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  • 2025 State of the University address from Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz

    2025 State of the University address from Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz
    2025/09/30
    Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz delivered his 2025 State of the University address at the faculty investiture on September 30, 2025.SUMMARY KEYWORDSState of the University, new professors, leadership initiatives, enrollment record, US News rankings, federal policy changes, Jennison fund, budget adjustments, comprehensive campaign, experiential learning, strategic plan, One Health, research innovation, community partnerships, athletics.SPEAKERSSpeaker 1 00:00State of the University. Speaker 1 00:19So good morning again, and congratulations once again. I think they deserve another round of applause to our 2025, newly endowed professors and chairs. Your excellence truly elevates the capacity of our university to drive our work toward achieving our aspirations as a leading global public research university, and thanks to all my Spartan colleagues for joining us today, including several of our Board of Trustees members one year ago, almost to the day at my presidential investiture here at Wharton Center, I shared a Vision for Michigan State University, not just my own, but one shaped by conversations and collaborations with so many people around our campus and around the community and many of you who are here today together, we outlined big, bold goals, making Michigan State University the most inclusive, welcoming and safe environment it can be tackling grand societal challenges head on, and transforming Michigan State University into a truly next generation University. We also launched several leadership initiatives aimed at achieving those goals, and today, I'm excited to share the progress that we've made and a glimpse of what's ahead. Let's start with some great news, and there's so much that we could talk about and celebrate today, but I want to touch on a few things. First, we entered the new academic year, enrolling more undergraduate students than ever before in our 170 year history of Michigan State University, it's clear that students and families place their trust in us to provide an education that is practical, exceptional and accessible. Students come to us from 139 countries, all 50 states, and all 83 counties across the state of Michigan, we remain the top choice for in state students, with over 8200 Michiganders as part of this new class. And that's why I say that we are Michigan's State University and over 600 highly achieving incoming students join the Honors College, 30 of whom represent our inaugural class of the Williams scholars. 02:52Second, some good news from US News and World Report Speaker 1 02:58US News and World Report rankings just placed six of our undergraduate programs among the nation's top 25 two more than last year. Supply Chain Management ranked number one for 15 consecutive years. Service Learning and Education Abroad ranked number one among public universities, learning communities ranked number two nationally, and the list you could go on and on and on, but there's a lot to celebrate with regard to the incredible academic achievements and opportunities provided through our undergraduate and graduate students here at MSU. And I want to offer a huge congratulations to the faculty and staff who make these programs run, you know, on a daily basis, and, more importantly, to shine on a daily basis. So we're grateful for all that you do. However, not all developments this past year have been easy. Everyone here knows that federal policy changes have disrupted our operations and impacted our core mission of teaching, research and outreach. 04:05But Spartans don't back down. Speaker 1 04:09We mobilize teams to respond swiftly, to protect our research, support our people and continue serving the public, a responsibility that we hold and take very seriously as a leading global public research university, as we always have and will continue to do, I've taken our message to Washington DC and invited lawmakers here to see firsthand the value we provide through research, education and outreach. We've also taken action here at home, through the Jennison fund, we're investing $5 million per year for three years to support affected research programs. Just last week, we notified 37 recipients of this funding, and their work is nothing short of inspiring agricultural economist kajil Galati will be able to pivot from her international work in food safety and security toward applications in the United States, including examining lead testing policies on children's health and educational outcomes. The history department's Professor Walter Hawthorne can complete data integration, supporting scholarly and public access to the names and stories of more than 33,000 historically enslaved individuals on the unique MSU based enslaved.org platform. And graduate student Melina Ortez can continue preparing for a research for a career in research, a cancer research. Jennison funding will support 24 graduate students and restore our fellowships, allowing our continued ...
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    31 分
  • SpartanXpress, MSU’s autonomous bus, is ready for rides and research

    SpartanXpress, MSU’s autonomous bus, is ready for rides and research
    2025/09/21

    Michigan State University has a new way for students, faculty, staff and visitors to get around campus for free while also contributing to the future of mobility research.

    The SpartanXpress is MSU’s autonomous and electric bus and is ready to roll around campus with a fresh look, new route and exciting research opportunities to explore.

    Thanks to the university’s latest three-year partnership with ADASTEC, a leading software company that specializes in automated driving solutions, the full-size, 21-seat bus travels a 5.12-mile loop around campus with stops at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts and Anthony Hall.

    The bus will run Monday through Friday between 10:05 a.m. and 3:25 p.m. No pass is required for the SpartanXpress. Ridership is free and open to students, faculty, staff, campus visitors and community members.

    For the complete schedule and to learn more about MSU’s live, connected mobility ecosystem, visit the MSU Mobility website.

    Judd Herzer is MSU’s director of MSU Mobility and Innovation. Cemre Kavvasoglu is product management director, North America for ADASTEC Corp.

    Conversation Highlights:

    (1:20) – What is the Spartan Xpress?

    (1:58) – Why did ADASTEC want to get involved in this program?

    (2:40) – Describe Spartan Xpress safety and technology features.

    (4:54) – What kind of research is happening on the bus?

    (9:07) – What do you hope to learn from the initial research?

    (14:13) – How does MSU define mobility?

    Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.
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    16 分
  • NPR's Scott Horsley inaugurates MSU lecture series covering food and economic policy

    NPR's Scott Horsley inaugurates MSU lecture series covering food and economic policy
    2025/09/09
    David Ortega is Professor and Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics & Policy in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University.Part of the outreach David does is the Stuckman Lecture Series at Michigan State University, which brings leading voices in food and applied economics to campus, fostering critical discussions on the economic forces shaping our food systems and global markets. As the inaugural speaker, Scott Horsley sets the stage for an ongoing dialogue on the intersection of food, economics, and policy. Scott is NPR's Chief Economics Correspondent. He reports on ups and downs in the national economy as well as fault lines between booming and busting communities.Conversation Highlights:(1:02) - David, describe the work you do at MSU. What is food economics?(1:48) - Who is Noel Stuckman and describe the mission of the series. Why are these discussions important?(2:47) - Scott, what do you see as the key issues in food economics, and what are you focused on reporting?(4:28) - What messages do you hope to leave with the audience?(5:37) – When it comes to food economics, is there a fact you would like to reinforce or a myth you would like to dispel?(8:32) - What’s the mood at NPR after cuts? What’s ahead?(10:13) – What will you be reporting on and researching in the coming months?Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.Conversation Transcript:Russ White (00:00):Well, David Ortega is professor and Noel W Stuckman chair in Food Economics and Policy in the Department of Agricultural Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. David, great to have you back on MSU today.David Ortega (00:15):Thanks, Russ. Happy to be here.Speaker 1 (00:17):In a moment, we're going to talk to NPR Scott Horsley because part of the outreach David does in the Stockman lecture series that is inaugurating today with us, Scott. It's bringing together leading voices in food and applied economics to campus, fostering critical discussions on the economic forces shaping our food systems and global markets. As the inaugural speaker, Scott Horsley sets the stage for an ongoing dialogue on the intersection of food economics and policy. Scott is NPR'S Chief Economics correspondent. He reports on the ups and downs in the national economy. Scott, great to have you at MSU.Scott Horsley (00:53):It's great to be here in Michigan.Speaker 1 (00:56):David, first a little bit about the work you do. What do you mean by food economics and what does the department do?Speaker 2 (01:02):Yeah, so I'm a food economist and that's really a subdiscipline of economics where we look at how food goes all the way from farm to table and all of the people that are involved in producing the food, distributing that food. But we also look at what affects the food on its journey shocks, and we look at prices and economics as sort of an outcome. And there's been a lot of factors that have really converged over these past few years that have led to significant increases in the price of food. Also teach both at the undergraduate and graduate level, teach food marketing management for undergrads, but also food policy at the graduate level to our masters and PhD students.Speaker 1 (01:42):So David, who is Noel Stuckman and describe the mission of this lecture series. Why are these discussions important?Speaker 2 (01:49):Yeah, so Noel Stuckman is a graduate of Michigan State University who went on to have a very distinguished 30 year career with Michigan Farm Bureau working with leaders across the state. And really it was his vision and generosity that made both the chair but also the lecture series possible. And the lecture series came about from a need to have a broader conversation about some of the challenges that are facing both the agricultural and food sector issues like the high price of food and the tremendous policy uncertainty at the moment that are affecting not only decisions on the farm and in agribusiness boardrooms, but also around kitchen tables across the country. And so I think it's an important time to have this discussion and I'm very excited to have Scott to kick us off with the lecture series.Speaker 1 (02:39):And Scott Horsley, why are you interested in these issues and what do you see as the key issues right now in food economics that you're reporting on?Speaker 3 (02:47):Well, it's a great honor to be kicking off this lecture series. I'm flattered that David thought of me. He's been a great resource for us. We've relied on his expertise many times on the radio to help explain what's going on with our food supply. And I hope to maybe repay the favor a little bit. We've seen at the macro level, we've seen grocery prices more or less level off. I mean, they haven't gone down by and large, but they're not going up the way they were a number of years ago where we had for a little while we had ...
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    12 分
  • MSU 2030: Excellence for Global Impact unveiled

    MSU 2030: Excellence for Global Impact unveiled
    2025/09/06
    Michigan State University unveiled a new strategic plan -- MSU 2030 – in September 2021, articulating a shared vision for the university and six bold priorities for continuous improvement. As originally planned, and now under the leadership of President Kevin Guskiewicz, the strategic plan is being refreshed to reflect on lessons learned, adjust course and make progress toward becoming a more contemporary institution focused on cross-cutting priorities and solutions – with “synergy unleashed.” The refreshed, reframed and reimagined strategic plan, MSU 2030: Excellence for Global Impact, reaffirms leadership’s commitment to a shared vision for the university through the end of the decade. Here to discuss the evolution of MSU 2030 are MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz and MSU Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Bill Beekman.Conversation Highlights:(1:15) – Kevin, you’ve said that the compelling vision of an institution taking on the challenges of the 21st century is among the things that attracted me to Michigan State. How so?(2:08) – Bill, you’ve been involved with the plan’s development and implementation since the start. What strikes you about the plan’s refresh?(4:11) – Kevin, you’ve often referred to MSU 2030 as a roadmap. Why is it important for MSU to have this plan and to refresh it now? And what do you mean by “synergy unleashed?(6:24) - The newly revised MSU 2030 plan maintains as foundational elements six strategic and cross-cutting themes and priorities — Student Success, Staff and Faculty Success, Discovery and Innovation for Impact, Sustainable Health, Stewardship for a Sustainable Future, and Access, Opportunity and Excellence.Let’s talk about the cross-cutting themes that are injecting new energy into these ongoing efforts and uniting key areas. How do they complement the themes? How and why were they developed and elaborate on what you mean.First, Grow Talent for Michigan and Beyond.(9:10) - Drive Health Transformation.(11:27) - Enroll for the Future.(14:27) - Build Community Together.(17:05) - Achieve Next-Generation Operations and Organization.(18:50) - Access, Opportunity and Excellence.(20:15) - What’s next? How will implementation proceed, and how will we measure progress and success?(21:48) – Final thoughts.Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.Conversation Transcript:Russ White:Michigan State University unveiled a new strategic plan MSU 2030 in September, 2021, articulating a shared vision for the university and six bold priorities for continuous improvement as originally planned. And now under the leadership of President Kevin Kasowitz, the strategic plan is being refreshed to reflect on lessons learned, adjust course and make progress toward becoming a more contemporary institution focused on cross-cutting priorities and solutions. With Synergy Unleashed, the refreshed, reframed, and re-imagined strategic plan MSU 2030 Excellence for Global Impact reaffirms leadership's commitment to a shared vision for the university through the end of the decade. Here to discuss the evolution of MSU 2030, our MSU President, Kevin Guskiewicz and MSU, vice President for Strategic Initiatives, bill Beekman and Kevin and Bill, great to have you back in the state of the art studios of Impact Radio here on campus. And Kevin, you've said that the compelling vision of an institution taking on the challenges of the 21st century is among the things that attracted you to Michigan State. How so, and why?Kevin Guskiewicz:Well, Michigan State University is a proudly public university, one that fills a commitment to the people of Michigan. We rely on taxpayer dollars to transform the lives and improve the quality of life for Michiganders. And so much of the work that's done here through our teaching research and outreach is about the common good. I mean, the new strategic plan that we're here talking about, it's woven throughout the entire roadmap. It's about all that we do is for the public good, the common good. And we felt that the first time we touched down here in East Lansing. And 18 months in, I feel even better about where we're headed than what I did two years ago when I started exploring the opportunity.Speaker 1:And Bill, you've been involved with the plan's development and implementation from the start. What strikes you about the refresh?Bill Beekman:Well, I think one of the most important things about the refresh is the fact that we're actually doing it. So often you have strategic plans that get built and there's inordinate amounts of time spent working on them, and then they sort of drift away. And I think what's really wonderful about the creation of this plan and those that were there at the start, is that they very intentionally decided that we should have a refresh that about a third 40% of the way into the implementation of the plan, that we should pause, take a ...
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    23 分
  • MSU Law Immigration Law Clinic wins cases for clients around the country

    MSU Law Immigration Law Clinic wins cases for clients around the country
    2025/09/04

    The Michigan State University College of Law is home to eight law clinics, each specializing in a public service area of the law that provides professional legal counsel to the most vulnerable people in society.

    Each clinic is directed by licensed attorneys who are members of the MSU Law faculty and staffed by law students who gain critical hands-on research and litigation experience. The clinics provide pro bono legal services and have won important cases for clients across the country.

    MSU Law clinics cover the following areas of the law: immigration, family and juvenile law, housing, small business, public defense, Indian law, tax law, and first amendment.

    In this law clinic podcast series, MSU Today explores how our law clinics have won life-changing cases for clients and have given students incredible starts to successful legal careers.

    For today’s episode, we talk with VERONICA THRONSON, a clinical professor of law and director of the Immigration Law Clinic, which just celebrated its 15th anniversary. Additionally, we are joined by DAVID THRONSON, a professor of law who works closely with the clinic.

    Conversation Highlights:

    (1:29) - Can you share your backgrounds and legal interests?

    (3:11) - What is the story on how you came to MSU Law to establish the law clinic?

    (3:54) - What types of services and cases do you deal with at the clinic?

    (6:39) - Students are an integral part of the clinic, and you have had up to a dozen students before. What role do law students have at the clinic?

    (9:35) - The clinic is celebrating its 15-year anniversary. Why is this significant?

    (11:05) - How has the clinic’s work been affected by current immigration policy? How are you feeling about the future?

    (14:43) - How is it being a husband-and-wife team?

    (17:12) – Final thoughts

    Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.
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    20 分
  • A Conversation with MSU Spartans Gymnastics Coach Mike Rowe

    A Conversation with MSU Spartans Gymnastics Coach Mike Rowe
    2025/09/03
    Michigan State University Gymnastics Coach Mike Rowe and All-American Spartan gymnast Sage Kellerman join Russ White on this episode of MSU Today. They says gymnastics should be fun.Rowe describes his background and what attracted him to taking on the revitalizing of the Spartan Gymnasticsprogram. He describes his coaching philosophy and weighs on the ever-changing world of college athletics. Mike previews the coming season and talks about what he looks for in the future Spartans he recruits.Kellerman describes the family atmosphere in Spartan Gymnastics and talks about why she decided to become a Spartan.Conversation Highlights:(0:24) – Mike, what’s your background, and what originally attracted you to MSU as a student?(2:35) – How did your MSU experience prepare you for life?(3:48) – Sage, give us some of your background and tell us why you came to MSU.(4:43) – Mike, were you always interested in coaching?(6:37) – How would you describe your coaching philosophy?(9:07) – Sage, how do you balance college life with being a Big Ten athlete?(10:18) – How and why did you go accept the challenge of reviving the Spartans gymnastics program?(13:45) – Mike and Sage weigh in on the ever-changing world of college athletics.(17:48) – What do you look for in the gymnasts you recruit?(22:06) – How has gymnastics evolved over the years and where is it headed?(26:18) – Coach Rowe previews the coming season.Find “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.Conversation Transcript:Russ White:Well on this episode of MSU today, let's get to know MSU Gymnastics Coach Mike Rowe a little bit better, and we'll meet Sage Kellerman, one of the star gymnasts here at MSU. So Mike, great to catch up with you.Mike Rowe:Thanks,Russ White:Russ. Great to be here. And Sage, good to have you on the show.Sage Kellerman:Yeah, thank you.Speaker 1 (00:17):Mike could just start, give us a little bit of your background and what first attracted you to MSU as a student back in the day?Speaker 2 (00:25):Interesting. I started out of high school. I went to western Michigan for a year. And I'm going to be honest, this wasn't crazy about that atmosphere or whatever was going on or wasn't going on there, but Michigan State, just basketball had just won the national championship with magic and the cheerleaders had just won their national championship and all this. And I was like, I had friends coming here, I'm thinking I'm going to move across the state, I'm going to transfer. I wasn't doing anything with my major, was kind of interested in the landscape architecture puts around with that for a little bit. But the main thing that attracted me was just the environment, the huge big 10 collegiate feel and the athleticism and football obviously. I tried out for cheer my first season here, contemplated walking onto the men's team, but the cheer team needed Tumblrs in that I could do.(01:16):So was fortunate enough to do that. And yeah, the rest was history with that. Did it for my entire career here. I think I was on the five year program here, but I cheered for four and in 84 we were second at the national championships, which was very cool. And obviously the thrill of it was traveling with the football and the basketball teams. We only cheered for two sports at that point and just traveling and the comradery of, I think there was 20 people on the team and it was so much fun. It kind of consumed me. I probably could have been a better student, I'm not going to lie. We didn't have academic resources like they do now, but did as well as I could, but just had a great time. My sister ended up transferring here from Central Michigan and we were partners for a couple of years, so that was kind of cool. My parents thought it was, yeah, and graduated with a bachelor of landscape architecture and was minoring in musical theater, but ended up buying a one way ticket to the west coast and jumped right into musical theater right away. SoSpeaker 1 (02:29):A little bit then of how the YMSU experience impacted you, prepare you for your professional life.Speaker 2 (02:36):Interesting. I think the performance aspect of it, because even though I was majoring in landscape architecture and I was still interested in it, didn't know what I was going to do with it at the time, but the cheer and the dance, I was actually taking dance courses on the side at Ace of Dance Studio across the street, across Grand River from campus and kind of got the bug for that. So when I moved up to the west coast, was very fortunate and got some shows right away basically because of my gymnastics, if they were musicals, my extracurricular activities at MSU are what prepared me for the rest of my life kind of thing. It wasn't really academia, but yeah, it just, one thing led to another and I was very fortunate to write a wave of show after show after show through networking choreographers, directors, people I had worked with ...
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    30 分
  • Meet the Dean: College of Arts and Letters’ Thomas Stubblefield

    Meet the Dean: College of Arts and Letters’ Thomas Stubblefield
    2025/07/31
    Thomas Stubblefield is the new has dean of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) at Michigan State University, effective July 1, 2025. Dean Stubblefield describes his background and research interests. He tells why he was attracted to MSU and the deanship of CAL. The dean talks about curriculum, research, and outreach activities and initiatives in the college. He talks about his short- and long-term goals for CAL, emphasizes the value of the arts and humanities, and discusses challenges and opportunities facing CAL, MSU, and higher education.Conversation Highlights:(0:21) - Give us some highlights from your background.(2:16) - Do you have any experience with MSU and/or the state of Michigan?(3:14) - Describe your research interests and scholarly endeavors.(4:45) - What attracted you to MSU? And why do you want to be dean of the College of Arts and Letters?(7:04) - What are some of the curriculum, research, and outreach activities and initiatives of the college?(9:59) - What are some of your short-term goals for the college?(11:49) - What about some longer-term goals?(13:30) - Talk about the importance and value of the arts and humanities.(15:01) - What are some of the challenges and opportunities ahead for the college, MSU, and higher education?(16:40) - What are your Uncommon Will. Far Better World. campaign priorities? And talk about the importance your donors to the college’s future.Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.Conversation Transcript:Speaker 1:Well, Thomas Stubblefield is the new Dean of Michigan State University's College of Arts and Letters (CAL), and it's a pleasure to welcome him to Michigan State University and MSU today. Thomas, welcome to Spartan Nation.Speaker 2:Thanks so much. So happy to be here.Speaker 1:Great to have you here to get to know you a little better. Why don't you start with a little bit of your background before you've come here to MSU?Speaker 2:Sure. So I started my undergraduate career as a physics major. Quickly changed to undeclared and that was sort of the perfect lens for me to explore and have new experiences as a college student. At the end of that experience, I settled on art history and film and media studies as a double major, and that pairing really kind of structured my academic journey in a lot of ways. So I did a master's in art history and then was going simultaneously to Northwestern to take classes in film and media and was approached by a faculty member who said you should really check out this new field called Visual studies. And that led me to the University of California Irvine, where I did my PhD program. It was a truly interdisciplinary experience that brought together film and media studies, art history, and then in my case, philosophy. So as I transitioned to professorship, I began to realize how much I enjoyed administrative work. I enjoyed leading committees, putting together new initiatives, even working with budgets, and really found that it was an opportunity for me to expand the area of my impact across the institution and in the community. So I soon became director for the Office of Faculty Development at UMass Dartmouth, was associate dean for the College of Visual and Performing Arts there, and then moved to the University of Rhode Island where I was associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences. And that was an opportunity to work with the arts and humanities within an expanded field that included computer science, physics, criminal justice, and so on. So there was a lot of benefit in terms of understanding disciplines outside of my own, but when this job came up, it just seemed like such a perfect fit for my interest. And so that's sort of the path that led me here.Speaker 1:And have you had any past experience with either the state of Michigan or MSU by chance?Speaker 2:Not really. I will say my wife and three kids, and I have really loved the experience so far. It's such a vibrant community, shaped so much by the university. There's so many cultural events happening at any given time. It's a very family friendly place and lots of opportunities for enjoying nature. And there's parks and just green spaces to take advantage of. So it seems like a really wonderful place and a place that really supports the university. Everywhere I go and I mentioned I work at MSU, everyone has a story or a family member who's currently enrolled or as an alumni, and it's just a really nice feeling to feel that support in the community.Speaker 1:And how many times were you, did someone say Go green before you knew to say Go white? Beth probably taught you that right away then. Yeah, exactly. But say a little more about your own research interests and the scholarly activities you enjoy and will you have to put 'em on the back burner for a while maybe if you're dean now?Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. So my research area is pretty broad and diverse. I usually ...
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    20 分
  • Meet the Dean: Agriculture and Natural Resources' Matt Daum

    Meet the Dean: Agriculture and Natural Resources' Matt Daum
    2025/07/24
    Matthew Daum named dean of MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate provostFollowing a competitive national search, Matthew Daum has been approved by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees to serve as dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or CANR, and associate provost.Daum has provided interim leadership to CANR since July 1, 2024, when he succeeded outgoing dean, Kelly Millenbah.Daum joins MSU Today to talk about his industry background before returning to his alma mater to lead the School of Packaging. He describes the college’s diverse curriculum, research, and outreach activities. He talks about why he wants to be dean and details some of his goals for the college.Conversation Highlights:(0:36) – Describe your background before returning to your alma mater. And what attracted you back?(3:27) – Talk about the diverse curriculum, research, and outreach activities in the college.(5:21) – Why do you want to be dean?(6:35) – How would you describe your leadership and management style?(8:22) – Describe your associate provost role.(9:24) – What are some of your short-term goals for the college?(11:59) – What about some longer-term goals?(13:15) – What are challenges and opportunities ahead for the college, MSU, and higher education?(16:03) – Final thoughtsListen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.Conversation Transcript:Speaker 1:Well, it's a pleasure to welcome Matt Daum back to MSU Today. Matt is the brand new dean of MSU'S renowned College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, although he has been the interim dean since last July 1st, 2024, and Matt and I talked a few times in his previous role as chair of our renowned School of Packaging. So Matt, great to have you back.Speaker 2:Thanks Russ. I am thrilled to be back and appreciate you coming over here for this conversation.Speaker 1:And why don't you start a little bit, you're not new to MSU, you've been around a while, but tell listeners a little bit of your background maybe before you came to MSU and why you decided to come here.Speaker 2:Yeah, I've been here since 2020, so I moved my family here during the pandemic. Before that I actually was in industry, so I was in Idaho. I worked for a company called Hewlett Packard based in Boise, Idaho. We were there for over 25 years, almost 26 years, and was in executive management roles there. And almost kind of out of the blue got a call from a friend who said, Hey Matt, the School of Packaging has their director job open. Would you be interested? And I said, no, why would I be interested at that? I liked where I lived, I liked the company I worked for. I liked the work that I was doing. And so I kind of just blew it off, frankly. Well, he called again and he said, Matt, you want to keep making widgets or do you want to come back and impact the next generation? That got my attention. It actually came at a good time because if you know the print industry, which I was in, it was struggling. And I was also at a point in my career where I felt like wanted to spend a little more time with family and was willing to take a new risk. And I was from Michigan and got my degrees from the College and School of Packaging in particular. So I went and explored and the dean at the time, we had a great conversation about what he was looking for and I thought, you know what? I can do this. Let me give it a shot. And so that's how I ended up at MSU. I will say that my degree, my packaging degree from MSU opened up all kinds of doors for me, and that's true of a lot of degrees here at Michigan State. It gives you a great foundation to do a lot of different things, but that degree in particular got me into a globally recognized fantastic company that made huge investment in its employees, made investment in me. I started as an engineer, but then I ended up in management and leadership roles. And so that's how I was trained was to lead and manage all kinds of different functions and businesses really. And so I'm very, very grateful for the land grant mission and the degree that I got and the success that led for me.Speaker 1:And Matt, let's talk a little bit about this wonderful College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU. We don't have enough time for you to talk about all the cool things going on, but touch on a little bit of the diverse curriculum, the outreach, the research, so much goes on here.Speaker 2:It's a huge college and I did not appreciate that until I actually stepped into the interim dean role and then realize, wow, there's a lot here. So from an academic point of view, there are 12 academic units proper. We've got everything from packaging to construction management, landscape architecture, ag engineering, fisheries and wildlife, ag economics, and many more. And so if you have any interest in agriculture or natural resources built environments, ...
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    17 分