For Conner Holguin, Michigan State wasn't just another college choice – it was an extension of the community she called home. Now a James Madison College senior, Holguin is helping other Lansing students discover their own path to higher education at MSU.
Holguin is a student recruitment coordinator who supports the Pre-Residential Immersive Madison Experience, a pre-college program for Lansing high school students. PRIME connects participants to a host of on-campus resources, with the overarching goal of encouraging more Lansing students to consider JMC and MSU.
“Knowing that I’m so deeply rooted in home and community here, I feel like I have a little bit of a leg up to start to welcome people on campus,” said Holguin. “This is my home. This is my community that I know very, very well. Let me bring you in and show you how some of the things work.”
As a member of JMC's recruitment team, Holguin visits local high schools throughout the year and seeks out students with interests that relate to college’s focus on public policy and international affairs. During these visits, Holguin works on building relationships and encouraging students to explore future possibilities at MSU.
These ongoing outreach efforts culminate in the PRIME Leadership Academy held each March, where high school students step beyond simple campus tours to experience college life firsthand.
The free, five-day program includes mock classes across James Madison College’s four majors, diversity and inclusion-related workshops, and opportunities to connect with faculty and current students. Participants also receive information about funding opportunities, including Lansing Promise, and qualify for JMC's PRIME Pre-College Scholarship by participating in the program. The week ends with a celebration that encourages participants to apply what they’ve learned to their future academic journeys.
Founded in 2022
Jahshua Smith, a specialist within JMC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, founded PRIME three years ago in response to data that showed Lansing students were graduating from high school at significantly lower rates than nearby districts. This motivated Smith to build a pre-college program that would encourage more Lansing students to consider college by connecting them to opportunities within JMC.
PRIME builds on the college's Early Start program, which supports first-generation students and others who may benefit from additional preparation before they begin their first semester at MSU.
“Data shows that the more students are aware of their options in college, the better they do when they actually matriculate,” said Smith. “If they come to MSU, they have a greater sense of what their classes may look like, how to ask for help, how to study. It gets their foot in the door and thinking ahead.”
The college hosted the first Leadership Academy in 2023 and JMC students have been a critical resource for PRIME since it began, explained Smith. Alumna Emily Hoyumpa (SRP ’24) helped design programming for the first Leadership Academy in 2023, while current students within JMC’s Office of Justice, Equity & Inclusion are supporting this year’s DEI components.
Smith and Holguin are working to expand the program this year, with hopes of reaching more students in nearby districts. The program is currently open to Ingham County high school students in any grade who are interested in exploring JMC.
Beyond Traditional Recruitment
Of the four high school seniors in last year's PRIME cohort, three chose to enroll at MSU, with Resma Rai becoming the first participant to join James Madison College.
During her early days on campus this fall, Rai had a meaningful connection that eased the transition – JMC faculty member Benjamin Lorch, whom she had met during the Leadership Academy, recognized her in the hallway and greeted her by name.
“A big highlight of PRIME was definitely the relationships and getting to know the professors,” said Rai. “Sometimes I see Professor Lorch in the hallway, and he’ll say, ‘Hello, Resma’ and that makes my day.”
This focus on relationships is an important part of how Holguin and Smith connect with Lansing students throughout the year. For both, it expands their work beyond traditional recruitment. They hope to encourage PRIME participants to find their place at JMC, but also within higher education more broadly, wherever that journey ends up taking them.
"We're creating a stronger bridge to college," Smith emphasized, "preparing students regardless of their background and helping them feel more connected to their academic journey."
This year’s PRIME Leadership Academy will be March 24-28, 2025. Ingham County high school students can learn more and apply online.