The Bailey Commons

What is The Bailey Commons?

Founded in 2025, The Bailey Commons is an undergraduate journal created to feature the work of students in Michigan State University’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program. The Bailey Commons will be published biannually, open-source, and will encompass the diverse and interdisciplinary work of our Bailey Scholars.

The Bailey Commons seeks to publish a wide array of work, ranging from literary works and artistic endeavors to both qualitative and quantitative academic research in engineering, biochemistry, and the social sciences. Examples of possible submissions include research papers, short stories, poetry, and digital art, among others. Our journal embraces interdisciplinary collaboration, aiming to reflect the rich diversity of our scholars’ talents and interests.

Submissions to The Bailey Commons are free of charge and will undergo a diligent peer-review process conducted by experts in the given field, including deans, professors, and past Bailey Scholars.

While The Bailey Commons is rooted in the Bailey Scholars community, its reach extends beyond. This journal aspires to become a platform that amplifies and celebrates the accomplishments of our community

Submission Guidelines for The Bailey Commons

We do not accept papers that have been previously published, nor if it is before another journal for consideration.

Citations:

This journal does not require a specific citation style, but each submission’s citations must be consistent, accurate, and appropriate to the standards of the relevant field. All submissions must utilize the Times New Roman font and 12-point font size.

Length Requirements:

There is no specific length requirement; however, reviewers may request adjustments based on the level of rigor necessary for a journal submission and the nature of other submissions. Submissions should be the typical length of similar work in your discipline.

What is the application process?

The application for submissions can be found linked as a qualtrics form. Please ensure the file is anonymous as you will provide your name/contact info separately in the form. You will be requested the following information in the application form:

Your name
The discipline of your submission
Your MSU email address
The type of work you will be submitting
Your file submission must be a docx document or a jpeg/pdf for figures and images

Questions:

If you have any further questions please contact our editors:

Dr. Sarah Prior: priorsar@msu.edu

Dustin Petty: pettydus@msu.edu

Editorial Board

Dr. Sarah Prior

My name is Sarah Prior, Ph.D. and I am an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director in the Sociology Department at Michigan State University. I am also the Director of the Bailey Scholars Program. I started at MSU in the Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen) and also taught in the Women’s and Gender Studies program at Eastern Michigan State University. Prior to joining MSU, I was a Lecturer in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Program at Northern Arizona University and a Faculty Associate in the Justice Studies Program as well as the Criminal Justice Program at Arizona State University.

I received a PhD in Justice Studies from The School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. Prior to my doctoral work I received a Master’s in Applied Sociology and a Master’s Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies from Northern Arizona University. I completed my undergraduate work in Sociology, Women’s Studies and History at Gonzaga University.

My research interests focus on gender based violence, sex and gender, and social inequality. My current work focuses specifically on issues related to campus sexual violence.

Dustin DuFort Petty:

Dustin DuFort Petty has been the Academic Advisor for the Bailey Scholars Program since 2013.

Dustin earned his BS from MSU in Agriculture & Natural Resources Communications and a specialization from Connected Learning from the Bailey Scholars Program. In 2019, Dustin earned his MA from MSU in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE). He worked for two years in Chicago for Chicago Public Schools, working with the 15,000+ population of homeless K-12 students as a Student Advocate. In addition to his work in education, he’s also co-authored two books, Michigan FFA: A Legacy of Great Lakes Leadership and The New Bullying.

When not working or studying, he can be found baking something, reading something, being a rebel snowflake or practicing genealogy. He is a nerd