when we work together,” said Kwesi Brookins, vice provost for University Outreach and Engagement. “The award winners we recognize this year are all great examples ...
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