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According to the College of Education website, "Marilyn Amey is a professor of higher, adult, and lifelong education and chairperson of the Department of Educational Administration. In 2017, she was appointed as the Dr. Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education. She studies educational partnerships, particularly those of community colleges, leadership, including how leaders learn, post-secondary governance and administration, and faculty concerns, including interdisciplinary academic work. Her current work focuses on education partnerships including a multi-year evaluation of a multiple- institutional interdisciplinary consortium and factors affecting student transfer and degree attainment."
 

 
What one Spartan said about Dr. Amey: "I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. Amey. After taking one of her doctoral courses as a part of my PhD electives, I asked Marilyn to be the chair of my dissertation committee (and while the HALE department is filled with talented educators - I feel this was one of the best decisions of my doctoral career). Not only is Marilyn competent in her field and extremely knowledgeable, she is a fantastic educator who creates spaces where learning happens in multiple directions. She is kind, compassionate, and thoughtful - all things she demonstrates as my committee advisor and as a departmental leader. There are few people who have recognized and accommodated me as a "whole person" (with things in my life outside of school), and I will feel forever indebted to her for that. MSU needs more faculty, administrators, and educators like Dr. Marilyn Amey!"
 
Marilyn practices gratitude and recognition herself. Here is what she recently said about the graduate students she works with via the Graduate School's Grad Student Appreciation Week initiatives: "Students with whom I work most closely are all adult learners with very complex lives during these difficult times. They are eldercare providers, researchers whose studies have been totally interrupted as they neared completion of dissertations, those hoping for employment next year on and off campus now on hold due to hiring chills and freezes, those who have to find ways to focus on class while becoming homeschool teachers, and those who have put up my constantly shifting schedule of an academic administrator. Yet, they continue to show up to meet with me on zoom and email, inspire through their insights and leadership in these challenging times, find ways to bolster each other in virtual writing groups, and make it clear that postsecondary education will be in good hands. They remind me why I wanted to be a faculty member and are my motivation every day. Thank you isn't enough to each of them."

"Anniversary reactions may occur because of the way a traumatic experience is saved in memory. Memories of trauma contain information about the danger during the event."-National Center for PTSD
Office for Resource and Support Coordination (ORSC) Educator Guidance

Acknowledge February 13 and its significance via a one-time statement but avoid constant, regular, or frequent reminders.
Validate that everyone will have their own reactions to the anniversary.
Respect the wide range of reactions and emotions to the commemoration that will occur.
Remember not everyone in the class may have been part of the community last year.
Include those who were not present by acknowledging that not everyone will have the same reactions; this can tie them to the community now.
Trust and believe your students who express the need for additional time, space, and support during this period.

6-Word Framework for Resilience
Laughman, L. (2017) The 6-Word Framework for Resilience.  Michigan State University.University Health and Wellbeing, Spartan Resilience Education  spartanresilience@msu.edu
Sentence Starters to acknowledge the eventsGoals: Collective empathy, understanding, & care

Before Class:




“Next week marks one year since the tragic shooting on campus. Our class will {your approach} before carrying on…”
“I understand that our next class session may bring up strong emotions as we reflect on what has happened. Please know that your feelings are valid and respected here…”
“I want to acknowledge that our upcoming class might be difficult for many of us. Please know that it's completely okay …”




During Class (Feb. 12):




“Today, as we reflect on what happened a year ago, our classroom is a community where all feelings are valid and respected”
“I want to begin class acknowledging the solemnity of the remembrances this week, and honoring the unique ways in which we all process this…”
“ Our memories of Feb. 13 challenge many of us and leave us all processing in our own way…”



Practicing Care (for yourself):
To do this work, it is vital to have had the space and time to honor and attend to your own needs. Have you had the time to have your own voice heard?  Have you given yourself the rest, nourishment, and space for the internal reflection you need in order to be present for others? Consider author Eleanor Brownn's statement, "Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel." Here are recommendations from National Center on PTSD - “What can help” section of “Reactions to Chronic Stress”: 

Increase self-care and sleep hygiene. 
Practice relaxation exercises.
Make use of periods of reduced stress. 
Organize your thoughts and feelings. 
Gain a broad perspective.
Help others.

Check out the recording below for more details and examples!Resources for Continued Growth:
MSU Office for Resource and Support Coordination have compiled guidance and external resources

Feb 13, 2024 resources
Educator-facing guidance
Other MSU campus support resources (mental health, academic, financial) 
FAQ


Mindfulness for better living (MSU Extension)
University Health and Wellbeing (MSU)

Employee Assistance Program 
Health4U Wellness Programs 

Health and Wellness Resources (MSU Library)
Trauma Services & Training Network Resources (MSU)
Skills for Psychological Recovery: Field Operations Guide (National Center for PTSD)

Choosing Positive Activities 
Supporting Someone After a Disaster
Helpful Thinking Handout


From the workshop:
To support your ongoing professional development and encourage the application of these insights, I've compiled a list of resources:

Recording: In case you missed the session or would like to revisit it, you can view the full recording on MediaSpace (embedded below).

Slide Deck: You can access CTLI's Preparing to Teach on Solemn Anniversaries slide deck which has Feb. 13 & 14th policies, educator guidance, an overview of the Spartan Resilience Framework, example phrases to acknowledge the event, recommendations for self care, and additional resources - along with reflective questions based in the aforementioned framework.



 In order to access the slides, you'll need to log in to Google drive with your MSU credentials. If you haven't done this before, you just enter your MSU email (@msu.edu) included in the "email or phone" box and google will automatically open Okta/single sign on. You can either log out of your personal Gmail account OR if you use Chrome as your browser, you can create a new "profile".



Online Discussion: Based on the content of this session, you may be interested in exploring the Resources for Teaching After Crisis playlist (developed directly following 02/13/2023 violence) or sharing your own reflections for employing the Spartan Resilience Framework in the comments below. Login with your MSU netID to connect with fellow educators, exchange ideas, and seek further guidance.



Photo by Renáta-Adrienn on Unsplash

The "Welcome to My Classroom" series functions like a pedagogy and practice show and tell where educators from throughout MSU's ecosystem share something from their teaching and learning practice. Valerie shared the ways she has integrated practices in her courses to enhance and center equitable opportunities for learning!

Here are some key take-aways from Dr. Hedges:


When it comes to syllabus language, be transparent about your choices and don't be afraid to cite sources for your rationale. We ask students to cite their sources, we should too. If you need help surfacing and/or naming your pedagogical practices, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation!
Fostering a sense of belonging is important to student success. Instructors can design interactions at three levels to help promote a students sense of belonging: learner-learner interations, learner-instructor interactions, and learner-content interactions. Check out the recording (below) for more on each!
Being flexible can make a big impact.  Where and when do students in your course have a sense of choice or agency in their learning? Are you sharing content in ways that allow people multiple modes of engagement? What barriers to accessing your learning experience exist? What are your current late work policies (and why do they exist - see takeaway bullet one)?
Not all the things "we've always done" are the best way of ding things. When it comes to grading, one simple way to make your practices more equitable is to remove participation and attendance based grades. If you want to consider bigger shifts, you might think about giving students multiple attempts at quizzes. Valerie incorporates feedback and learner reflection into this practice, and has ultimately moved away from a point-based grading system to what she calls "ungrading-lite"
A more student-center course with a focus on equitable practices has ultimately contributed to a more accommodating and empathetic environment for all!

Resources for Continued Growth:
To support your ongoing professional development please consider these resources:

Slide Deck: Access Valerie’s Welcome to My Classroom slide deck which outlines why equitable pedagogy is important, shares examples of how Valerie fosters a sense of belonging through a welcoming course structure, and highlights key considerations of equity in assessments and grading.
Syllabus Example: In the Q&A following Valerie's formal presentation she shared an example of one of her course syllabi to demonstrate the language she uses to set the tone for her learning environment, describe her approach to grading, and more.
Online Discussion: Do you have excamples of equitable, inclusive educator practices that you'd be willing to share broadly? Consider adding an article describing your practice, outlining an activity, or even reflecting on an experience! You can also share how Valerie's talk sparked ideas and questions about equitable pedagogy in the comments below. Both can be done by logging in to the #iteachmsu commons (you're already here!) with your MSU netID (click "log in" in the upper right corner)! 
Recording: In case you missed the session or would like to revisit it, you can view the full recording on MediaSpace (also embedded below).

The cover photo for this article was sourced from "EquityTool". 

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
 
In How to Build an Online Learning Community (In 2020) https://www.learnworlds.com/build-online-learning-community/ via @learnworlds 
 
Way #1: Establishing the Instructor’s Presence

Convey a sense of enthusiasm about getting started the course. 
Personalize and provide some touchstones about yourself and encourage learners to do the same.
Indicate your availability for questions and communications.

Don’t forget that your initial postings in the discussion forum, your first messages sent to all by email, or the greeting you post on your course home page will do much to set the tone and expectations for your course.


Putting this into practice
There are several ways that this can be accomplished in your course. Here are some examples:

Posting an Introduction post in the course via text or video. It's important to show your class that you are a real person. You can do this by including images of yourself and by sharing aspects of your background and particular interest in the subject that you are teaching. Your introduction post is also a great place to share your expectations about the course, important dates, setting expectations for feedback.
Video is a good tool creating an instructor pressence online. Creating an Introduction video segments, using video to introduce the course content for each week, and using weekly videos to questions arise or address patterns.

Tools
Kaltura Capture is a quick easy way to record and upload video into Kaltura MediaSpace. From there the videos can easily be embeded into your D2L course.

 
Creating Content in D2L
You can embed video and images into your Introductory posts on D2L. The following video will demonstrate how to embed additional media from the Insert Stuff icon.

 
As a result of the Kaltura MediaSpace intergration in D2L, you can access all of the videos that you have uploaded into Kaltura Media from the Insert Stuff icon. Just look for the My Media Link. Check out the screen shot below:
  
 
 

How to Implement More Assessments (Without Losing Your Mind)
 
1) Know that “effortful” testing is not always necessary
While effortful testing is best for retrieval practice, even basic, easily graded recognition tests such multiple choice questions still offer benefits, such as helping students remember basic (but important!) information.
 
2) Create different assessment questions
You can also make assessments more effortful by creating questions that engage higher cognitive processes. Now you can sit back, relax, and indulge in one of my personal favorite pastimes (watching student brains explode) without the stressful grading!
 
3) Make use of educational technologies to ease your grading
For instance, clicker tests are a quick way to test students and allow you to provide feedback for the class all at once.
 
4) Make assessments into games
If your students need a morale boost, make a quiz into a trivia game and give winning groups candy. Some good old competition and Pavlovian conditioning may make students reassess their view of testing.
 
5) Assess participation
Doing something as simple as a participation grade will still provide students with incentive without overburdening them or yourself. For instance, this type of grading would work in conjunction with #3.
 
6) Keep graded assessments predictable
Making assessments predictable as opposed to utilizing pop quizzes helps students feel at ease.6 Furthermore, if they students KNOW an assessment is coming, they are more likely to study and pay attention.
 
7) Find ways to revisit old material in your assessments
Making assessments cumulative is an effective way to space out your review of material and has the added benefit of making problems interleaved and effortful, all of which maximize retrieval practice.
 
8) Have students reflect on mistakes
You can help students develop metacognitive skills by giving them opportunities to reflect upon and correct their mistakes on assessments. For instance, have students take a quiz and then discuss their answers/thinking with their classmates before receiving feedback. You can also give students opportunities to create keys to short answer questions and grade their own and several (anonymous) classmates’ answers. This will allow them to think through what makes an answer complete and effective.
 
9) Break large assessments into small ones
Instead of creating new assessments, break up large ones into multiple, lower-stakes assessments. For example, consider replacing big tests with several quizzes. Consider scaffolding large projects such as independent research projects and term papers. Ask for outlines, lists of references, graphs, etc. along the course of the semester before the final project is due. This might cause more work for you in the short term but can help prevent complete disasters at the end of the semester, which can be time consuming.
 
10) Utilize short daily or weekly quizzes
If you don’t want to adjust a big project/test or lose class time by adding time-consuming assessments, consider adding short daily or weekly quizzes. These grades can add up to equal one test grade. One could consider dropping the lowest score(s) but allowing no make ups to reduce logistical issues.
 
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Accesible Design Checklist: Overview
This post provides an overview checklist for some digital composition accessibility requirements. This is meant to serve as a starting place, rather than a complete list or expert regulations. Accessibility should be considered throughout all parts of the design process, and designing accessible compositions benefits all people, not just those with disabilities. This post is the first part of the Accessible Design Checklist series: 

Overview
Text and Content
Multimedia

Overall Design Accessibility
When looking at the design, composers should consider the overall structure and content.
Design FormatFor digital distribution, web pages with HTML or CSS are the most accessible. Other accessible options (when following the design checklist) are Word or Google Docs. PDFs are only accessible if they have been remediated correctly. DisplayInformation is set to be perceivable in either landscape or portrait modes. The design should not require users to scroll in both up/down and left/right. The design can be zoomed in without losing meaning. The design should be able to be navigated and interacted with using a keyboard alone. HeadingsHeadings use tagged heading structures with hierarchies. The headings do not skip levels. Use the Level 1 Heading designation only once per design.LanguagesThe design’s language is set to the primary language of the document. Any words or phrases in additional languages are set for those words as a different language. NavigationThe design allows for more than one way to find relevant pages within a set of pages. The design also provides content overviews with links so that users may bypass content.OrderThe design provides an easily understandable order to the content. When using lists, use bullet points and order the information logically, such as alphabetically or by data size.TitleThe design has a specific title. This title is displayed in the document name or the tab of a website.
References and Resources for Accessible Design

Level Access’ Must-Have Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Checklist 
Michigan State University’s Create Accessible Content
University of Washington’s Accessibility Checklist
Web Accessibility in Mind’s WCAG 2 Checklist
Web Accessibility Initiative's Design and Develop Overview

Continue to read more about the checklist in the next part of the series, Accessible Design Checklist: Text and Content.Accessible Design Checklist: Overview © 2024 by Bethany Meadows is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. The cover photo, "Close checklist wooden surface" is marked with CC0 1.0.

CoachingThis is the sixth article in our iTeach.MSU playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit.
Students need opportunities to try new things and to not be afraid of taking risks or making mistakes, as we introduced in the “Relationships” section of the GORP article earlier in the playlist. To encourage this, spend more of your energy being their coach and less time in the role of their instructor. Be a partner in their learning. This involves supporting their work and giving advice, but not jumping in to solve their problems. Be strategic about when to intervene if things do go wrong. They need to trust that they won’t be penalized for failure; encourage students to learn and try new things. Focus on their planning, progress, teamwork, and reflection.
▶️Flatten your learning environment. Students bring valuable skills and knowledge to the classroom. Physically sit with them at their level - not standing above them or “sage on the stage.” Learn from and with the students: admit knowledge gaps and allow students to fill them, and emulate a professional working relationship with them. Students may not be accustomed to being treated as your partner. Show students that they have control over their work by giving them options within the course structure, asking questions instead of giving answers, openly acknowledging when they own the problem space, and modeling professional discourse within the faculty team.
Coaching Student Teams
▶️Consider evidence-based team creation

Build teams around projects or sub-projects 
Try to create interdisciplinary student teams, made up of students from different academic backgrounds/majors/departments
🔧A personality quiz can be offered to gauge student personality types in terms of how they behave as a part of a team, work/leadership styles, etc. Examples include https://superpowers.sypartners.com or https://www.mint-hr.com/smalley-trent.html 

▶️Support teams in managing their own work processes and relationships. Judge when to leave students to solve their own team conflicts instead of stepping in. For example, if a student team is having difficulty focusing and making progress, a faculty coach sits down with the entire team and encourages an honest conversation about why the team thinks this is; encourage them to think of solutions to this problem. Facilitate discussion on how students can solve their problem within a team, rather than disciplining students yourself or offering/insisting on a solution. 

Help teams avoid falling into traditional hierarchies or uneven power structures within their teams (eg. Are women expected to take notes? Who leads or speaks for the team?)
🔧Example of gendered task division in physics lab courses and its effects

▶️Ensure teams are aware of and actively appreciate the value of diverse perspectives. 

Facilitate teams’ acknowledging the intersectional identities of group members and leverage these intersections when creating strategies of work and developings solutions to the problems each team works on
Prompt the students to consider all perspectives and intersections of society that are affected by the problems the students are working on, and reinforce this throughout the course. Wicked problems are multifaceted and often affect many different groups of people in different ways. Effective designs for solutions to these problems depend on understanding the real needs of diverse audiences and users who will be interacting with those solutions.
🔧These Inclusive Teaching Strategies from Yale’s Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning can support your own development as an educator creating inclusive learning environments. There are more resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion in experiential courses in our Appendix.

Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash

***This is part of a series of articles compiling useful resources and information for new graduate students. Some of the information in this series will be relevant for anybody new to MSU, including undergraduates, postdocs, faculty and staff. The topical areas range from settling into East Lansing and Michigan, getting to know which services can be found on campus to administrative steps and information needed throughout a graduate program at MSU. For the full series, see this playlist dedicated to (international) graduate students.***
 
Libraries
The biggest library on campus is the Main Library, located on West Circle Drive near Beaumont Tower, though there are a few other specialised libraries, e.g. the Schaefer Law Library or the Gast Business Library at other locations.
The main library offers many services besides being a space for studying and finding books. For example, there are the Digital Scholarship Lab (to explore new technology for use in research and teaching, e.g. VR or a 360-degree visualization room) and the Hollander MakeCentral Service Desk (for printing, plotting, publishing and even passport (photos) services).
If you can’t find a book at the MSU Library, there is a service called the Interlibrary Loan Service through which you can access books/ resources at other libraries.
The library also offers workshops, e.g. an introduction to the MSU Library Services, using different citation software and data/ content management.
There is a 24/7 Support Line for general library questions (and D2L support). Call (800)500-1554. Or “Ask A Librarian” using this link: https://www.lib.msu.edu/contact/askalib/
Skill Building
There are a range of units on campus dedicated to helping you develop skills.
Writing
The Writing Center provides one-on-one and group writing consultations and writing groups (“write-ins”) for graduate students and faculty. They also offer workshops including those on “Navigating the Master’s degree/ PhD” and incorporate issues like time management and writing strategies. They are available to help you with any type of writing project you may have, academic or not.
“Write-Ins” are offered through different units besides the Writing Center, e.g. by the Graduate School and provide a dedicated time and space (as well as some support if needed) to make progress on any of your writing projects – from class work to dissertation chapters.
Workshops
A myriad of workshops is offered throughout the semester.
Topics include anything from departmental/ research specific seminars to writing and time management strategies (as mentioned above) to improving mentor relationships to wellness/ mental health workshops (see the Health article in this playlist for more information). The organizing units differ depending on the topic area. A good starting point is the Graduate School’s events calendar.
Statistics
Besides course offerings to learn about statistical methods, there are a few resources available to help you with your statistical skills and projects.
The Center for Statistical Training and Consulting provides statistical support for your research projects (they won’t do it FOR you but they will help you figure it out!) and teaches workshops on statistical methods.
Check with your College if they have a dedicated statistical support unit. For example, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has a Statistical Consulting Center.
Want to improve your statistics, data science and programming skills in R? Have a look at what the R-Ladies East Lansing are up to these days. There may be a workshop just around the corner.
English Language
The English Language Center at MSU is a good place to improve your general English skills, learn about English for the classroom, i.e. if you are teaching, and to get support for your writing projects if English is your second language.
A note on skill building and other workshops…
I know we all get a lot of e-mails, but it is worth at least scanning each one because a lot of the workshops, seminars and service that MSU has to offer are advertised that way. They might provide that motivation or accountability to get you started on your next dissertation chapter.
 
Other support resources
Legal Support
MSU offers some free legal support for students. Check out this website for their services.
Family Resources/ Support
The Student Parent Resource Center offers support and resources for students with children.
Work Life Office
The Work Life Office is a one-stop destination for your needs regarding work life fit, including career transitions, community connection, workplace assistance and family care among others. Though their target group at MSU is faculty and staff, as an employee of MSU (TA or RA) you are more than welcome to use their services.
 
Sports and Wellness
Gyms
MSU has 3 gym buildings: IM West, IM Circle and IM East. Traditional gyms with workout machines are found at IM East and West. All buildings also have spaces for different types of sports, e.g. basketball, soccer, squash, tennis, gymnastics, etc. There are swimming pools at IM West and IM Circle which you can use for free. However, you will have to register your student ID online in order to access the building/ locker room (at IM Circle).
Too cold for running outside in the winter? Make use of the free running track in IM East (above the basketball court). You don’t need a gym membership to use this, just a valid student ID to get into the building.
Gym memberships are organized through Recreational Sports and Fitness. There are also a variety of group exercise (fitness classes) options available, both in-person and through an online platform called Fitness-on-Demand. Since a fee is automatically collected each semester, all you need to do is activiate your StudentID card on their website and your ready to work out.
You can also sail (and paddle board and kayak) at MSU! The MSU Sailing Center on Lake Lansing is your address for water-based sports.
Other Fitness options
Health4You offers fitness and wellness options throughout the year, including a lunchtime fitness series (Yoga, Pilates, TaiChi, etc). Make sure to look at their calendar of scheduled events and workshops.
A fan of shooting sports? Check out MSU’s Demmer Center that offers indoor and outdoor shooting ranges and classes for firearms and archery practice.
Want to get on the ice? No problem, you can ice skate at Munn Ice Arena.
Sports teams
Want to join a sports team? There are different avenues for that at MSU.
Club Sports are Registered Student Organizations and compete regionally and nationally.
Intramural Sports offer the opportunity to participate both competitively and recreationally in your favorite sport. There is a set list of sports types and you can join or create your own team to participate in campus competitions.
Spartan Fit
The Spartan Fit program aims to support you in your fitness and wellness journey. They offer assessments and programs to help you achieve your goals, including using exercise as medicine.
Watching sports
College Sports are a big deal in the US - think football, baseball, basketball or ice hockey for example. MSU is no exception, with Sparty being our mascot and helping us cheer “Go green, Go white!”. As part of the MSU community, especially as students, you get reduced rate tickets to the student sections for football, men’s basketball and hockey. The other sport events are free to attend. Check out the MSU Athletics website to purchase tickets. Also note that COGS sometimes has special deals for graduate students.
 
Food on Campus
There are many options to eat on campus – from the little Sparty’s stores where you can buy snacks to full dining halls with several different food options, you’re sure to find what satisfies your appetite. Your go-to website for anything food related on campus is Eat@State.
Coffee and Snacks
Sparty’s are little campus stores that usually offer filter coffee and snacks, including packaged sandwiches and in some instances even warm foods like soup or sausages. They are located all over campus. There is also a Sparty’s Market – a small grocery store at 1855 Place.
There are a few Starbucks on campus (1855 Place and main library) and a Panera Bread in the Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion (Business College). Both offer a variety of coffee specialties as well as sweet and savory foods.
Cafeterias and Dining Halls
Look at Eat@State for a full overview of dining halls/ cafeterias and available meal plans (you can pay for a whole semester or a set number of meals in advance, but you can also pay for a single meal when you enter the dining hall). I just want to mention a few highlights here.
Brody Square at Brody Hall is probably the biggest one, offering a variety of cuisines from stir fries to pizza to (vegetarian) burgers and salads.
The Edge at Akers Hall is another big dining hall offering a great variety of cuisines and has its own Tandoori oven.
Thrive at Owen Hall is a recent addition and focused on providing allergen-free food.
Dairy Store
The Dairy Store is an MSU business and produces ice cream and cheese from our own cows! You can buy packaged cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, soup (changes daily) and delicious ice cream. It has two locations, one inside the MSU Union building and one in Anthony Hall (entrance on Farm Lane). In the summer month, they usually also have an ice cream food truck outside.
MSU Student Food Bank
If you need some support in procuring sufficient food for you (and your family), please make use of the MSU Student Food Bank. It is a volunteer-based organization on campus providing free foods and related items, helping you to cut your food bill down to half. Please make sure you are eligible and bring your student ID.
Social Life
There are many different ways to socialize and make friends on campus. Here are just a few formally organized ways.
OISS hosts weekly coffee hours, usually on Fridays. Meet and mingle with fellow international students. OISS also sometimes organizes sightseeing trips. Keep an eye on the e-mails they send.
The Council of Graduate Students (COGS) puts on social events like tailgates (a type of get-together with lawn games before a big football game), trivia nights and free dinners for graduate students.
There are a lot of different Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) that bring together groups of students with similar interests, anything from cultures to sports.
Your department will probably have a Graduate Student Organization that might put on events or gatherings. They are a good way to connect with people and get involved in your department.
Looking for volunteering opportunities? One way to start might be to sign up to the volunteering listserv of the City of East Lansing. You can check out opportunities and sign up here.