Swimming and diving senior captain David Zoltowski is a finalist for academic scholarship, with several others under his belt

David Zoltowski Named Finalist For Rhodes Scholarship Senior captain advances in the pursuit of two prestigious scholarships. EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State swimming and diving senior David Zoltowski has been named a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. The Spartan captain is trying to become the 17th Michigan State student to be honored with the prestigious scholarship and the first Spartan student-athlete to be honored since Molly Brennan in 1982. The Rhodes Trust is the oldest of the major international competitive award foundations. MSU has produced 16 Rhodes Scholars since 1903. The Rhodes trust gives 32 undergraduates the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in England. Zoltowski will head to Indianapolis, Indiana later this month to interview for the scholarship. ?I?m very excited,? said Zoltowski. ?I?ve been waiting to hear about this for a long time. I?m really excited to prepare further and go to Indianapolis to interview. I?d like to thank head coach Matt Gianiodis, Ashley Green from the scholarships office, and Jim Pignataro, among others. It would be too much to list everyone I would like to thank.? A native of West Lafayette, Indiana, Zoltowski is a Big Ten Distinguished Big Ten Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection. He is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Eta Kappa Nu and an Honors Times Two mentor. The electrical engineering major works with an MSU professor conducting research using advance signal processing tools to study the functional connectivity networks of the human brain. ?I chose Michigan State because Coach Gianiodis gave me an opportunity to swim in the Big Ten Conference,? said Zoltowski. ?I majored in engineering because of the important skills the major develops. I?m studying the brain as an application to my research because I find it very interesting and want to learn more about developmental disorders.? After he graduates from Michigan State, he plans to pursue a doctoral degree in electrical engineering, conducting research combining electrical engineering and neuroscience to advance the knowledge of the brain. Earlier this week, Zoltowski was nominated for the Churchill Scholarship. The Winston Churchill Foundation?s Scholarship program was established in 1959. The scholarship gives 14 American students a chance to pursue a degree in engineering, mathematics, or the science in Churchill College at the University of Cambridge. Zoltowski is looking to become Michigan State University?s 17th Churchill Scholar. ?I have never been more proud about anything here at Michigan State,? said Gianiodis. ?This is fantastic, it is great for the university. I think it speaks volumes for our academic programs here at Michigan State. From an administrative standpoint, from an athletics standpoint, everything about this University I think is fantastic. I think David has a good chance of getting it too. He is without question the hardest worker we have ever had here in my 18 years at Michigan State. He is fully without question deserving of this honor. No one has worked harder to get something like this and it has been truly earned.? ?David is a proven leader and scholar,? said student-athlete support services director Jim Pignataro. ?He has exemplified the true meaning of the term student-athlete. We continue to celebrate his academic accomplishments, and are in awe of his commitment to his research and the sport of swimming.? In March, Zoltowski became the 36th MSU recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. He was also awarded the MSU Honors College National Scholarship, Walter R. Yates Memorial Scholarship and Arthur J. Harris Memorial Scholarship. A multi-event swimmer for the Spartans, Zoltowski competes in the 200 and 400 individual medley, 200 backstroke, 200 butterfly 500 and 1000 freestyle. This season against Iowa, he posted a career-best time in the 1000 freestyle, with a time of 9:36.94. He finished a career-best 34th overall in the 200 butterfly at the 2013 Big Ten Championships, swimming a personal-best time of 1:53.10. Zoltowski also posted a career-best time of 3:59.69 to place 35th in the 400 individual medley, which is the eighth-fastest time at Michigan State.

100 East Lansing School District teachers, students, parents protest teachers' expired contracts

Their contracts expired, but they are still working. Hundreds of East Lansing teachers have been working without a contract since July 1 , the date of expiration.

For MSU graduate and veteran, appreciation is a new thing

“The hippies went around and collected garbage from the restaurants, slop,” he said. “Rotten vegetables and grease, and they poured it on us as we came back.”

At retirement home on veterans day, ROTC cadets honor veterans

For Chuck Willems, Korean War veteran, sharing experiences with MSU Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets is just another way to help them understand the gravity of the responsibilities of service.

ROTC cadets perform flag-folding veterans day ceremony

Members from the Army and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps recited the creeds of their respective branches, and animal science sophomore Hannah Piper read the St. Crispin’s Day Speech from William Shakespeare’s play “Henry V.”

In the business of raising money, MSU is 'playing catch-up'

MSU's Office of Advancement is a well-oiled fundraising machine. A recently announced capital campaign seeks to raise $1.5 billion. With continued cuts to state higher education funding, officials emphasize there is a greater need for private donations.

MSU sophomore breeds and raises pet snakes

They’re not needy. They don’t give a shit if I pick them up or not They’re great wingmen and wing ladies. I get attention and phone numbers. I walked into American Apparel with this girl around me to pull a prank on the cashier I was hoping to catch a clerk that’s not paying attention, writing some papers, and then she’d look up and see a snake and maybe shit herself First of all, you normally isolate the snakes.They’re non-communal, they don’t like to live together You put the male and female in the same enclosure briefly and wait for them to link up

Media coverage of Ebola virus in America spreads unnecessary panic

B efore American mainstream media outlets move on to whatever the next piece of news they can create more hysteria with, I have something to say about their fear-mongering coverage of the Ebola epidemic.

Perles' re-election decision irresponsible

Despite loss against Ohio State, MSU still has goals to accomplish this season

The mood was different this week when Mark Dantonio stepped up to the podium for his weekly press conference, following No. 12 MSU’s (7-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) 49-37 loss to No. 8 Ohio State (8-1 overall, 5-0 Big Ten).

Volleyball will look to make up for winless weekend against Nebraska on Wednesday

The volleyball team will have a chance to avenge a tough loss from earlier in the season Wednesday night.

Field hockey couldn't match 2013 season, but players still satisfied with overall outcome

Coming into the 2014 season, MSU field hockey (10-9, 4-4 Big Ten)had high hopes.

HopCat offering free meals to veterans Tuesday

This offer includes any choice of entrée, salad, or sandwich along with a soft drink, but proof of military service is required.

Church services now being held weekly at The Loft in Lansing

Mark Hollis considering heating the student section in Spartan Stadium

The MSU student section has been under fire this season for poor attendance at home football games, and athletic director Mark Hollis is searching for a solution. Before Saturday’s game against Ohio State, Hollis told ABC 57 that he is looking into the possibility of heating the student section at Spartan Stadium. Hollis previously displayed disappointment in the student section after fans had emptied the section by the end of the Nebraska game.

LGBT community at MSU remains hopeful, despite federal court upholding Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage

Members of the LGBT community in Michigan were dealt a blow to their hopes for marriage equality last week when a federal court upheld the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. But the LGBT community on campus is remaining optimistic, hoping that the issue is not far from — finally — being settled across the country. “While this is unfortunate news for the citizens that live in the affected states, the hopeful side of this is that the Supreme Court will have no way to dodge marriage equality as an issue any longer,” said Alex Lange, Assistant Director at MSU’s LBGT Resource Center. The U.S.

BWL to put digital utility meters in more than 100 East Lansing houses

Lansing Board of Water & Light  will launch on Nov. 24  a pilot project that will integrate digital meters in more than 100 houses in East Lansing.

Spartans serve

For student veterans, adjusting to campus life can be difficult. Luckily, there is a variety of resources available for those who have served, and some Spartans are taking the step to help situate other veterans in the area. 

MSU professor balances law and passion for poetry

Brian Gilmore; Author of We Didn’t Know Any Gangsters (Third Collection of his poetry); MSU Professor of Law since 2010 When I got to college that’s when I wanted to write poetry. "I have always been interested in words, but really it was this teacher who said nice things about my writing and said it might be something I want to try. That's why I do what I do." “When I got done with this advocacy work, I realized I didn’t want to just write, but I wanted to be a citizen. I wanted to help out and actually try to make change and involve myself in this process.” “Music is really important for what I do,” he said. “Poets always say poetry is like music itself. We say the words are on the page and on the stage.” "I really have a great love for words," he said. "It’s hard to say what’s the best about writing other than knowing that people saw your work and appreciate your dedication to art; there’s a lot to say about that." “The message is the whole notion of loss of community. To a certain degree, I feel like a lot of cities have lost that sense of community where you had a family, but your larger family was within the neighborhood.” New book is more of a personal collection than my first two...my first book was more political and cultural related and the second book was about Jazz, Duke Ellington band This is more personal about growing up, my parents lives, neighborhood etc. “There’s something about growing up in D.C. It was a lot of fun, but it was also very mischievous kind of living. I think all writing is personal, there’s just degrees to it. I started this book many years ago and then got interrupted and started writing some other stuff (fiction, nonfiction, did some freelance journalism) Always said I would come back to it and finish it Went to Frostburg State College In the first book....I became a student activist; a big issue in my time was Nelson Mandela and South Africa; really big issues when I was in college, and a lot of us were involved in that It was an experience that I think shaped me in a lot of ways...being from DC from the urban setting I’ve been influenced by a lot of different things like music (jazz and African American music forms) It’s interesting because poetry is different...publishing houses don’t publish that much poetry (go through the small presses) Publishers might extend you an invitation...sent manuscript to this place in Maryland (knew someone there) Manuscript had been rejected a few times...this was the last shot! “I did say that”....Wayne State had strong interest in it but then at the last second they passed on it It must have been rejected about a dozen times by different contests and presses...mostly small presses I was just going to move on and do different writing projects Progressive Media Project...write on any topic you want and they take it if they want...election, abortion, anything Doing that for about 11 years...out of Wisconsin, affiliated with the Progressive magazine (more drawn to the historical/cultural pieces, things like that...did a piece on Maya Angelou, poverty, etc.) Used to do a lot of freelance journalism, wrote for the progressive, wrote for the Washington Post a few times, used to review new books for the Post, write for small weeklies in D.C. My law comes out of my student activism. I went towards law because of my desire to be an advocate on issues and it took off from there. Got to MSU in 2010...Howard University studying law and got recruited out here His first book is more cultural and politics of music and society Always been influenced by music...his brother has the most influence (musician), parents listened to a lot of jazz (Duke Ellington and Miles Davis), my brother listened to a lot of funk, R&B soul music, in the city.... it was a big deal Still doing some poetry every now and then...get invited to talk at law schools to talk about issues Go back to DC he goes to talk to class...American University talking to students interested in writing Social and political policy work right now, as well as short stories.... there’s always the “next” project and you are always a little bit ahead of yourself The big thing was divestment movement...trying to get universities to divest their assets from South African government and stop dealing with SA...students organized around that...long tradition of student activism This is what really drove me to law school, I wanted to be able to write, but also be involved

MSU student and war veteran uses yoga to cope with PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t a problem too many students here at MSU face. But for professional writing senior Logan Stark, he knows it all too well.