President Vincente Fox of Mexico might drop by MSU during an upcoming visit to Michigan in June, MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said.

A convocation ceremony and reception would be held at Wharton Center, where he would receive an honorary degree.

Fox's visit would coincide with a trip to the state and Denbow said any appearance at MSU would depend on the president's schedule, so no final decisions have been made yet.

"It's a possibility and we don't even know if it's a probability," Denbow said. "If it does come to fruition, we need to be prepared."

The Institutional Revolutionary Party's 71-year reign ended when Fox took control of Mexico in July 2000. His inauguration was the first peaceful Mexican transfer of power. Fox has been working steadily to improve Mexico's economy, with help from his relationship with President George W. Bush.

Veronica Madrid, of the predominantly Latino parish Cristo Rey Church, 201 W. Miller Road in Lansing, is of Mexican descent and moved to the United States in 1985. She said it was hard for Fox to clean up the mess the old regime left him.

"There are problems in Mexico that can't be solved in one or two years - it will take decades over there," Madrid said. "The people suffered the consequences of the government's corruption with all the other past presidents. I think he's a better person."

The state of Michigan has always attracted Mexico because of the agricultural job opportunities, said Israel Cuellar of Julian Samora Research Institute at MSU. The institute is a research center for Latino studies.

"He's trying to make things easier for many Mexicans to come to the U.S. to work," Cuellar said. "Although, he is also trying to improve conditions in Mexico itself, so Mexicans won't have to leave and find work over here."

Staff writer Elizabeth Piet contributed to this report.