The Spartan Orientation Station

On this episode we are meeting with MSU’s Ombudsperson: Dr. Shannon Burton. You may or may not have heard of this position, but it is important to know that it is the most significant tool a student can use to voice their opinions and concerns. The Office of the University Ombudsperson helps students who are dealing with conflict or want to learn more about their student rights. The service operates independently of MSU and is completely confidential, so students can feel safe raising concerns.  Listen in to learn more about the work they do and how they can help you.

For more information on the University Ombudsperson, students can visit their website: https://ombud.msu.edu/ or contact the office via email at [email protected].

Welcome to NSO’s Spartan Orientation Station! On today’s episode we will be exploring everything you will need to know regarding Financial Aid. The Office of Financial Aid provides access, aid, and advisory services for the MSU Community. They hope to model campus-wide communication and collaboration while respecting the needs, values, and diversity of MSU students, parents, and colleagues.  

Today, we are joined by David Norde, who is the Assistant Director of Student Services and Outreach at the Office of Financial Aid. Thank you for joining us, David! 

For additional questions regarding financial aid, we encourage you to contact the Office of Financial Aid by phone at 517.353.5940, email at [email protected], or walk-in appointment in Room 252 of the Student Services Building. Additionally, students can visit their website: https://finaid.msu.edu/

Welcome back, today we will be discussing the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions (also known as OCAT) and the work they do at Michigan State. OCAT focuses on bringing students from all different backgrounds together and helping them engage with both their own and other cultures. They also collaborate extensively with multicultural student organizations on campus to host events, support students, and more. 

Today we’re here with Samuel Saldivar PhD, the Director of Multicultural Student Services from the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions and Jason Worley, Coordinator with OCAT and Black Students' Alliance Advisor.

For additional questions, information about CORES groups, and event details, please visit OCAT's website, https://ocat.msu.edu/. You can also contact OCAT via email, [email protected], via phone, (517) 353-7745, or in-person in Room 339 of the Student Services Building.

In this episode, we discuss the Student Parent Resource Center, or SPRC for short. The SPRC strives to support and uplift non-traditional students and their families. To do so, the SPRC provides vital services to parenting students, such as assistance with academics and finances, as well as on-campus space for them to connect with other families. Today, we’re joined by Laraine Walton, the administrative assistant for the SPRC to learn more about how they support Spartan parents. 

For more information, contact the SPRC via email at [email protected] or visit their website at https://studentparents.msu.edu/. For the application for the Support Our Student (SOS) Fund visit: https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah1JH6XRgbbFQ34. 

Hey everyone! Welcome back to our podcast, the Spartan Orientation Station. Today, we will discuss religious and spiritual life here at MSU. Specifically, we will be talking about the Religious Advisors Association, also known as RAA. This group is made up of a variety of religious professionals from many different faith traditions.  
 

Joining us today is Rev. Curt Dwyer, President of RAA and lead pastor at Martin Luther Chapel and Bridgette Sherwin, Jewish Student Life Coordinator at MSU Hillel and Liaison between RAA and the Campus Interfaith Council. They are here to help us dive deeper into this association and to answer any questions new incoming students may have about faith and religious life at MSU. Welcome to the Spartan Orientation Station! 

For further questions, or to get involved, visit the Religious Life website at https://www.religiouslifeatmsu.org/ or connect via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ReligiousLifeatMSU. Get connected by completing their involvement form: https://www.religiouslifeatmsu.org/connect. 

Welcome back to our podcast, the Spartan Orientation Station. Today, we will discuss the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, better known as the GSCC. Located in the Student Services Building, the GSCC acts as a resource for LGBTQIA2S+ students on campus. They offer educational resources, fun events, support for LGBTQIA2S+ students, and so much more! Joining us today to tell us more about the GSCC and its resources is Grace Wojcik, the Director of the GSCC. Welcome Grace!

For more information or further questions, please contact the GSCC team via phone 517-353-9520 or email [email protected]. You can also visit the center's website: https://gscc.msu.edu/index.html.

Welcome to NSO’s Spartan Orientation Station! On today’s episode, we are discussing the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, also known as the RCPD. They provide resources and accommodations for students here at MSU. Their mission is to maximize the ability and opportunity for full participation by persons with disabilities.
Please welcome Hannah Huey-Jones from the RCPD office, who is here to answer all of our questions about RCPD. Hannah is an ability access specialist serving individuals with chronic health disabilities.
For further information or questions, please contact the RCPD team via phone at 517-884-7273 or via web contact form: https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/form/contact. 
Update as of 2024: Please note that VISAs are now referred to as "Accommodation Letters" at MSU.

One of the things that characterizes MSU is its population of over 9,000 international students from more than 140 countries. Our community of international students have a long process of papers and legalities that they have to go through to be able to join us every fall. MSU has the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) here on campus that has the sole goal of helping those students come to Michigan State and achieve great levels of academic success. Without further ado, we proudly present Bryce Carlton, the Assistant Director of Engagement from OISS, to talk us through that process and answer some frequently asked questions. 

For further questions, contact MSU's OISS team via email [email protected] or phone 517-353-1720.

On this week’s podcast, we will be discussing university health resources including MSU’s Olin Health Center and Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS).  The Olin Health Center offers a wide variety of health care services to students year-round. Additionally, CAPS offers both virtual and in-person counseling options that allow students to connect with mental health professionals. However, health and wellbeing at MSU has much more to offer than CAPS and Olin. Tune in to hear more from Elizabeth Carr, the marketing and communications manager for MSU’s Student Health and Wellbeing.

Have more questions? For contact information for the various departments mentioned, look here: https://studenthealth.msu.edu/contact.html

On this episode of the Spartan Orientation Station, we are welcoming Captain Dan Munford and Dana Whyte from MSU's Police Department. MSU's Police Department, also known as MSUPD, is responsible for emergency response on campus, parking, registering bicycles, and so much more! Their priority is ensuring that Spartans feel safe and secure at MSU, and they strive to be friendly faces on campus. 

For further questions, contact MSU's Police and Public Safety team via email [email protected] or phone 517-355-2221.