Community Connections

By Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC

Did you know one of the focus areas of the MSU WorkLife Office is connecting people to the MSU community and surrounding community where you work?

That is right! We have several listservs that connect people to resources and information. You can join them to share resources with other Spartans. Currently we have five listervs: family list, resource list, international list, WLO list, and a Women’s Networking Association list. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to these lists any time. Not only can you join, but your spouse or significant other can join as well. The goal of these lists is to connect Spartans to one another surrounding the lists’ themes. The newest listserv is our resource list. This is a list where you can ask the other Spartan members for recommendations or referrals like: who has a reliable mechanic in the area? Does anyone know a therapist in town who works with teens? Who has an experienced handyperson they can recommend? And so much more.

Michigan State University is a large campus with many different opportunities. Sometimes, connecting with colleagues who share research interests or values can help make an enormous campus feel more like a community. We’ve compiled just a few suggestions about where you might get started.

Another way that we connect Spartans is by maintaining a list of affinity groups. MSU is huge, we have several campuses plus our extension staff. So, you may not find the community you are looking for easily. We host some of the affinity groups through our office: family affinity group, adult caregiver affinity group, international affinity group, and the Women’s Networking Association. We provide contact information for several other affinity groups on campus ranging from the Women of Color Community, to the faculty and staff Veteran group, to several affinity groups representing the BIPOC community, and more. We know how important it is to find your community at MSU and we are here to help you do that.

Finally, we connect with Spartans daily via email, TEAMS and Zoom. We meet with newcomers, final round applicants for positions at MSU, and Spartans who have been around for a long time. We connect them to volunteering opportunities, community resources, and information on MSU and the local area that will help people to find what they are looking for in the areas of family, well-being, workplace, career, and campus and community connections.

If you are not sure where to start, try us! We are happy to point you in the right direction. In this strange time where we are socially distanced, we want to be sure you stay connected and that you feel like a part of the MSU Community. For information on other work-life issues, please subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website: worklife.msu.edu or email worklife@msu.edu with any of your work-life related questions.

Community Resources

Whether you are new to MSU, the Greater Lansing area, Michigan, or the United States, when you want to know where to turn for various services, shops and community resources, contact us with your questions and we’ll be happy to help you find what you’re looking for!

Things to Do at MSU guide cover with an image of beaumont tower, and some family activities. It is the 2018 edition.

Things to Do

Our most popular publication is our “Things to Do at MSU” guide. We print and giveaway thousands of these booklets every year. This activity guide assists all families in exploring their community and helps them become acquainted with this rich environment. Whether you are an MSU faculty, staff or student or a community member, you will find activity information for people of all ages on campus and in the Greater Lansing area.

Certified Tourism Ambassadors

In 2019, three members of the WorkLife Office staff became Certified Tourism Ambassadors!

The Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program strives to inspire and motivate our front-line employees and volunteers to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience! MSU now has many CTAs with skills to make each and every visitor feel like they belong here and help in making Greater Lansing a home away from home!

Culturally Specific Organizations

Local Municipalities

Everything about East Lansing from events and attractions to city government can be found here!

Great site for visitors and even residents who would like to see what’s going on in the area! Lists of things to do, nightlife, shopping, group tours, and more. This site will also help you find hotels in the area if you or someone you know is coming for a visit.

Get information from the mayor’s office, city council, the city clerk’s office, and stay updated on events happening throughout the City of Lansing.

K-12 Schools

The United States government expects children ages 6 to 16 years of age to be in school during the entire school year, with a limited number of exceptions as identified in the law.

General information about the many pre-kindergarten through high school (Pre-K and K-12), Alternative Education, Charter Public Schools and Schools of Choice, can be accessed through the State of Michigan, Michigan.gov website.

Newspapers

The State News is the student-run newspaper of Michigan State University. Can be accessed for free in campus and local buildings and online.

Stay up-to-date on local news, sports, entertainment. Subscription required.

An “alternative” newspaper that features arts & culture, local events and news. Can be accessed for free online and in select buildings on campus and in the community.

The MSU WorkLife Office and Michigan State University do not endorse any of the abovementioned resources nor does MSU control or guarantee the content or continued availability of the sites. They are listed with the intent of providing information to the campus community about available options; users are advised to access at their own risk.