Welcome Back Broncos!

After two years, Bronco Bash returned in person as a kick off to the school year and a celebration of WMU pride. We loved getting to meet the newest members of our campus community and reconnect with old friends! 

With the start of the new school year we are excited to welcome all of our new subscribers to the Bronco Advocacy Network. The Office of Government Relations and Community Partnerships uses this newsletter as a way to keep campus and community members up to date with what we are working on and provides the latest news from our local, state and federal government impacting WMU. This monthly digest is just a sneak peek into everything we do as WMU's lobbyists and community advocates. Are you interested in learning more about what we do? Visit our website, follow us on twitter, or stop by our office and say hello!

U.S. Representative Fred Upton and Senator Debbie Stabenow Visit WMU

An Estimated 148,000 Michiganders May Qualify to Have Student Loans Forgiven Under Federal Program

LANSING, Mich. -- Governor Gretchen Whitmer is encouraging Michiganders working in public service to review the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to see if they qualify for federal student loan relief no later than October 31, 2022. Thousands have already utilized the program to pay off their debt, and over 148,000 more Michiganders may be eligible due to the recent PSLF waiver. 

“I’m grateful to the countless, dedicated public servants across Michigan that spend their days making our state a better place to live. Whether you are a service member, firefighter, health professional, teacher, social worker, librarian–-the list goes on—thank you for your service,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Tens of thousands of Michiganders may qualify for this loan forgiveness program, which will help ease the burden of student debt and put money back in people’s pockets. I encourage Michiganders to review the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and see if they are eligible to have their remaining student loan debt forgiven.” Read the full release from the State of Michigan here. 

Did you miss We Talk's summer program with

U.S. Reps. Fred Upton and Debbie Dingell? 

You're in luck! Their full conversation on collegiality in politics with President Montgomery is now available. Hear these two great Michiganders and national leaders discuss how they have found compromise, and even friendship, working across the aisle in Congress, and their belief that we all can benefit from engaging with one another to overcome our differences.

What's Next from We Talk?

Constitution Day Celebration

We Talk is excited to partner with the WMU Departments of History and Political Science for this year's Constitution Day Celebration on Monday, September 19! RSVP here

6 p.m. Constitution Trivia with We Talk & WSA

7 p.m. Transatlantic Justice in Early America

A talk by Dr. Sally Hadden, WMU Dept. of History

Restitching the Fabric of our Democracy: Eboo Patel and Manu Meel

The founding leaders of Interfaith America, author Eboo Patel, and BridgeUSA, Manu Meel, are coming to campus Oct. 5 and 6 to share how their organizations work with institutions and individuals to build a more diverse and just democracy.

Interfaith America's mission is to inspire, equip, and connect leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. BridgeUSA, a youth-led nonprofit, creates spaces on high school and college campuses for open discussion between students about political issues. 

Details of their visit are being finalized now, RSVP today for the Student Pizza Party with Manu Meel 

Thank you for taking One Small Step!

We are so proud to share that more than 105 people from the WMU and Kalamazoo community signed up to take One Small Step against political polarization. The StoryCorps team will be in Kalamazoo later this month to record 15 conversations from our pool of applicants. If you are not chosen for one of our slots, you will be automatically entered into the national pool for a future conversation. Thank you so much to everyone who signed up and supported this effort!

BAN: What drew you to WMU and what degree did you obtain?

MB: “Growing up, my family didn’t have the means to cover my tuition. WMU was close to home, which allowed me to continue working while attending classes at a world class university. Having friends and family attend prior to my enrollment made the campus feel familiar and comfortable. After having several great professors in some of my political science classes, I chose to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in that field.”

BAN: How do you use/apply the skills you gained through your education at WMU in your professional life?

MB: “Simply put, the internship I obtained with the help of Dr. David Houghton at WMU truly changed my life and set me on a course that I couldn’t have ever imagined coming from my small town of Bronson, Michigan. It was one of a couple of fortuitous instances in my career that, sometimes I still look back on, and just feel so incredibly thankful to have experienced. I often think about the choices we make and the opportunities that present themselves along our journey that set you on your path – my internship started it all. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that opportunity, and I am forever grateful.”

BAN: Any other advice or thoughts you want to share with our readers?

MB: “Get involved, be a critical thinker, read stories beyond the headline and twitter feeds, get to know those that represent you and advocate for WMU!”