During my sophomore year of high school, I worked in the Public Relations department for a robotics team. At every competition, the department created a 4-8 page newsletter, featuring 4-6 articles written, edited and produced at the event, usually with a one to two day turnaround time. I joined my high school's newspaper junior year, and was a co-editor-in-chief my senior year.
I've spent all four years of my time at Michigan State Univeristy working at The State News, MSU's independent student newspaper. I covered the University's administration and its 17 academic colleges. I have worked closely with students, organizations and the administration to fully report on and cover the university, its students and its faculty. I have worked as a reporter and desk editor, and ended my time at The State News as editor-in-chief.
A look into what led a tenured math professor to be fired by Michigan State
Selman Akbulut first stepped foot onto Michigan State University’s campus as a student in 1967. There, he was taught English. In 1981, he joined the faculty.
Throughout the 2014-15 academic year — then as a tenured professor in MSU's mathematics department — Akbulut expected to teach an upper division mathematics class that was eventually canceled due to lack of enrollment, despite the interest of seven students — two more than were necessary to run the class.
Michigan State students impacted by Midland flooding share their stories
The Edenville and Sanford dams in mid-Michigan failed, resulting in flooding that began late Tuesday night. Michigan State students currently residing in Midland faced displacement and potential damage to their homes.
As Midland residents were displaced, shelters opened up in local high schools.
College affordability: How managing expenses takes a toll on students
Hundreds of thousands of dollars for tuition, thousands for housing, hundreds for books, food and transportation — these are just some of the costs of being a college student.
In order to afford these expenses, students at Michigan State often have to stretch themselves too thin to make ends meet.
Crucial but underpaid, Michigan home care staff face inflation now, too
Once a week, Robert Mazzola says goodbye to his pet rabbit and slips from his Saginaw home with a change of clothes, careful not to wake his wife in the 6 a.m. quiet. The 90-minute commute to his Clinton Township job is worth it to him.
Two years ago, Mazzola became one of an estimated 165,000 direct care workers in Michigan. It’s a workforce of personal care aides, certified nurse assistants, home health aides and others who help aging or disabled Michiganders remain independently at home and save the state millions of dollars, but who advocates say are severely underpaid.
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An academic suspension and 7 years later, a Michigan man gets his degree
The day before his graduation, Seth Noyes stood at his kitchen counter and taped a piece of paper to his cap.
The paper was a letter from Grand Rapids Community College, saying he was under academic suspension.
Noyes originally enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College in fall 2015. On April 29 – nearly seven years later – he graduated with his associate’s degree in business management.
In Lansing, a frustrated HVAC shop owner goes political, and goes viral
When Larry Kirchhoff heard the news of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, he was angry.
The 51-year-old wrote out a few words on his phone while sitting in his office at All Star Mechanical, the Lansing-based heating, venting and cooling company he owns, and hit send. Days later, an ad ran on page 11 of the June 29 issue of City Pulse, a Lansing-based alt-weekly.
The ad said less about climate control than the climate of the nation.
‘Local government is where the rubber hits the road:’ how local governments are responding to COVID-19
In Michigan, all eyes are on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to see how she responds to the COVID-19 outbreak. But when it comes to searching for an end to the pandemic, it’s local governments that are on the front lines, said Mason Mayor Russell Whipple.
“This problem will not be solved by the federal government, or the state government, or even the county government,” he said. “It’s going to be solved by local governments, because local governments are going to be the ones that have to actually deal with the day-to-day. We take directions from the state and county health departments. But we’re the ones that make it happen.”
NASCAR driver Ryan Newman survived because of MSU invention
When NASCAR driver Ryan Newman's car flipped during the Daytona 500, it was the HANS device developed by former Michigan State professor Robert Hubbard that helped save his life.
HANS, or Head and Neck Support, was developed by Hubbard and his brother-in-law and former racecar driver Jim Downing.
MSU Black Faculty, Staff and Administrators Association oppose Woodruff's appointment as 'appalling,' 'unbelievable'
The Michigan State Black Faculty, Staff and Administrators Association, or BFSAA, wrote a letter in response to the selection of Teresa Woodruff as Michigan State University's next provost opposing her appointment by President Samuel L. Stanley Jr.
The letter, authored by BFSAA President Eunice Foster, described the disappointment the organization experienced following Woodruff's appointment.
John Mulaney virtual Q&A with MSU Jewish Student Union
John Mulaney, stand-up comic, best known for his work as a writer on Saturday Night Live, the voice of Andrew on Netflix's "Big Mouth," did a virtual Q&A session with the Jewish Student Unions of Michigan State University and of Virginia Tech.
Moderated by comedian Derrick Knopsnyder, the questions ranged from what the worst bar mitzvah he had attended was like to what advice he had for seniors graduating college.
An experiment to find the best dating app
Five apps. 10 swipes each. One girl.
Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Plenty of Fish and Clover were put to the test to determine which of these dating apps was the best for college students. It's hard to choose which dating app is best, which is why The State News did this little experiment.
Teal flags with messages to survivors dedicated at Ann Street Plaza
Sister survivors gave some color to a dark and dreary day during a dedication ceremony honoring them with teal flags at Ann Street Plaza.
A total of 505 survivors have come forward to tell their stories of sexual assault by Larry Nassar, so 505 flags were raised throughout the city. There are teal flags at four locations on Grand River Avenue, including near Abbot Road, on M.A.C. Avenue, between Charles Street and Division Street and between Bailey Street and Collingwood Drive. They are also raised at Ann Street Plaza on the corner of Albert Avenue and M.A.C. Avenue.
Students Against Gun Violence group aims to change MSU policy
At Michigan State University, students, faculty and staff are not allowed to have guns on campus under any circumstances, but firearms are still able to be brought onto campus in the case that a visitor has a permit. Students Against Gun Violence hope to change this policy.
MSU is one of the only major public universities in Michigan to base their policy on state law. The University of Michigan, Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University all have a no tolerance policy for firearms on their campuses.
Office of Civil Rights report, Provost June Youatt's resignation discussed at board meeting
Michigan State President Samuel L. Stanley Jr.'s first Board of Trustees meeting took place Friday morning, where topics discussed ranged from supporting Nassar survivors, disabled sports fans and undocumented students.
When it was discovered that the report referenced June Youatt, Stanley said that two of them had a conversation about the report.
Michigan State Board of Trustees meeting addresses racist incidents on campus
The Michigan State University Board of Trustees meeting Friday morning was held one week after a toilet paper noose was hung on the door of two black residents living in Bryan Hall. Throughout the week, more reported racist incidents took place, including a Sona survey through the College of Communication Arts and Sciences that featured slurs and derogatory language.
"Safety includes being able to feel safe, respected and welcome," President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. said during the president's report. "Recent events have made it clear that many students do not feel that way, and when confronted with acts of bias, or when they hear about them, they respond."
