Two MSU alumni, Terese and John Hart, are working to foster conservation in the midst of armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Terese is currently the director of the Wildlife Conservation Societys (WCS) operations in the DRC, and her husband John heads up a major wildlife inventory and monitoring initiative in that country involving the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and several national parks.

In 2004, the MSU Federal Credit Union established a $2.5 million endowment for MSU study abroad scholarships. This endowment has greatly increased available scholarship funds for MSU students studying abroad. Forty-seven students were awarded scholarships to study abroad during winter break 2004-2005, spring semester 2005, and summer semester 2005. Below are the scholarship award recipients (with major, program, and destination) announced during the endowments second year.