Some students can't wait to explore the world once they graduate from college. Thirty-three years after his graduation from Michigan State University, Mike Jenkins says there is nothing better than coming home.
"To come back at the end of your career and take everything you have learned and try and put that to use to help your alma mater – and kind of pay it back for everything it taught you – is fun," said Jenkins, communications director for the dean's office of the College of Arts and Letters.
Jenkins' job responsibilities include handling internal and external communications for the college and its eight departments, as well as helping mentor his social media and graphic design interns.
"Being around all the students keeps you young," Jenkins said.
Jenkins admits mentoring the interns is not just a one-way street.
"[The students] are probably teaching me as much as I'm teaching them just because of the nature of the beast," he said of their tech expertise.
Jenkins and the rest of the college are in the midst of a busy year as they're hosting a number of events designed to promote the college's 50th anniversary. So far, the college has hosted a vintage fashion show, screened the film "Top Gun" and had a question-and-answer session with the movie's co-screenwriter and MSU alumnus Jack Epps and even added a new flavor of ice cream, "Arts and Letters Golden Apple," to the MSU Dairy Store.
Jenkins said one of the things he enjoys most about working within the College of Arts and Letters is the cohesiveness among the different units of the college.
"I think the teamwork within the dean’s office and within the college is great," he said. "Everyone is always very helpful so that we can make things better the next time."