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We hope your summer has brought you moments of rest, connection, and reflection. We know this season looks different for everyone, and we want you to know that you're an important part of our community. As alumni, your experiences and insights continue to shape and strengthen the Briggs network in meaningful ways.
As we look ahead to the upcoming academic year, we’re excited to share impactful ways you can support our students. Whether through mentoring, virtual panels, or mock interviews, your presence and perspective continue to inspire the next generation of Briggsies.
Take a look below to celebrate recent awards and accomplishments from the Briggs community and see what exciting opportunities lie ahead this fall.
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Jessie Pung
Senior Director of Development
Jessie is no stranger to the Big Ten; she most recently served as Senior Director of Development for Major Gifts, Events, and Stewardship in Athletics at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. Over the past three years at Wisconsin, she has raised more than $42 million, including a $20 million gift in the most recent fiscal year. We are excited to have her join the team overseeing both Natural Science and LBC!
| | | Medical School Mock Interviewers | | |
With the med school application cycle well under way, our students are preparing for the next phase: Interviews! Help our Briggsies prepare for their interviews this fall by volunteering to coach them on strategies for general and multiple mini interviews during our Med School Prep Program: Mock Interview Session.
Please Note: We are looking for medical students or medical school graduates.
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This upcoming Fall Semester we are seeking alumni interested in speaking on various panels exploring topics related to their STEM fields. We hope our panelists will represent a diverse range of career journeys.
Would you consider how you could enlighten the next generation of Briggsies by sharing your story?
| | | Are you interested in connecting 1:1 with Briggs students virtually? This upcoming fall, we are hosting Briggs Career Chats where students chat with several alumni for 15-minute sessions, discussing career aspirations and goals. We are looking for alumni from many different industries, however capacity is limited for each session. Sign up before it fills up! | | |
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Joe Schroeter, 2007
From Holmes Hall to leading-edge biotech, Joe’s journey has taken him from R&D labs to over a million miles of global travel—and now to the CEO seat at a company using AI and genomics to fight emerging pathogens.
Read more about how he’s blending science, business, and innovation.
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Jay Pendergrass, 1976
Jay’s passion for photography began during his sophomore year while studying abroad in England. Inspired by the creativity Briggs fostered, he and his spouse, Carol, established the John A. Pendergrass III Creativity Fund to support innovation across science, technology, engineering, math, and the communication of science. Jay is shown here with a couple of his own works.
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Ella Werre, 2025
Lyman Briggs College alumna Ella Werre, who graduated with a degree in astrophysics in spring 2025, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Award. This opportunity will allow her to conduct research in Italy, focusing on the existence of intermediate-mass black holes. Her project aims to enhance our understanding of these cosmic phenomena, contributing significantly to the field of astrophysics. Read the full story here!
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From Campus to Conferences: Briggsies Share Their Research
Through a variety of funding sources, Lyman Briggs has been able to directly support undergraduate research experiences. This includes contributions from the College, the MSU Provost's Office, several smaller endowed accounts, and a number of generous donors to whom we are incredibly grateful. Additionally, 12 students received travel grants to attend conferences and present their research, which helped them develop valuable professional skills.
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Explore the Impact of Meaningful Student Internships
Jess Watley, a former STEM ambassador for Argonne National Laboratory focused her research on the investigation of the effects of solar infrastructure on milkweed availability, the primary host plant for monarchs.
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University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum
28 Briggsies won first-place awards in their respective categories at the University Undergraduate Research & Arts Forum. Congratulations to all who were honored at the UURAF Awards Ceremony. To learn more about the LBC winners and their research, visit below.
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LBC Research Showcase
On February 18, Lyman Briggs students unveiled their exceptional independent and honors research at the 18th Annual Research Showcase. Spanning diverse fields and ideas, their projects highlighted creativity, intellectual curiosity, and dedication. Special thanks to the MSU Federal Credit Union for sponsoring the evening.
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Briggs Career Chats
Several times each semester, Lyman Briggs alumni join us virtually to share their career journeys with current students. These candid conversations highlight the many paths a science degree can take and remind students that there’s rarely just one “right” route to a dream job. The series has been a resounding success, fostering meaningful connections and inspiring the next generation of Briggs graduates.
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LBC Donor Luncheon
On April 17, we welcomed donors, alumni, and friends back to campus for our annual Lyman Briggs Donor Luncheon at the Wharton Center. Guests enjoyed connecting over lunch, hearing exciting college updates, and engaging with student research. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the generosity that fuels student success and to share the vibrant energy of the Briggs community. Check out some photos from the day here.
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Commencement
On May 4, we gathered at the Breslin Student Events Center to celebrate the Class of 2025 as they embarked on exciting new beginnings. Joseph Kesto delivered an inspiring student commencement address, and we were honored to welcome distinguished alum Paraj Mandrekar, M.S. ’93, as our keynote speaker.
Check out additional award recipients and the recording here!
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| LETS CELEBRATE! | Student Awards | | |
Congratulations to Emma Knott who first place in the MLK Advancing Inclusion through Research, competition! Her project was called "The Flint Water Crisis: Race, Governance, and the Birth of a Local Environmentalism." Dr. Ellie Louson, reflects on Knott's work: "While researching the Flint Water Crisis, Emma made strong connections to its health impacts, locals’ perceptions of and confidence in the safety of their natural environment, and the broader challenges and history of environmental racism in Michigan. Her work describing the Flint community’s demand for environmental justice was a thorough and engaging response to our senior seminar topic of the contested meanings of and approaches to nature."
Congratulations to our outstanding Briggsies honored with the MSU Board of Trustees Award for maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA! Out of 275 awards given this past spring, an impressive 47 went to Lyman Briggs students — nearly one in five recipients. We’re proud to celebrate our graduates who achieved this remarkable distinction.
| | LETS CELEBRATE! | LBC Faculty Notes | | |
Congratulations to Dr. Samantha Cass for receiving the Michigan State University Distinguished Academic Staff Award at the All-University Awards ceremony. A teaching professor of chemistry in Lyman Briggs since 2009, Cass has taught first-years through seniors in introductory chemistry and quantitative reasoning classes and senior seminars.
Congratulations to Kevin Elliot, professor of philosophy and member of the Lyman Briggs College Science and Society faculty group, who was promoted to Red Cedar Distinguished Professor on March 1, 2025. This title is awarded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Office of the Provost and is intended to recognize outstanding faculty who enhance the stature of MSU’s intellectual work to national and global prominence.
| | Looking for career support? | | In an effort to better support alumni in career transition, the MSU Career Services Network is making career resources more widely available to MSU alumni including access to events, career fairs, and job postings. We can connect you with resources like Handshake for job postings, career fairs, and advising appointments. To get started please reach out to LBCareer@msu.edu. Your experiences and insights will also help inform future programs and initiatives designed to support our Briggs community. | | |
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