RON COLLINS: WELCOME TO "MSU TODAY," THE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS YOU INSIDE MSU AND SHOWCASES OUR FACULTY, STUDENTS, AND ALUMNI.
I'M RON COLLINS.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IS HOME TO THE NATIONAL SUPERCONDUCTING CYCLOTRON LABORATORY, AND RESEARCHERS THERE HAVE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED THREE NEW ISOTOPES THAT WILL ACCELERATE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD.
DAVID MORRISSEY, UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR: SINCE THE BEGINNING OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE, IT'S BEEN A LONGSTANDING PROJECT EVEN TO ESTABLISH WHAT ISOTOPES ARE THERE IN NATURE AND WHAT COMBINATIONS OF NEUTRONS AND PROTONS ARE ACTUALLY POSSIBLE.
KONRAD GELBKE, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SUPERCONDUCTING CYCLOTRON LABORATORY: ANSWERING SOME OF THE VERY SIMPLE QUESTIONS WE CAN ANSWER ABOUT OUR WORLD -- WHAT EXISTS AND WHAT DOES NOT EXIST.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO PREPARE SUCH A DISCOVERY.
IT'S NOT JUST HAPPENING BY HAPPENSTANCE WHERE YOU'LL STUMBLE OVER SOMETHING AND SAY, "WHOOPS, IT'S THERE.”
THOMAS BAUMANN, PHYSICIST, NSCL: THE THREE RARE ISOTOPES THAT WERE NEVER SEEN BEFORE THAT WE DISCOVERED ARE MAGNESIUM-40, ALUMINUM-42, AND ALUMINUM-43.
AND WE RAN FOR FIVE DAYS, AND WE DIDN'T SEE A SINGLE EVENT.
AT THAT TIME WE WERE PRETTY MUCH CONVINCED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO GET.
AND THEN ON THE FIFTH DAY, ONE EVENING, SOMEBODY AT THE MAIN CONSOLE SAW ONE DOT AT THE PROPER SPACE -- WE WOULD EXPECT MAGNESIUM-40.
WE VERY QUICKLY, THEN, LOOKED AT ALL THE PARAMETERS AND VERIFIED THIS IS ACTUALLY A MAGNESIUM-40 EVENT.
SO IT WAS A VERY EXCITING EVENING.
DAVID MORRISSEY: ANY ISOTOPE THAT WE MIGHT MAKE HERE IN THE LABORATORY, WE HAVE TO START FROM SOME STABLE ISOTOPE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, BY ACCELERATING THEM AND BRINGING THEM TO A VERY HIGH VELOCITY IN OUR CYCLOTRON SYSTEM, REACTING THEM WITH ANOTHER MATERIAL, AND BREAK THEM INTO PIECES, AND THEN IDENTIFY EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY.
AMANDA PRINKE, GRADUATE STUDENT: THE REALLY SIMPLE WAY WE LIKE TO EXPLAIN IT IS BY SAYING THAT WE MEASURE PENNIES ON A JUMBO JET THAT'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE.
AND THAT'S OUR ANALOGY FOR IT.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE WEIGH REALLY, REALLY SMALL PARTICLES THAT ARE PRODUCED AT THE CYCLOTRON HERE.
I SAY, "THE JUMBO JET IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE" -- WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THESE VERY RARE PARTICLES, ISOTOPES, THAT WE MEASURE HERE OFTEN DON'T LIVE VERY LONG.
DAVID MORRISSEY: ONE OF THE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF BEING ON THE CAMPUS IS THAT WE ALWAYS ARE INTERACTING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
THAT WE HAVE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WHO ARE STUDYING PHYSICS MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND THEN WE HAVE GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR DEGREES AND ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY WANT A CAREER IN SCIENCE.
GREG PANG, GRADUATE STUDENT: AND SO WE WANT TO HAVE MAXIMUM VOLTAGE OR HIGHER VOLTAGES SO WE CAN ESSENTIALLY REPULSE THESE IONS AWAY FROM THE SURFACE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, STILL GUIDE THEM TOWARDS EXTRACTION AND TOWARDS THE EXPERIMENT.
AMANDA PRINKE: AND WE'RE REALLY HERE RUNNING THE EXPERIMENTS, YOU KNOW, TURNING ON AND OFF THE CYCLOTRON TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
THE PROFESSORS ARE THERE WITH US, YOU KNOW, GUIDING WHAT WE DO, BUT WE DO A LOT OF IT OURSELVES.
GREG PANG: THEN WHEN I WAS SHOPPING AROUND FOR GRADUATE SCHOOLS, I JUST JOINED THE RANKS, AND I LIKE IT.
I LIKE MY GROUP, MY ADVISOR, AND THE RESOURCES -- YEAH.
THEY'RE QUITE LARGE HERE.
THOMAS BAUMANN: WHEN I TALK TO STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN TO CONTINUE A CAREER IN PHYSICS OR EVEN NUCLEAR PHYSICS, I ALWAYS TELL THEM THAT THIS IS THE BEST PLACE YOU CAN BE.
WHEN I WAS A STUDENT HERE, I LIKED THE ATMOSPHERE, AND ALSO IT'S ONE OF THE TOP THREE FACILITIES IN THE WORLD, I THINK, WHERE YOU CAN DO THIS KIND OF RESEARCH.
KONRAD GELBKE: THERE'S JUST NO BETTER PLACE TO DO BASIC RESEARCH THAN ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WHICH IS EQUIPPED TO HOUSE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES.
ARDEN I. BEMENT, JR., NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR: NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS, WITH THEIR PARTNERS, HAVE TRANSFORMED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF ATOMIC NUCLEI INTO TOOLS FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RADIATION THERAPY, DETECTORS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY, AND NUMEROUS OTHER REMARKABLE TECHNOLOGIES, MANY OF THEM THE RESULTS OF WORK AT THIS LABORATORY.
KONRAD GELBKE: BY DEVELOPING BETTER MODELS TO UNDERSTAND OUR WORLD, WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO CONQUER THE WORLD IN TERMS OF FINDING WAYS HOW TO IMPROVE IT.
AMANDA PRINKE: THAT'S ALWAYS THE HOPE -- THAT SOMEBODY WILL TAKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND DO SOMETHING BETTER WITH IT, BUILDING ON IT, AND TAKING IT FURTHER -- THAT'S WHAT SCIENCE IS ALL ABOUT.
RON COLLINS: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE DISCOVERIES AND THE WORK BEING DONE AT THE NSCL, GO TO... www.nscl.msu.edu
NEXT UP, WE'LL HEAR HOW STUDENTS EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN A FORUM ALL THEIR OWN.
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.
♫ AND I WAS GREEN, GREENER THAN THE HILL ♫ ♫ WHERE FLOWERS GREW AND SUN SHONE STILL ♫ ♫ NOW I'M DARKER THAN THE DEEPEST SEA ♫ ♫ JUST HAND ME DOWN, GIVE ME A PLACE TO BE ♫
RON COLLINS: COLLEGE -- THE PERFECT PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITH A MICROPHONE? WELL, A LOT OF AWARDS AND SOME PRETTY ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING IS THE RESULT.
STUDENTS FROM MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES TAKE TURNS AS THE NEWEST CAMPUS DEEJAYS AT WDBM, THE IMPACT, MSU's CAMPUS RADIO STATION.
WILLIAM KETCHUM III, WDBM DJ: WHAT'S GOOD, EAST LANSING? IT'S YOUR BOY WILLIAM KETCHUM, AKA, "THE CRITIC.”
YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE CULTURAL VIBE, IMPACT 89 F.M.
[ HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING ]
GARY REID, WDBM GENERAL MANAGER: THERE IS A STEREOTYPE OF A COLLEGE RADIO STATION, WHERE, IN A SENSE, IT'S KIND OF A PLAYGROUND AND EVERYBODY GETS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR STAFF AND TO OUR LISTENERS TO BE THE BEST THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN BE.
JEREMY WHITING, WDBM STATION MANAGER: WHAT WE DO HERE AT THE STATION ACTUALLY MATTERS.
IT'S BEING BROADCAST 30 MILES IN EVERY DIRECTION.
WE TRY TO REALLY TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY.
WOMAN: IMPACT 89 F.M.
THAT WAS THE VINES WITH "GET FREE.”
JEREMY WHITING: AND THE IMPACT REALLY GIVES THE STUDENTS SOME RESPONSIBILITIES.
AMANDA BELL, WDBM DJ: WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO A TALK BREAK OR PLAY REQUESTS BY THIS.
SO THIS IS KIND OF LIKE OUR BIBLE.
GARY REID: A RADIO STATION IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THEIR WORST DISC JOCKEY.
AND AS I'VE SAID TO MOST OF OUR PEOPLE -- YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THAT WORST DISC JOCKEY.
EACH ONE OF THEM IS STRIVING CONSTANTLY TO MAKE THEIR SHOW THIS WEEK BETTER THAN IT WAS LAST WEEK.
JAHSHUA SMITH, WDBM DJ: BECAUSE A NEW SONG COMES UP EVERY WEEK, AND IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD SONGS, LEGALLY OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, ON iTunes AND GET THEM CLEAN, IT'S REALLY A DEEJAY'S BEST FRIEND.
RON COLLINS: IN ADDITION TO TRAINING ON PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION, IMPACT DEEJAYS LEARN TO USE STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING A TOUCH-SCREEN-OPERATED DIGITAL CONTROL SYSTEM TO STORE, SCHEDULE, AND PLAY BACK THOUSANDS OF SONGS AND PROMOS.
BUT THEY ALSO MAINTAIN AN IMPRESSIVE CD LIBRARY.
SYDNEY SCHULZ, WDBM DJ: TURN THE CAMERA THIS WAY.
SEE ALL THIS? THIS IS, LIKE, A TINY SECTION OF WHAT WE HAVE.
HERE, COME HERE.
YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW ME TO MY FAVORITE ROOM IN THIS ENTIRE STATION.
IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
THIS ENTIRE ROOM, OUR UNDERGROUND LIBRARY.
WE HAVE ALL THIS STUFF -- WE HAVE RAMONES IN HERE, WE HAVE SLIPKNOT IN HERE, WE HAVE TONS OF R.E.M., ALBUMS.
THESE ARE ALL FULL OF CDs.
IT'S JUST LIKE THE COOLEST THING EVER.
RON COLLINS: ANOTHER PART OF THE STATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH UNIQUE AND DIVERSE PROGRAMMING.
SO OUTSIDE THEIR DAYTIME COLLEGE-ROCK FORMAT, WDBM HAS SPECIALTY SHOWS FEATURING EVERYTHING FROM JAZZ TO HIP-HOP TO WORLD MUSIC AND TALK RADIO.
JEREMY WHITING: WE ALSO LIKE TO BRING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON DURING OUR AIRTIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA.
SHANNON AWRYLO, WDBM PROMOTIONS: WHETHER IT BE A THEATER COMPANY OR, YOU KNOW, THE HORSEBACK EQUESTRIAN CLUB, THEY COME ON AND BASICALLY JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
JEREMY WHITING: IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING IT RELEVANT TO THEM.
RON COLLINS: UNDER PROFESSOR REID'S SUPERVISION, A HANDPICKED STAFF OF DEDICATED STUDENT DIRECTORS RUN THE STATION AND MANAGE THE 100-PLUS STUDENT VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE UP THE NEWS, PRODUCTION, PROMOTION, AND ON-AIR STAFF.
MAN: I REALLY WANT TO SEE PROMOING OTHER STUFF THAT'S GONE ON THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
GARY REID: OUR STUDENTS COME FROM ALL MAJORS ACROSS CAMPUS
JEREMY WHITING: POLITICAL SCIENCE AND THEORY MAJORS, JOURNALISM, COMPUTER SCIENCE, COMMUNICATIONS.
GARY REID: VET SCHOOL, HISTORY, AND ENGLISH.
MAN: WHAT'S YOUR DEGREE IN?
WOMAN: HUMAN BIOLOGY AND SPANISH, ACTUALLY.
JEREMY WHITING: WELL, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES JUST AS INDIVIDUALS, EITHER THROUGH LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE A GREAT NEWS PROGRAM, A PROMOTIONS PROGRAM, ET CETERA.
SHANNON AWRYLO: I THINK WORKING AT THE IMPACT HAS PREPARED ME IMMENSELY FOR ANYTHING I WANT TO GO IN TO, REALLY.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST PUTTING MUSIC ON THE RADIO.
WILLIAM KETCHUM III, WDBM DJ: WELL, THE SHOW HAS BEEN EVERYTHING POSITIVE IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.
GARY REID: EVERYONE COMES HERE WITH AN INTEREST IN MUSIC TO BEGIN WITH.
THAT'S THE PART THAT PERHAPS DRAWS ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN THEY WALK AWAY, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCES FOR A COMMON GOOD.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE GRADUATED AND MAY NEVER AGAIN WORK IN RADIO, THE CAMARADERIE, THE TEAM SPIRIT, THE EXCITEMENT CARRIES WITH THEM.
RON COLLINS: SINCE WDBM FIRST SIGNED ON THE AIR IN 1989, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS HAVE WORKED WITH GARY REID AT THE IMPACT.
THEY'VE BEEN ON THE AIR 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR FOR CLOSE TO 20 YEARS.
AMANDA BELL: IMPACT 89 F.M.
RIGHT THERE, MUSIC FROM TOKYO POLICE CLUB.
"YOUR ENGLISH IS GOOD.”
GARY REID: THERE IS A LEGACY AND EVEN A HERITAGE THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED BY ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE, THAT A NEW PERSON ENTERING THE STATION FEELS THE OBLIGATION TO BE GOOD.
SHANNON AWRYLO: EVERYONE ON THIS WALL BACK HERE THAT HAS SIGNED THIS WALL HAS CREATED THIS FOUNDATION THAT I HAVE COME INTO AND I'VE LEARNED FROM, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS DECEMBER I'LL BE SIGNING MY NAME UP THERE, AND I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE NEXT YEAR WILL BE FEELING THE SAME WAY I DO RIGHT NOW.
RON COLLINS: WDBM WAS NAMED COLLEGE RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR BY THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS SIX TIMES IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
AND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO GARY REID, WHO WAS RECENTLY INDUCTED INTO THE MICHIGAN BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME.
WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL STOP BY THE MSU LIBRARY FOR A LITTLE POP CULTURE.
ANNOUNCER: 50 YEARS, 12 WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
TOGETHER, WE OFFER MORE THAN 1,000 STUDY-ABROAD PROGRAMS, OVER 75 MILLION LIBRARY VOLUMES, AND MORE THAN $6 BILLION IN SPONSORED RESEARCH.
TOGETHER, WE'RE AT THE HEART OF AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION.
TOGETHER, WE ARE THE COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION.
THE CIC -- BETTER TOGETHER.
RON COLLINS: WELCOME BACK.
THE MSU LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS WELL OVER 4 MILLION VOLUMES, RANGING FROM THE LITERARY CLASSICS TO BOOKS AND PAPERS ON CURRENT RESEARCH.
BUT, FOR SOME, IT'S WHAT'S IN THE BASEMENT THAT'S MOST INTRIGUING.
VAL BERRYMAN, CURATOR MSU MUSEUM: THIS IS THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION.
MAN: THERE IS EXTRA-SPECIAL SECURITY IN HERE.
MAN: TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY...
AND CORRECT COMICS ORGANIZATION.
[ LAUGHTER ]
MAN: SPECIAL COLLECTIONS IS WHERE THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY HOLDS ITS RARE BOOKS.
VAL BERRYMAN, CURATOR MSU MUSEUM: SOMETIMES THE PHYSICAL ARTIFACT OF A BOOK IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP.
MAN: THE FIRST TRUE AMERICAN COOKBOOK IS PRESERVING A PART OF OUR PAST.
AND THIS IS DONE IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY, AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL FOR THE INFORMATION INSIDE OF THEM.
THESE ARE BOTH FIRST EDITIONS.
THERE'S "ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN," AND THERE'S "ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER.”
TO BE PART OF PRESERVING IMPORTANT BOOKS, TO ME, IS ONE OF THE FINEST THINGS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CAN DO.
VAL BERRYMAN: MY JOB IS TO ORGANIZE ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST COLLECTIONS OF COMIC BOOKS.
"CAPTAIN AMERICA.”
WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO BUY, I FIGURE, "OKAY, LET'S FILL IT IN," AND I BUY EVERYTHING I CAN.
HERE'S THE HULK.
MAN: THE COMIC BOOKS ARE PART OF WHO WE ARE.
VAL BERRYMAN: AND THAT'S SPRING 1941.
MAN: AND AS PART OF OUR HERITAGE, PART OF OUR CULTURE.
VAL BERRYMAN: HORROR COMICS FROM THE 1950s.
MAN: AND THEY CAN SHOW A GREAT DEAL ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
VAL BERRYMAN: "AMAZING HEROES.”
COMIC BOOKS ARE SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER THROUGH THEIR WHOLE LIVES.
IT'S A KIND OF READING THAT'S BEEN LIFELONG.
WILL EISNER, ONE OF THE FIRST GRAPHIC NOVELISTS.
I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT OUR COLLECTION IS A GLOBAL COLLECTION.
MAN: TO GET IN ONE PLACE 200,000 COMIC BOOKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD IS SOMETHING THAT'S UNPARALLELED.
WOMAN: THERE'S BOOKS HERE IN THE LIBRARY THAT YOU CANNOT FIND IN MEXICO.
MAN: WE HAVE KOREAN COMICS, FRENCH COMICS, GERMAN COMICS, MEXICAN COMICS.
IT'S GLOBAL IN NATURE.
VAL BERRYMAN: WE HAVE UP TO 40,000 COMIC BOOKS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
"LUCKY LUKE.”
IN THIS CASE, WE'RE PRESERVING THIS LITERARY FORM... IN ITS WORLDWIDE EXPRESSION.
HERE'S A BIG POPULAR ONE CALLED "BUDDY LONGWAY.”
WE HAVE SCHOLARS TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO READ OUR COMICS.
"DESPERATE DAN.”
MAN: THE COMIC ART COLLECTION, IN PARTICULAR, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER COLLECTIONS WITHIN THE RUSSEL NYE POPULAR CULTURE COLLECTIONS, ARE NOT NECESSARILY WHAT UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES TRADITIONALLY COLLECTED.
VAL BERRYMAN: UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES WERE VERY SLOW TO START COLLECTING THEM BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THINGS THAT TEACHERS WERE ASSIGNING.
MAN: MSU UNDERSTOOD SOME 30, 40 YEARS AGO THAT THE STUFF OF EVERYDAY LIFE WAS IMPORTANT TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE AS WELL.
VAL BERRYMAN: IN ALMOST EVERYTHING I DO, THAT I'VE DONE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS IS BEING DONE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A LIBRARY.
MAN: SO, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE FINEST COLLECTIONS NOW OF THIS MATERIAL.
VAL BERRYMAN: I ALMOST FEEL LIKE A PIONEER.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THOSE EXPENSIVE GLAMOUR ISSUES -- "KEY ISSUES," YOU'D CALL THEM.
THERE'S AN OLD "SUPERBOY.”
EVERY YEAR, SOME MAJOR MUSEUM WILL SEND US ITS DOCUMENTATION AND A REQUEST FOR THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING.
"WONDER WOMAN'S" BEEN OUT TWICE NOW.
MAYBE THREE TIMES -- I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER.
[ LAUGHS ]
VAL BERRYMAN: WHEN A SCHOLAR COMES IN AND ASKS FOR AN AMERICAN COMIC BOOK, WE HAVE OVER 2/3 OF WHAT THEY ASK FOR.
MAN: IT'S RATHER TOUCHING TO SEE THESE STUDENTS ASK FOR COMICS AND THEN LOOK AT THEM IN OUR READING ROOM.
VAL BERRYMAN: MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S A REALLY COOL JOB.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THE JOB.
MAN: IT'S A GREAT JOY TO SEE THEM USE IT AND APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO HERE AND WHAT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE FOR THEM BY PROVIDING THESE BOOKS.
[ CLICKS ]
RON COLLINS: FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MSU's SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, GO TO msu.edu AND SEARCH FOR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS.
NEXT UP, WE'LL PROFILE A STUDENT WHOSE PASSION FOR STUDYING ABROAD TOOK HIM AROUND THE WORLD, LITERALLY.
ANNOUNCER: 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.
RON COLLINS: WE'VE ALL HEARD THE PHRASES "OUR WORLD IS SHRINKING" OR "IT'S FLAT.”
WHATEVER IMAGERY YOU PREFER, STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS NEW REALITY, AND MSU DELIVERS.
WITH 220 PROGRAMS IN 65 COUNTRIES ON ALL SEVEN CONTINENTS, MSU OPERATES THE LARGEST STUDY-ABROAD PROGRAM IN THE NATION AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY.
THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM, STUDENTS CAN SPEND AS LITTLE AS A FEW WEEKS TO AS MUCH AS A YEAR ABROAD DEDICATED TO ACADEMICS.
MAN: PUT YOUR CELLULAR PHONES -- YOUR PHONES ON VIBRATE.
NICK MICINSKI, WORLD TRAVELER: IT'S A LITTLE NERVE-RACKING
MAN: WE WILL BEGIN THE PROGRAM IN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES
NICK MICINSKI: I'M GIVING A SPEECH FOR THE A.D.S.ON STUDY ABROAD
[ APPLAUSE ]
NICK MICINSKI: IT'S A LITTLE NERVE-RACKING IN THAT I HAVEN'T RUN OVER MY SPEECH AS MUCH AS I SHOULD HAVE.
I USED STUDY ABROAD TO FULFILL BOTH MY LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT AND MY FIELD-EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT AT MSU.
RON COLLINS: NICK MICINSKI IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
NICK MICINSKI: THAT ALLOWED ME…
RON COLLINS: IT’S A SITUATION MANY OF US FEAR.
NICK MICINSKI: OR... ALLOWED THEM TO CHOOSE ME.
RON COLLINS: SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A BALLROOM OF OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE
[ APPLAUSE ] AND CAMERAS.
NICK MICINSKI: OH YEAH, IT’S A PASSION OF MINE
RON COLLINS: BUT NICK TAKES IT IN STRIDE BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT HES TALKING ABOUT
NICK MICINSKI: WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO STUDY ABROAD, RIGHT? I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT STUDY ABROAD.
RON COLLINS: NICK IS A WORLD TRAVELER, AND HE'S PASSING ALONG HIS EXPERIENCES TO POTENTIAL MICHIGAN STATE STUDENTS.
NICK MICINSKI: WERE THE CLASSICAL THEORISTS REALLY RIGHT ABOUT HUMAN NATURE?
I’M TELLING A COUPLE STORIES ABOUT MY STUDY ABROAD.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS THE HUMMAS AS GOOD IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS IT IS IN EAST LANSING?
[ LAUGHTER ]
RON COLLINS: SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCES MAY BE FUNNY
NICK MICINSKI: I ACTUALLY BROKE MY ARM INSIDE THE SECOND PYRAMID.
I MISSED A STEP AND LANDED RIGHT ON MY ELBOW.
I HAD MY PHOTO TAKEN WITH THE DOCTORS AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE I HAD TO DOCUMENT IT.
RON COLLINS: BUT HE'S SHOWING THESE STUDENTS ONE OF THE GREAT REASONS TO COME TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY -- THE CHANCE TO STUDY ABROAD.
NICK MICINSKI: YES, I GET THE BADGE. I AM A WORLD TRAVELER.
RON COLLINS: AND NICK HAS MANY UNIQUE STORIES TO TELL.
NICK MICINSKI: IT WAS COOL TO DO RIDING THE CAMEL AND ALL THAT.
IT WAS THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE SADDLE I'VE EVER SAT ON.
PETRA, JORDAN, IS WHERE "INDIANA JONES" WAS FILMED.
AND THIS IS ME PRETENDING TO BE INDIANA JONES.
[ POINTS TO A PICTURE OF HIM HANGING FROM ROCK ]
IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE TO BE WALKING DOWN THE STREET...
...WEDDING PARTY WAITING ON THE SIDEWALK.
WE INTRODUCED OURSELVES TO THE FATHER.
SAW THIS CAR COVERED IN FLOWERS ON THE SIDE, AND SO YOU CAN'T WALK BY THERE AND NOT GET INTERESTED.
I GOT TO MEET THE BRIDE AND GROOM AND ENDED UP IN THEIR WEDDING PHOTOS, AND WE WERE AT THEIR WEDDING RECEPTION.
[ LAUGHTER ]
NICK MICINSKI: GOT THERE BEFORE THE BRIDE AND GROOM, AND ALL THE FAMILY WAS OUTSIDE, AND WHEN THE BRIDE AND GROOM CAME UP, THE BAND STARTED PLAYING.
[ REGIONAL MUSIC PLAYING ]
NICK MICINSKI: THE DRUM WAS REALLY POWERFUL.
YOU COULD FEEL THAT, KIND OF, PUSHING AND STUFF.
[ MUSIC CONTINUES ]
NICK MICINSKI: AND THEN THE FATHER PUSHES BOTH ME AND MY FRIEND WHO WERE THERE INTO THE CENTER OF THE CROWD.
[ MUSIC CONTINUES ]
I WAS ABLE TO CELEBRATE WITH THEM BECAUSE I HAD LEARNED THE LANGUAGE AND MADE REAL FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE.
RON COLLINS: NICK GOT THE CHANCE TO VISIT ANCIENT WORLDS.
NICK MICINSKI: I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WORLD? [ VOCALIZING ] I GOT THIS AMAZING SCHOLARSHIP THAT REQUIRED GOING TO AT LEAST FIVE COUNTRIES, HITTING THREE CONTINENTS IN AT LEAST 10 WEEKS.
RON COLLINS: HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLIMB MOUNT SINIAI.
NICK MICINSKI: SO WE STARTED CLIMBING AT MIDNIGHT, PITCH DARK. FINALLY GOT TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AT LIKE THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND SLEPT JUST ON THE ROCKS FOR TWO HOURS BEFORE THE SUN ROSE.
IT WAS AMAZING.
RON COLLINS: AND HE HAD A LOT OF FUN ALONG THE WAY.
NICK MICINSKI: ANOTHER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GOT TO DO WAS GO SAND BOARDING.
WE PULLED OUT A SAND BOARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, WENT CRUISING DOWN THE DUNE AND THEM UM, ALL OF MY FRIENDS FROM THE TOP SAID ‘DON’T FALL, HE HAS A BROKEN ARM’ [ LAUGHTER ]
RON COLLINS: NICK'S ADVENTURE IS ONE OF MANY.
MONICA MUKERJEE, WORLD TRAVELER: WHERE DID I GO? OH, I WENT TO INDIA.
RON COLLINS: MONICA MUKERJEE HAS ALSO STUDIED ABROAD IN INDIA.
MONICA MUKERJEE: I THINK A LOT MORE PEOPLE FIND THEIR CAREERS TO BE GLOBAL NOW.
RON COLLINS: SHE IS ALSO SPEAKING HERE IN FRONT OF THESE STUDENTS.
[ NICK AND MONICA TALKING TOGETHER ]
RON COLLINS: THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCES MAY BE THE REASON WHY SHE AND NICK GET ALONG SO WELL.
NICK MICINSKI: TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR TRIP.
MONICA MUKERJEE: WHAT? TO INDIA?
NICK MINCINSKI: YEAH.
RON COLLINS: OH, AND I FORGOT TO TELL YOU -- THEY'RE ENGAGED.
MAN: WHEN'S THE BIG DAY?
MONICA MUKERJEE: AUGUST 16th.
RON COLLINS: THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET UP WITH EACH OTHER IN INDIA, WHERE MONICA WAS STUDYING.
NICK MICINSKI: MEETING UP WITH HER IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE AND GETTING TO EXPERIENCE BUT KNOW EACH OTHER MORE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE IS VERY POWERFUL.
RON COLLINS: THEY PLAN TO KEEP UP THEIR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES AFTER THE WEDDING.
MONICA MUKERJEE: HE’S COMING ON MY … SCHOLARSHIP.
RON COLLINS: THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF TRAVELING AND STUDYING ABROAD -- YOU GAIN EXPERIENCES THAT YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE FOUND OTHERWISE AND YOU MEET PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME IDEALS.
NICK MICINSKI: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES ABROAD THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR WORLD VIEWS.
RON COLLINS: THAT'S THE MESSAGE NICK AND MONICA WANT THESE STUDENTS TO TAKE WITH THEM.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THEY EVER THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE.
NICK MICINSKI: I AM REALLY PROUD OF MY EXPERIENCES, AND ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
RON COLLINS: TO SEE MORE ABOUT NICK'S WORLD TRAVELS, VISIT HIS WEBSITE AT... nickofarabia.blogspot.com AND nickmicinski.blogspot.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MSU's STUDY-ABROAD PROGRAMS, GO TO studyabroad.msu.edu.
THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EPISODE OF "MSU TODAY.”
IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR STORY IDEAS, PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL TO... comments@ur.msu.edu
AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THESE STORIES BY SEARCHING OUR MAIN WEBSITE... www.msu.edu
THANKS FOR WATCHING "MSU TODAY," AND REMEMBER -- GO GREEN. [ MUSIC ]
Announcer: THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG TEN NETWORK.
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