Over 30 Honors College faculty, staff and students recently attended a “Dinner with the Dean” event to discuss aspirations of the college and learn more about future plans.
“I chose to attend the event to further expand my connections at Michigan State,” said second-year student Pamela Calderon. “My favorite part of the event was the Dean introducing himself to me personally before the dinner even started. That was really important to me because I was able to form a personal relationship with him.”
The dinner, held at the Graduate Hotel in downtown East Lansing, was hosted by the Dean’s Advisory Council, which is an Honors College student organization that aims to connect the college’s administration with students.
“Our top priority is to bridge the gap between students and administration in the Honors College, which is so important in building connections and a sense of community as well as allowing for collaboration amongst students and staff to continuously work towards improving the college,” the council’s president Spencer Richardson said.
Attending Honors staff included Dean Christopher P. Long, Assistant Dean Bess German, Marketing Director Tracy Henion, Assistant Director of Admissions Andrew Abad, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Coordinator and Academic Advisor Erika Crews, and Graduate Assistant Elisa Garcia.
The evening ended with Dean Long discussing the importance of creating a strategic plan in the Honors College that defines what inclusive excellence looks like.
“We are really thinking in a very intentional way about how we understand academic excellence in the Honors College,” he said. “What do we have to do as an Honors College to put students in a position to make a difference in the world in a meaningful way? We are interested in empowering students to find their purpose.”
Long stressed the importance of belonging, listening to your life and finding your passion.
“The goal of the event was to connect the dean with students, which I believe happened. We had productive conversation and meaningful connections were made,” said third-year student Nicole Manzzullo.
The Honors College Dean’s Advisory Council’s General Assembly will meet next on Nov. 29 at the Michigan State University Union in the Lake Erie room.
See more photos here.
