Michigan State University houses many networks that provide opportunities for scholars to engage with each other and with the community. Collaborative work is central to outreach and engagement, and UOE works to support the development of campus-based collaborations that are community-focused. To learn more about potential involvement in one of these campus-based networks, please see the contact information provided.
The Cultural Engagement Council
MSU's Cultural Engagement Council (CEC) is composed of leaders from MSU's many academic units that focus on the University's cultural institutions and venues. The CEC seeks to build a common understanding of the importance of culture among students and the community through innovative partnerships and collaborations, and to enhance teaching and research in all aspects of the study of culture. Kurt Dewhurst, director of UOE's Arts and Cultural Initiatives, currently chairs the Council.
Through the CEC, faculty and units from across the University come together to plan and implement cultural initiatives meant to engage both MSU and its wider community.
Response to Flint Water Crisis
The Flint water crisis has emerged as one of the nation's gravest contemporary situations, forcing issues surrounding public safety, government competency, racial and economic justice, and aging city infrastructure to the forefront of the social and political landscape. At the request of Provost June Youatt, UOE was designated as the central repository of information related to ongoing MSU projects in Flint, while the College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension are coordinating MSU activities within Flint.
For more information contact Laurie Van Egeren, Interim Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement.
The Pre-College Commitee
The MSU Pre-College Committee (PCC) is composed of program directors, coordinators, and administrators who coordinate the activities of MSU's many programs for children, youth, and pre-college students. The Committee provides guidance on policies and procedures and offers a framework for the staffs of pre-college programs at MSU and other organizations to collaborate. It has also established a set of common goals and encourages all programs to pursue them.
It is supported by the offices of the Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, and the Director of Admissions.
MSU Innovation Center
The MSU Innovation Center integrates innovation, technology transfer, support for start-ups, and partnerships with businesses and communities, to bring ideas to the marketplace as rapidly as possible in order to improve the quality of life in communities and to help Michigan and the United States compete in a global environment. MSU Business CONNECT, MSU Technologies, and Spartan Innovations fall under the umbrella of the MSU Innovation Center.
To be part of the network of innovators, please visit the MSU Innovation Center website.
MSU BioEconomy Network
The BioEconomy Network provides a bridge between faculty and external collaborators to support MSU's role in expanding the bioeconomy. As an umbrella organization within MSU's Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the Network coordinates MSU's efforts in this area, including research, policy and economic analysis, education, corporate and government collaborations, and commercialization.
Entrepreneurship Network
The Entrepreneurship Network connects venture and social entrepreneurs with education, know-how, resources, mentors, advocates, and funding. The Hatch, a student-run incubator that hosts and cultivates student start-up businesses in a collaborative environment, is part of the Entrepreneurship Network.
