They also talk with MSU economics professor Charles Ballard about the state of the Michigan and U.S. economies and with MSU Alumni Association Executive Director Scott Westerman about social media and how Westerman is transforming MSUAA into a world-class service organization.

Jim Peck shares a Spartan Saga on MSU University Distinguished Professor Terrie Taylor and her work to eliminate the scourge of malaria in the southern African nation of Malawi. MSU student Emily Fox shares a piece on the Creative Film Alliance, too.

Hear the Show 52:57 – 60.6 mb mp3

Ron talks about a recent report from the National Resources Defense Council.

“The report says that 14 states and about 1,000 counties will be using more water than they currently have by the middle of the century and be facing a water crisis,” Dzwonkowski says. “ And here we sit in the middle of the world’s biggest supply of fresh water, and that concerns me.

“I worry that they’re going to be coming after our water.”

Dzwonkowski would like to see Michigan position itself to take advantage of its great water resource in the face of declining political clout due to declining population.

“Where I think Michigan and the Great Lakes states do best to defend the water is to develop an economy here that’s based on water and attracts employers who need water to operate their businesses,” he says. “Michigan is also a great place to become the world’s laboratory for water conservation, which will be in demand around the world.”

Hosted by Kirk Heinze.

Hear the Conversation 21:19 – 12.2 mb mp3

“The U.S economy isn’t great today,” says Ballard. “But we’re a lot better off than we were in the Fall of ’08 and Winter of ’09, which was pretty scary.

“Without President Obama and Congress opening up things through the stimulus package, this could have been a 1930’s style depression.”

Jobs, of course, are key to any recovery.

“It’ll take a couple years, though, to get the employment levels back to where they were when the recession started more than two-and-a-half years ago. And I don’t see a set of policies out there that can turn it around quickly.”

Ballard feels that our Michigan spirit is important, too.

“The rest of the world often doesn’t know about all the good things in Michigan,” says Ballard. “The lakes, the beautiful landscapes, the universities, the people – we need to keep reminding ourselves and the rest of the world that this is a good place.

“We’ve had some tough times, but we’ve been through tougher times before. We’ve weathered them before, and we’ll get through this, too.”

Hosted by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis.

Hear the Conversation 18:59 – 10.9 mb mp3

“The alumni association is the original social network,” says Westerman. “We talk a lot about the importance of Facebook and Twitter, but in reality it’s still about those face-to-face connections.

“In the old days, social media was a tailgate party when people would come back to campus for Homecoming or a football game and they would talk face-to-face and the instant connection was a long-distance telephone call. Now our networks are incredibly diverse, but it still comes back to MSU and the relationships you develop here.”

Westerman says one of the things that makes MSU unique and the alumni association special is the network of nearly a half million Spartans around the world.

“If you call a Spartan and say you’re a Spartan, they’ll take your phone call.”

Westerman is passionate about MSU and its impact on the world.

“The real magic about MSU is our world grant mission to make the world a better place,” says Westerman. “MSU touches people in so many ways, and it’s such a positive for our state that MSU is around and involved.

“I think the next big idea will be envisioned in Spartan hearts, designed in Spartan minds, built by Spartan hands, and the next great chapter in the American dream will be written at Michigan State University!”

Hosted by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis.

Hear the Conversation 23:07 – 13.2 mb mp3

“It’s not just for students, but for anyone in the community,” says program director Bryan Ritchie, a professor in MSU’s James Madison College and co-director of the Michigan Center for Innovation and Economic Prosperity. “This program itself is entrepreneurial. We don’t have a new center –– we are linking existing centers, courses, faculty and students into a flat organizational structure and network, connecting MSU and community service providers and firms into a just-in-time access point.”

Students also now can seek funding up to $5,000 to take such experiential learning from idea to prototype, thanks in large measure to a $600,000 endowment from the Gerstacker Foundation.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 6:41 – 3.8 mb mp3

Simon often says that being green is in MSU’s DNA. This fall, MSU launches a specialization in sustainability studies that will bring together students from various majors and backgrounds.

“We don’t see sustainability as a separate set of skills that you put as a separate major,” Simon says. “But if we can grow the number of students who understand these issues at a very complex level and then can use their deep content knowledge to be able to think about those issues in their employment context and in their community, we believe they have a better chance of finding those complex solutions.

“Part of what we have done in all of our programs is try to imbue cutting edge science and to put that in the context of how best to implement public policy and you have to put the two of those together in order to address sustainability,” Simon says.

“Students today have to live with the consequences of the world we’ve created; they really do understand that,” says Simon. “And they don’t see those consequences necessarily as ones that create prosperity.

Hosted by Kirk Heinze.

Hear the Conversation 19:15 – 11 mb mp3

“Sitting in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl Parade and hearing the Spartan Marching Band in the distance and seeing them led by Walter Adams as they get closer was a great moment,” says Denbow. “There are so many events and moments, but the heart and soul of any university is its faculty. Working with so many esteemed men and women is what I’ll remember most.”

Denbow says MSU plays an important role for the world.

“This university’s contributions to and impact on society are second to none,” says Denbow. “MSU, more than any institution with which I’m familiar, applies knowledge to serve society.”

Denbow reflects on how public relations and journalism have changed over the years and talks about the challenges facing higher education.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 17:30 – 10.1 mb mp3

“The evolution to digital marketing and public relations was very natural,” says Mehraban. “We’re packaging information differently because people are getting their information differently.”

Ingenex delivers marketing solutions for a digital world by focusing producing results through social media marketing, web design, SEO, SEM, internet marketing, digital public relations, and web analytics.

The New Media Driver’s License course “is for any student who wants to learn to be digitally savvy,” says Mehraban. “We’re empowering students to get jobs or become more valuable at their current jobs because they can put these skills to use for companies right away.”

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 14:34 – 8.3 mb mp3

“We provide career services to 420,000 MSU alumni,” Hill says. “We’re there when Spartans are looking for help on resumes, cover letter critiques, effective interviewing tips, or help connecting with networks or companies.

“We do one-to-one career counseling and help you develop your career search strategy – essentially anything you’d go to a career coach for, and we do it for free for all of our alumni.”

Hill and his team have identified four key affiliations that help people land jobs.

“Number one is friends and family followed by university affiliations, shared work experiences and board and community work associations.”

Hill’s key job search tips start with following one’s passion.

“That will take care of a lot of ills if you can get into a position that you love,” Hill says. “And you have to network. That means connecting with people who have shared interests who are more likely to help you out.”

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 10:22 – 5.9 mb mp3