ASP Summer ACE Program
The Academic Scholars Program (ASP) at Michigan State University launched its inaugural summer bridge program in 2022.
The Summer ACE Program – Accelerating Connections & Excellence is designed to welcome incoming Academic Scholars to MSU, support their academic and social transition to the university, and further introduce them to resources and opportunities available on and off campus.
Through the program, 35 incoming Scholars have the opportunity to:
- Start building their Spartan network within and beyond the classroom
- Begin working toward their ASP requirements by completing their first-year experience course and 1 of 2 Honors experiences
- Take advantage of reduced tuition through the Spartan Early Start Program
- Live on campus for one week in July and begin settling into their new community
The 2026 Summer ACE Program is a hybrid program hosted June 29 – August 14, 2026 with one week on campus required July 12-19.
2026 Program Information
ACE participants are expected to engage in all parts of the program from June 29-August 14 as outlined below.
- June 29-August 14 – hybrid synchronous course (tentatively Tuesdays 4:00-5:30 p.m. ET) and weekly programming led by Undergraduate Learning Assistants (tentatively Mondays 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET)
- June 29-July 11 – virtual synchronous course sessions + weekly discussion sessions
- July 12-16 – no course sessions
- July 17-19 – in-person course sessions
- July 20-August 14 – virtual synchronous course sessions + weekly discussion sessions
- July 12-19 – on-campus experience with ASP and OMEA**
**Participants will live on campus near MAGIC and ACE program activities; this is likely not the same as your assigned residence hall for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The 2026 Summer ACE Program is open to first-year members of the Academic Scholars Program whose first semester at MSU is Summer/Fall 2026. Applications will open early June and are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 21.
- Stay tuned for the 2026 application! Submit the Interest Form to be notified when the application launches.
2026 NOTES
All ACE participants are expected to participate in week one of the 2026 Maximizing Academic Growth in College (MAGIC) Program from July 12-17.
There is a $100 participation fee for the 2026 MAGIC Program. If the participation fee poses a hardship, please email ocat@msu.edu to learn about the waiver process.
2026 Program Costs
- $450 – Tuition for UGS 201H (discounted through the Spartan Early Start Program)
- $0 – Textbooks (all materials will be accessible via D2L)
- $160 – Participation fees (meals and lodging)
- $100 paid as part of MAGIC application
- $60 applied toward Fall semester bill for ACE participation
Tuition expenses and the ACE participation fee will be charged on the Fall semester bill. Upon completion of the MAGIC application, applicants will be directed to the online payment site to submit the MAGIC participation fee.
Scholarships are limited. All applicants will be considered for scholarship as funds allow. Please email ecrews@msu.edu if the cost presents a hardship.
2026 Course Information
UGS 201-730H: Paved Over: Highways, Urban Renewal, and the American City
Summer Session 2 – June 29-August 14
Dynamic (synchronous online course with weekly evening ULA meetings plus in-person week July 12-19)
Instructor: Dr. Deyanira Nevarez Martinez
Requirement Fulfillment
UGS 201H is eligible to count toward:
- ASP first-year experience requirement
- 1 Honors experience
- 1 Integrative Studies requirement (ISS 200-level; IAH 211+ pending approval)
Course Meeting Times
- Weekly online sessions with an Honors faculty member (tentatively Tuesdays 4:00-5:30 p.m. ET)
- Weekly discussion sessions with Undergraduate Learning Assistants and MSU staff (tentatively Mondays 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET)
All class sessions as posted are required to participate in ACE with limited exception.
Course Description
Why do highways cut through some neighborhoods and not others?
Across the United States, urban renewal and freeway construction dramatically reshaped cities during the twentieth century. While often framed as “progress,” these projects disproportionately displaced Black, Latino, immigrant, and low-income communities. Entire neighborhoods were demolished in the name of modernization, economic growth, and automobile mobility.
This course examines the relationship between planning, race, infrastructure, and power through a national exploration of urban renewal and a focused case study of the construction of Interstate 496 in Lansing, Michigan. Students will investigate how policy decisions affect communities, analyze historical narratives, and consider how cities can repair harms created through past planning decisions.
Using readings, documentaries, podcasts, maps, archival materials, oral histories, and community-based storytelling, students will learn how infrastructure shapes everyday life and how residents organize to preserve community and advocate for justice.
Technology Requirements
Computer with reliable access to internet
MSU Net ID to gain access to MSU Libraries electronic databases
2026 guest information is pending.
2025 Guest Information
Students’ parents and families are invited to participate in the on-campus experience on July 13 or July 20. Special support network programming will be offered by the Academic Scholars Program and other campus partners.
The Supporting Your Spartan session will take place from 1:30-2:30PM ET in the living room of the Multicultural Center on Sunday, July 13 and Sunday, July 20. The goal of this session is to equip ACE and MAGIC guests with resources and materials to best support their student throughout the academic year. Presenters will review:
– MSU academic calendar and important dates to remember (add/drop, FAFSA, scholarships, etc.)
– Imposter syndrome and mental health support for students
– Success resources to remind your student about (office hours, tutoring, help rooms, etc.)
– Finances as a college student
2025 program sponsored by:
