RON COLLINS: HELLO AND WELCOME TO "MSU TODAY.”
OVER THE NEXT HALF-HOUR AND IN FUTURE PROGRAMS, WE'LL SHOW YOU AROUND AND INSIDE MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, FROM CLASSROOM ACTION TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR ALUMS TO RESEARCH THAT AFFECTS YOUR DAILY LIFE.
BIOENERGY, BIOFUELS, BIOECONOMY.
WE ALL HEAR THE WORDS.
WE READ ABOUT THEM.
BUT DO WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THEM? CROSS-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN THESE AREAS HAS SET MSU AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS NEW ERA OF CREATING TOMORROW'S BIOMASS-TO-BIOFUEL PIPELINE AND MORE.
RECENTLY AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE THAT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WILL PARTNER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON, TO CREATE THE GREAT LAKES BIOENERGY RESEARCH CENTER TO FOCUS ON THESE ISSUES.
MSU PRESIDENT LOU ANNA K. SIMON: TODAY IS ANOTHER STEP ON THE JOURNEY TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR MICHIGAN AND FOR THE UNITED STATES IN A VERY COMPETITIVE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT.
KEN KEEGSTRA, DIRECTOR PLANT RESEARCH LAB: THE CURRENT CROPS THAT WE GROW WERE DEVELOPED MORE THAN 100 YEARS FOR IMPROVED FOOD PRODUCTION.
BUT WE NOW NEED NEW TYPES OF PLANTS THAT HAVE NEW TRAITS THAT CAN BE USED FOR INCREASED ENERGY PRODUCTION.
MICHIGAN GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM: THESE GRASSES THAT ARE RIGHT HERE ARE GRASSES THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE RESEARCH TO PUT FUEL INTO YOUR TANK.
LOU ANNA K. SIMON: THIS ALSO REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK BY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT BIOENERGY, BIOMASS, WOULD BE THE SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE WELL BEFORE IT WAS FASHIONABLE BY ANY DEFINITION OF A NEED FOR ENERGY ALTERNATIVE, BUT BELIEVING THAT THROUGH HARD WORK WITH OUR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES IN THE STATE AND WITH OUR PLANT SCIENTISTS WE COULD FIND THIS NEW FUTURE.
RON COLLINS: THE NEW CENTER WILL HELP RESEARCHERS COLLABORATE ON THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS IN CONVERTING NATURAL MATERIALS TO ENERGY-PRODUCING PRODUCTS.
IT WILL BUILD ON THE EXPERTISE OF RESEARCHERS HERE AT MSU.
LARRY DRZAL, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, MATERIAL SCIENCE: THERE'S A CRITICAL MASS OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS HERE AT MSU THAT ARE WORKING ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE BIOECONOMY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BROAD PICTURE, BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE CREATED HERE ARE A GROUP OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS WITH THE EXPERTISE AND THE INTEREST TO EXPLORE ALL AREAS OF TAKING BIOMASS AND CONVERTING IT INTO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEMICALS, PHARMACEUTICALS, RAW MATERIALS, AND FINISHED PRODUCTS THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY VERY LARGE BENEFITS FOR A STATE SUCH AS MICHIGAN.
BRUCE DALE, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING: WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST PLANT SCIENTISTS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD HERE ON THIS CAMPUS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BIOECONOMY IS NEAT FOR AN ENGINEER -- IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY CHEMICAL ENGINEERS HAVE NEVER HAD WITH RAW MATERIALS.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN STUCK WITH THE RAW MATERIALS THAT COME OUT OF THE GROUND -- THE OIL, THE NATURAL GAS.
NOW WE CAN HAVE A RAW MATERIAL DESIGNED TO SUIT OUR NEEDS.
IT'S A GREAT POTENTIAL.
RON COLLINS: IN THE FUTURE, WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN, AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BECOME A MAIN HUB IN PROVIDING THE TRANSITIONAL SCIENCE NEEDED FOR NEW BIOENERGY BREAKTHROUGHS.
THE RESEARCH WILL ASSIST IN REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCE ON PETROLEUM-BASED PRODUCTS.
BRUCE DALE: OUR FOSSIL STORES -- THE COAL AND NATURAL GAS AND OIL -- THOSE WERE ACTUALLY DERIVED FROM PLANT MATERIAL A VERY LONG TIME AGO.
WE'RE USING THEM UP REAL FAST, AND MOTHER NATURE ISN'T MAKING THEM FAST ENOUGH.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND OTHER SOURCES FOR THOSE SAME KINDS OF PRODUCTS, AND WE CAN DO IT WITH PLANTS.
WE NEED TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, BUT PLANTS CAN PROVIDE US AN AWFUL LOT OF WHAT WE NEED.
MIKE THOMASHOW, CROP AND SOIL SCIENCES: THERE'S A VISION THAT'S EMERGING THAT SAYS THAT IN THE UNITED STATES THERE'S THE POTENTIAL THROUGH BIOMASS TO CREATE ENOUGH LIQUID FUEL TO REPLACE AS MUCH AS 30%, 40% OF THE PETROLEUM THAT'S NOW USED.
RON COLLINS: IN ADDITION TO CREATING NEW ALTERNATIVE FUELS, RESEARCHERS ARE ALSO DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL USES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, FROM BIODEGRADABLE PACKING MATERIALS TO CONSUMER GOODS.
RAMANI NARAYAN, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING: BOTH CORN STARCH AND VEGETABLE OIL SERVE AS THE PLATFORM FOR MAKING PRODUCTS BASED ENTIRELY FROM PETROLEUM.
WE CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT THAT IF WE PUT FOOD COLOR INTO OUR MATERIALS AND MADE WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AS PEANUT PACKAGING, AND IT HAS THE ABILITY THAT IF YOU WET IT, IT CAN STICK TOGETHER, WE WOULD HAVE A CONSTRUCTION KIT OUT OF STARCH FOAM.
IT SELLS IN ABOUT 2,000, 3,000 STORES IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S WORLDWIDE, TOO.
LARRY DRAZL: IT'S REWARDING IN A SENSE TO SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS LEADING THE PACK, SO TO SPEAK, AND PROVIDE US WITH AN ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL.
BUT IT'S EVEN MORE REWARDING TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY TAKING UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS TO REPLACE CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS THAT THEY'VE BEEN SO USED TO USING.
RON COLLINS: FOR THE RESEARCHERS, IT'S NOT ONLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BIO-PROCESSES THAT DRIVES THEM, BUT THE CONTINUED GENERATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS.
RAMANI NARAYAN: THE WHOLE REASON WHY I STILL STAY AT THE UNIVERSITY AND NOT JUST MOVE INTO ONE OF THE COMPANIES I'VE CREATED IS THE ABILITY AND THE FUN TO WORK WITH THESE BRIGHT, YOUNG MINDS.
NOT ONLY DO YOU WANT TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE VALUE IT CREATES, IN TERMS OF JOBS, IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY, OF THE STATE, BUT ALSO FOR TRAINING AND NURTURING AND CREATING A WHOLE, NEW BREED OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ENGINEERS WHO CAN TRANSFORM AND DIVERSIFY THE MICHIGAN ECONOMY AND THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY.
RAWLE HOLLINGSWORTH, CHEMISTRY, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: FOR ME, IT SORT OF BRINGS THE MISSION FULL CIRCLE.
YOU'RE NOT THERE UNTIL SOMEONE IN THE MARKETPLACE CAN PICK UP A PRODUCT THAT BEGAN AS A BASIC IDEA IN AN INSTITUTION LIKE THIS ONE.
RON COLLINS: THE NEW CENTER WILL BE FUNDED BY THE LARGEST FEDERAL GRANT EXCLUSIVELY FOR RESEARCH IN MICHIGAN STATE'S HISTORY.
[ BELLS RING ] RON COLLINS: THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, THE NATION'S PIONEER LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION -- 150 YEARS OF ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMING LIVES.
EVERY UNIVERSITY HAS ITS LANDMARKS, EACH ONE WITH ITS OWN HISTORY AND SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF ALUMS.
HERE AT MSU, THERE IS NOTHING THAT SAYS HOME LIKE THE BELLS OF BEAUMONT TOWER.
BUILT IN 1928, THE JOHN W.BEAUMONT MEMORIAL TOWER RISES OVER 100 FEET ABOVE THE SACRED CIRCLE OF THE MSU CAMPUS.
THE TOWER STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO MSU's COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.
BEAUMONT TOWER STANDS ON WHAT WAS THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF COLLEGE HALL, NOT ONLY THE FIRST INSTRUCTIONAL BUILDING TO BE ERECTED ON THE MSU CAMPUS, BUT THE FIRST BUILDING IN THE UNITED STATES TO BE DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE TEACHING OF SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE.
BEAUMONT TOWER MARKS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ENTIRE LAND-GRANT SYSTEM.
JACK MIDGELY, MSU ALUM ’64: I THINK IT'S JUST BEING HERE AND THE PEACE AND SERENITY OF IT ALL.
IT JUST GIVES YOU A TERRIFIC FEELING OF SACREDNESS AND OF BEAUTY.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
IT'S A VERY RELAXING TIME.
[ BELLS RING ]
RON COLLINS: RESIDING WITHIN THE TOWER IS THE CARILLON, A PRECISION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH 49 FINELY TUNED BELLS THAT ALLOW COMPLEX MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS COVERING AT LEAST TWO OCTAVES.
THE BELLS RANGE FROM 15 POUNDS TO OVER TWO TONS AND ARE PLAYED FROM A SPECIAL KEYBOARD THAT PERMITS CONTROL OF EXPRESSION THROUGH VARIATION OF TOUCH.
PRESENTLY THERE ARE 170 CARILLONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING 13 IN MICHIGAN.
THE TOWER'S BELLS AND MECHANICS WERE REFURBISHED IN 1996, REQUIRING TEAMS FROM TWO CONTINENTS TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE CARILLON TO ITS CURRENT STATE.
SINCE THEN, SPARTANS HAVE ENJOYED THE HOURLY CHIMES IN A A SPECIAL SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.
THE BENEFACTOR OF THE SUMMER CARILLON SERIES IS DR. MILTON MUELDER, HIMSELF AN INSTITUTION AT MSU, IN MEMORY OF HIS WIFE, KATHLEEN.
DR. MILTON MUELDER: I FIRST MET HER WHEN SOMEBODY SAID, "MUELDER KNOWS
GERMAN. YOU BETTER CHECK YOUR TRANSLATIONS.”
SHE HAD ART BOOKS, BOOKS ON MUSIC, BOOKS IN THE HUMANITIES.
AND I SAID TO MYSELF, "THIS IS A PERSON I COULD LIVE WITH.”
RON COLLINS: THE MUELDER CONCERT SERIES ATTRACTS ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO PERFORM FOR GRATEFUL AUDIENCES.
ANNE KROZE, NETHERLANDS: IN 2000, SO SEVEN YEARS AGO, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IT FOR A WHILE.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'M HERE.
IT'S ACTUALLY A PLEASURE TO PLAY THIS ONE.
IT COMBINES THE EASY HANDLING AND THE SOUND OF THE BELLS.
TORU TAKAO, JAPAN: THIS INSTRUMENT IS FOR EVERYBODY.
LIKE PIANO, YOU CAN STAY AT HOME.
AND WHEN YOU PRACTICE, NOBODY CAN HEAR.
BUT THIS, IF YOU PRACTICE OR IF YOU PLAY, EVERYBODY CAN HEAR IT.
MAN: WELL, I THINK THE SETTING IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S OUTSTANDING.
WOMAN: I THINK IT'S RELAXING. IT'S PRETTY OUT HERE. HAVE A PICNIC DINNER, MEET MY HUSBAND AFTER WORK, AND LAY IT ALL OUT, INVITE OUR FRIENDS.
ANNE KROZE: WHAT I LIKE IS WHEN PEOPLE COME TO ME AFTER CONCERTS AND SAY THEY HEARD PIECE SO-AND-SO ON ORCHESTRA OR PIANO, AND THEY LIKE IT ON THE CARILLON, AS WELL.
[ BELLS RING ]
DR. MILTON MUELDER: IT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT CHILDREN CAN RUN AROUND AND ENJOY THEMSELVES AND NOT BE SHUSHED BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DISTURB THE ARTIST INVOLVED.
AND IT'S WONDERFUL THAT FAMILIES CAN RELAX AND SIT BACK AND ENJOY MUSIC AS IT SHOULD BE ENJOYED.
[ BELLS RING ]
RON COLLINS: FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CARILLON AND FUTURE CONCERT SERIES, GO TO www.msu.edu AND SEARCH "CARILLON.”
RON COLLINS: IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU'VE NO DOUBT MARVELED AT THOSE PRISTINE GRASS FIELDS THAT ATHLETES PLAY ON.
AT THE HANCOCK TURFGRASS RESEARCH CENTER, HERE AT MICHIGAN STATE, INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS ALIKE HAVE BEEN TACKLING THE ISSUES OF TURF MANAGEMENT FOR YEARS.
WHEN WORLD CUP SOCCER CAME TO MICHIGAN, THE ORGANIZATION TURNED TO THE EXPERTS AT MSU FOR HELP.
SO HOW DO YOU GET AN OLYMPIC-QUALITY GRASS FIELD GROWN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME? OH, AND DID I MENTION IT HAS TO BE MOBILE AND INDOORS, TOO?
RON COLLINS: THE CONCEPT WAS NEW -- GROWING GRASS IN MODULAR SYSTEMS THAT COULD THEN BE MOVED INDOORS AND INSTALLED ON THE EVENT FLOOR.
AN INNOVATION AT THE TIME, IT HAS NOW BEEN REUSED AT SEVERAL SITES AROUND THE GLOBE.
JOHN “TREY” ROGERS, CROP AND SOIL SCIENCES: A GOOD EXAMPLE IS BOTH OF THESE OLYMPICS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, HERE IN ATHENS, GREECE, AND ALSO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS.
THE OPENING CEREMONIES IS REALLY DRIVING THE NEED FOR MODULAR TURF.
THEY WANT TO HAVE AN OPENING CEREMONIES THAT'S AQUATIC IN NATURE OR HAS A BIG HOLE IN THE STADIUM.
AND THERE'S NO WAY NATURAL TURF COULD SURVIVE THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC AND THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A MODULAR FIELD THAT'S OUTSIDE WAITING THAT CAN BE MOVED IN AS SOON AS THE OPENING CEREMONIES ARE OVER, IN 48 HOURS, YOU CAN HAVE A WORLD-CLASS PLAYING SURFACE.
RON COLLINS: BUT WHAT THE TEAM HAS LEARNED FROM THESE EXPERIENCES CAN NOW BE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER USES, INCLUDING THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL.
JOHN ROGERS: WHAT'S BEEN INTERESTING FOR US IS THE ABILITY TO TRANSFER THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE BIG PROJECTS TO THE SMALL PROJECTS.
SO WHILE WE WERE DOING MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECTS, LIKE THE SILVERDOME AND SPARTAN STADIUM AND ATHENS, GREECE, WHAT WE WERE LEARNING FROM THOSE PROJECTS ACTUALLY ARE BENEFITING NOW THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN AND EVEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN ALL OF THE MIDWEST.
RON COLLINS: DR. ROGERS AND HIS GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO PERFECT THEIR ROOT-ZONE APPLICATION PROCESS.
THE SPECIAL ROOT ZONE IS A MIXTURE OF SAND AND CLAY THAT IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS A PLAYING FIELD TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING GROWTH.
COMBINED WITH PROPER DRAINAGE, SUCH A PROCESS CAN INCREASE THE SEASONAL AVAILABILITY OF THE FIELD AND WITHSTAND ADDITIONAL WEAR.
JOHN ROGERS: ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN BUILT WITH THIS ROOT ZONE HELD UP DRAMATICALLY WELL.
AND SO THE IDEA HAD TO BECOME HOW CAN WE GET THIS ROOT ZONE ON AS MANY HIGH SCHOOL FIELDS AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE?
RON COLLINS: DR.ROGERS CREDITS A LOT OF THE PAST WORK AND FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE CENTER TO THE CALIBER OF THE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
JOHN ROGERS: I GUESS IF YOU HAD TO ASK WHERE OUR ALUMS ARE, I THINK WE'RE IN EVERY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE IN ABOUT 20 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, RUNNING GOLF COURSES, RUNNING STADIUMS.
RON COLLINS: ONE SUCH ALUM IS HEATHER NABOZNY, CURRENTLY WITH THE DETROIT TIGERS.
SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE AS HEAD GROUNDS KEEPER IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
IT WAS HER EDUCATION AT MSU THAT LED HER TO THIS MAJOR LEAGUE BALLPARK.
HEATHER NABOZNY: MY EDUCATION IS THE BASIS FOR EVERYTHING THAT I DO HERE.
MICHIGAN STATE HELPED ME GET MY FIRST PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL JOB, WHICH WAS DOWN IN FLORIDA, IN DUNEDIN.
IT DEFINITELY WAS MY GOAL TO BE A MAJOR LEAGUE GROUNDS KEEPER.
YOU DON'T THINK IT'S EVER GONNA HAPPEN, 'CAUSE THERE'S ONLY 30 JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND TO BE HOLDING ONE OF THE JOBS IS -- I'M LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY.
THE FACULTY ARE WONDERFUL.THEY ARE STILL HELPING ME TODAY.
I HAD A PROBLEM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WITH -- I HAD TO CALL THE ENTOMOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
DR.SMITLEY HELPED ME OUT A LOT.
ONE OF HIS RESEARCH ASSISTANTS ACTUALLY CAME OUT AND WORKED WITH ME FOR A DAY.
RON COLLINS: MSU's TURFGRASS VISIONARIES AND PIONEERS, COMBINING SCIENCE AND HARD WORK.
JOHN ROGERS: WE ALWAYS KIND OF GO INTO IT WITH THE IDEA THAT WELL, YOU MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF SCIENCE TO IT NOW, BUT YOU WILL BY THE TIME WE'RE FINISHED.
BUT IT'S STILL KIND OF FUNNY, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS JUST GRASS.
RON COLLINS: JUST GRASS? IF ONLY MY LAWN COULD LOOK THAT GOOD.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE TURFGRASS RESEARCH CENTER, LOG ON TO THE MAIN MSU WEBSITE AND SEARCH FOR TURFGRASS.
RON COLLINS: INNOVATION AND ACCESS HAVE LONG BEEN TWO STAPLES OF MSU's LEGACY.
AND TODAY NOTHING DEFINES THAT BETTER THAN MSU C.A.M.P.
THE COLLEGE ASSISTANCE MIGRANT PROGRAM GIVES THE CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FARMWORKERS THE CHOICE THEY THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER HAVE.
LUIS GARCIA, DIRECTOR, MSU CAMP: THREE-QUARTERS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE BRING IN FROM OUR PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE AT A COLLEGE OR A UNIVERSITY ANYWHERE.
RON COLLINS: BEGUN IN 2000, THE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS ADJUST TO THEIR FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE AND PROVIDES A SUPPORT SYSTEM TO ASSIST WITH CRUCIAL STUDY AND TIME-MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO FINISH THEIR DEGREE.
LUIS GARCIA: HISTORY HAS SHOWN US IF WE THAT STUDENT CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THAT FIRST YEAR, IT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THEY WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH THEIR 4-YEAR EXPERIENCE.
MELINA MONITA, MSU CAMP GRADUATE: I COME FROM BEING A MIGRANT WORKER, FROM WORKING IN THE FIELDS, FROM PICKING THE CHERRIES AND ASPARAGUS, AND NOW I'M WALKING THROUGH A BIG TEN UNIVERSITY THAT IS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY.
AND AS I'M GRADUATING, I SAY, "BOY, IF I CAN GRADUATE FROM A BIG TEN UNIVERSITY, I CERTAINLY CAN GO TO LAW SCHOOL AND OBTAIN MY J.D., MY LAW DEGREE.”
STEVE ALEXANDER, REGIONAL PRESIDENT NATIONAL CITY BANK: I GOT SOME INSIGHT INTO THE FOLKS BEHIND THE PROGRAM.
WITH LUIS AND PRESIDENT SIMON AND THEIR TEAM, THEY PUT A VERY CREATIVE, EFFECTIVE PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT'S UNIQUE TO THIS COUNTRY.
AND WE NEED TO APPLAUD THEM FOR THAT.
RON COLLINS: C.A.M.P. IS FUNDED BY THE U.S.DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BUT IT HAS FOUND OTHER BENEFACTORS, WHO SEE THE VALUE IN SUCH PROGRAMS.
LUIS GARCIA: IF WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE IN THE TYPE OF AMERICA THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE HAVE TO HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE BILINGUAL, BICULTURAL, AND HAVE NUMEROUS EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ENTER AND MAINTAIN THESE NEW MARKETPLACES.
HECTOR CUEVAS, FEDERAL MIGRANT EDUCATION, TX: SO OUR KIDS, I THINK, BRING A DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD THEMSELVES AND INCORPORATE IT INTO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE HERE.
IT JUST MAKES THEM, I THINK, MORE MARKETABLE AND MORE FLEXIBLE TO OPERATE WITHIN ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
RICHARD GEORGE, CHAIRMAN/CEO GRAT LAKS: WHEN WE SEE A PROGRAM LIKE C.A.M.P., WHICH IS CLEARLY WORKING, WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME MEET WITH THE STUDENTS, HEAR THEIR STORY, IT'S PRETTY MUCH A NO-BRAINER FOR US.
MARTIN FLORES, MSU CAMP STUDENT: BY SEEING A CORPORATION GIVING MONEY TO THE PROGRAM, IT SAYS TO ME THAT THEY'RE INVESTING.
THEY'RE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY'RE INVESTING IN THE STUDENTS.
AND THEY'RE MAKING A GOOD INVESTMENT.
RON COLLINS: FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES, CHILD-PARENT SEPARATION IS THE FIRST HURDLE, AND THE PROGRAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS TO SPONSOR VISITS TO MSU THAT OPEN NEW POSSIBILITIES TO THE POTENTIAL STUDENTS.
LUIS GARCIA: AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE HAVE SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND SENIORS TO COME AND VISIT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, 'CAUSE SOME OF THESE KIDS, THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TO A UNIVERSITY.
JUDITH SOLAS, PRINCIPAL, LAJOYA HIGH SCHOOL TEXAS: I WAS JUST SO PROUD OF THEM, TO SEE HOW INTERESTED THEY WERE AND HOW THEIR BRAINS -- I COULD JUST SEE THEIR BRAINS WORKING 100 MILES PER HOUR BECAUSE THEY WERE THINKING, "WOW, THERE'S A JOB OUT THERE IN PACKAGING?" THE MIND WAS JUST SO CLOSED INTO CERTAIN TYPES OF JOBS, AND I SAID, "LOOK AT THIS. THERE'S AN ARRAY OF JOBS.”
AND HE'S ASKING A QUESTION.
THAT EXCITED ME.
LUIS GARCIA: WHEN THEY SEE OUR OTHER MIGRANT STUDENTS HERE, THEY QUICKLY IDENTIFY WITH THE FACE AND SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE.
IF HE OR SHE CAN MAKE IT, I CAN MAKE IT.”
MELINA MONITA: MY DREAMS, I GUESS, OR MY EXPECTATIONS OF MYSELF HAVE CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY, AND NOW I REALIZE THAT NOT ONLY CAN I GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE, BUT I CAN ALSO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT.
RICHARD GEORGE: THESE AREN'T ABSTRACT METRICS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN A REPORT THAT SOMEBODY SENDS US.
IT'S NICE TO GET THAT KIND OF DATA ON THE SUCCESS OF A PROGRAM.
BUT IT ISN'T THE SAME THING AS HEARING THE BENEFICIARIES THEMSELVES TELL US THEIR OWN PERSONAL VIEW OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM MEANT TO THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME TO MSU.
STEVE ALEXANDER: IT'S A MATTER OF GIVING THOSE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY THEY MIGHT NOT ORDINARILY HAVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE C.A.M.P.
PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT.
RON COLLINS: THE COLLEGE ASSISTANCE MIGRANT PROGRAM TRULY EMBODIES MSU's FOCUS ON ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMING LIVES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT C.A.M.P., LOG ON TO msu.edu AND SEARCH FOR MSU C.A.M.P.
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