Professional Master of Science in Food Safety Degree Program

Alumni Council invites you to be an “E-Pal”

We can all use support from time to time, especially while trying to get through school. Alumni and current students are being sought to become online pen pals, or "e-pals". This goal is for alumni to provide insight and support to a current student working to earn his or her degree, and for students to connect with someone who’s "been there, done that." shirley.jankowski@gmail.com or Trent Wakenight at wakenigh@msu.edu.

This effort is being coordinated by the Online MS Program Alumni Council and alumni who understand the value that support can bring while working to complete a degree. Participating alumni would be asked to contact their e-pal as least once per month by e-mail or in other ways. Sometimes just asking, "Hello - How ya’ doing?" is enough to get people through a tough stretch.

If you are an alumni or current student interested in participating, please send a note to alumna Shirley Jankowski at

New Alumni Council will support grads and students

In September, the Online MS Program established its first-ever Alumni Council to give support to alumni beyond graduation, enhance the degree-seeking experience for students, and to support the MS Program.

The Council will focus on issues such as mentoring, course and online conversation enrichment, development of the overall MS Program, the promotion of employment opportunities, and social activities. The basis for their work comes from a survey of alumni and students conducted in early 2008 that pointed toward these areas as priorities. Four alumni members are leading the Council: Jim Bradford, Shirley Jankowski, Derrick Payne, Michael Roberson and Anne Sherrod. The Alumni Council Coordinator is Trent Wakenight, with help from Communication and Marketing Coordinator Kristie Denbrock.