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Summer 2006

A note from the editors

Summertime has hit East Lansing, which means lots of hot and swampy weather occasionally punctuated by dramatic thunderstorms. And with both the students and snow far away, MSU has been given over to construction crews working on various campus improvement projects – an important part of stewardship duties, we know, but also a bane to faculty, staff and students who need to park on campus during these months. Between the humidity and the hardhats, it’s not a bad time to take a stroll – through the protected shade of Baker Woodlot, say, followed by a stop at the new Sparty’s in Erickson Hall for an iced tea.

Strolling through MSU’s recent international news provided a wealth of material for this edition of MSU Today International. Spring accomplishments included training for journalists covering the leftward political shift in Latin America, momentum for the university’s young international student organization, and a busying schedule for the new Beijing office. Based on just one look at the Wharton Center’s 2006-07 event listings, efforts to internationalize MSU surely will roll on this fall, as well.

However, the best part about compiling the issue wasn’t the lists and litanies of big international successes, but rather the small stories about people in the MSU family, past and present, making differences across borders. One such person is alumna Phyllis Clemensen (’61), who is establishing a strong connection between MSU and the high school in Brazil where she works as a counselor. Another is Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson who, though not an MSU alumnus, still saw fit to support MSU’s international education activities. Still another is late journalism professor Mary Gardner, whose longtime connection to a Mexican media company is resulting in scholarships for students today in the MSU School of Journalism.

So enjoy meandering through the second edition of MSU’s newest international publication. And know that here in East Lansing, neither sweltering temperatures nor torn up roads are stifling our global ambitions. Namely, as part of our efforts to be recognized as the world’s leading land-grant university by 2012, we continue to look to expand our international reach – even though we might stop to enjoy a cold drink once in awhile along the way.

By Geoff Koch and Jay Rodman, editors