MSU Spring Events, Activities and Courses Round-Up

We hope you and your family enjoy this round-up of events, activities and courses around campus.

Outside Activities

  • Get outside and hike the beautiful trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Additionally, check out their calendar of virtual events. 
  • The W. J. Beal Botanical Garden on campus is an outdoor laboratory for the study and appreciation of plants. If you follow the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden Facebook page, you’ll know that spring flowers have started to blossom. The garden is open for you to walk around and enjoy the plants in a beautiful setting, but please follow COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and stay safe. 

Art/Performance

  • The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum has a variety of current exhibitions that are free and open to the public with social distancing and enhanced safety measures in place, including daily limited spots available. Please reserve your free tickets here. Additionally, they are offering many interesting, free online events.
  • The Wharton Center is dedicated to sharing the power of the performing arts with the community by offering Wharton at Home activities for both adults and children.

Learning Opportunities

We hope you all will remain safe and healthy and continue to practice social distancing until we are able to see each other on campus again. In the meantime, wear a mask, wash your hands often, and enjoy these campus activities.

Winter Events Round-up: Virtual and Socially Distanced Campus Activities

Are you looking for socially distanced or virtual activities to attend in the coming weeks? From virtual performances to hiking trails, the following campus events will help keep you and your family entertained during the winter weeks ahead:

  1. The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum has four new exhibitions that are free and open to the public with social distancing and enhanced safety measures in place, including daily limited spots available. Please reserve your free tickets here.
  2. Hike the trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary! Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you make your way through the trails, which are opened during all four seasons. Additionally, check out their calendar of virtual events, including their upcoming Birds and Coffee Chat, Winter Twig Identification Zoom Workshop, and Nature Drawing: Blending Art and Science.
  3. The Wharton Center has a variety of virtual performances and education and engagement activities for both adults and kids.
  4. The MSU Library has tons of virtual events available for registration. These upcoming events look particularly interesting: Special Collections: Tunnel Books, Embroidery Maker Meetup, Super Science: The Legacy of Science in Superhero Comics, Special Collections: Fortune Telling, and Introduction to Gardening.
  5. The MSU Community Music School is offering online programs available for both adults and kids. Click on the program link to find all kinds of classes from private lessons to individual and group music therapy.
  6. The WorkLife Office has an extensive calendar of virtual events, including an IPF Home Improvement Series.
  7. You can still learn about and experience insects and other arthropods at the MSU Bug House with their two-part video tour.
  8. The MSU Health4U website has a variety of courses you can register for, including a virtual 5K run/walk training program, culinary cooking and concepts – curbside pickup, rest with music, and many more.
  9. SPARTANfit is offering a virtual, free five-week couch to 5k training program starting March 29 (register by March 24). You’ll get weekly workouts, tips and support to help you stay on track and accomplish your goals. The program ends just in time for the Spartan Arbor Day 5K on May 1.

We hope you all will remain safe and healthy and continue to practice social distancing until we are able to see each other on campus again. In the meantime, wear a mask, wash your hands often, and enjoy these campus activities.

Motivational Monday Round-Up

As the summer winds down to a close, it can be tough to transition back to a productive work routine, especially after the countless challenges and hardships this summer has brought about with the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Although this summer has been different, we are fortunate to have had a continuous source of motivation to keep our spirits high from MSU HR’s own Senior Learning and Organization Development Specialist, Todd Bradley.

Designed to encourage you during a time with many stressors and unknowns, Todd’s Motivational Monday videos have provided employees with quick and easy inspiration to start their days off right throughout the entirety of this long and difficult summer. Todd concluded his series last week with his final video of the series; however, his full video series will still be available to all in need of some extra motivation on the MSU HR Youtube channel.

Motivational Monday: Transitions

Todd explores the topic of transitions in this video and provides tips on how to guide yourself through difficult transitions.

Motivational Monday: Masking Up

Todd discusses the importance of wearing a face mask during this time and how to navigate asking others to wear a mask.

Motivational Monday: Conclusion

Todd’s final Motivational Monday video of the series.

Visit the MSU HR YouTube channel to view all of Todd’s Motivational Monday videos.

Events Round-Up – November

Arts

Friday, November 1

Arts Night Out

Thursday, November 7

Block Printing with Regina Pericini

Friday, November 8

The Broadcast Exhibition Opening Preview

Friday, November 15

Project & Sign pARTy

Saturday, November 16

Twelfth Night presented by MSU Dept. of Theatre

Community Events

Saturday, November 2

Public Plant and Succulent Sale

Thursday, November 21-December 29

Wonderland of Lights

Friday, November 22

Silver Bells in the City

Saturday, November 23-December 24

Family Farm – Christmas Season

Sunday, November 24

Breakin Bread with the Blues

Thursday, November 28

Bordeaux’s Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving Buffet or Dinner

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, November 2

PhUn Day

Jungle Book

Family Day at the MSU Broad Museum

Nighttime Scavenger Hunt

Monday, November 4

South of the Border: Celebrating the Music of the Other Americas

Thursday, November 7

Sensory Friendly Movie Night

Saturday, November 9

Zoo in Your Neighborhood

Monday, November 11

MSU Bug House Open House

Friday, November 15

Sensory Friendly Story Time

Saturday/Sunday, November 23-24

Brunch with Santa

Saturday, November 30

Caroling at Schuler Books

Music

Saturday, November 2

Lansing Symphony Orchestra

Wednesday, November 6

Jazz from Detroit

Saturday, November 9

Live Music w/ Time2Play

Singers on the Grand “Fifties Favorites”

Jazz Octets and special guests

Sunday, November 10

JAMM Tribute Concert

Saturday, November 16

Sensory Friendly Spartan Concert

Sunday, November 17

“Feel the Beat” Drumming Circle

Thursday, November 21

Wind Symphony

Professional Development Opportunities

Tuesday, November 5

Managing Difficult Customers

Wednesday, November 6

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths

Thursday, November 7

Thriving Through Change

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths

Saturday, November 9

Lean In Michigan Leadership Conference

Tuesday, November 12

Payments to Non-Resident Aliens and Foreign Vendors

Roadmap to Retirement

Wednesday, November 13

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning

From Distracted to Productive

Thursday, November 14

Communicating and Influencing Up

Fundamentals of Supervision

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace

Tuesday, November 19

Capital Asset Management

Wednesday, November 20

Presentation Skills 101

Thursday, November 21

Ten Tactics for Powerful Business Writing

EBS Financial System Roles/ Onboarding

Sustainable High Performance

Sports/Fitness

Sunday, November 3

Run-A-Munk 5K Trail Run

Thursday, November 28

Lansing Turkey Trot

Events Round Up – August

Community Festivals 

Lansing Jazz Festival

Bath Days Festival

St. John’s Mint Festival

Renegade Theatre Festival

Balloon Festival

Food

Tuesday, August 6

Farm to Table Chef’s Dinner

Tuesday, August 13

Garden Chefs from Garden to Table

Sunday, August 18

Murder Mystery Dinner

Arts

Thursday, August 8

Studio (IN) Process

Saturday, August 10

Memory Box Sculpture Workshop

Friday, August 16

ART Feast

Music

Tuesday, August 6

Summer Music Series – Power 3  

Thursday, August 15

Music in the Garden: Harp Recital

Thursday, August 15

2019 State Convention Square & Round Dancers

Friday, August 23

Lansing Flow Fest

Friday, August 23

Tomas Esparza Blues Band

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, August 3

Family Day: Paths

Thursday, August 8

Moonlight Film Festival: Aquaman

Saturday, August 10

Celebration Cinema Sensory Showtimes: Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Saturday, August 10

Sundown Safari Camping

Tuesday, August 13

STEM Tuesday (Age 5 & Up)

Thursday, August 15

Bubble Day

Monday, August 19

Meet the Spartans

Wednesday, August 21

Stories for Sprouts and Seedlings

Thursday, August 22

Art Thursday (Age 5 & Up)

Friday, August 23

Impression 5: Sensory Friendly Hours

Sports/Fitness

Saturday, August 10

Oars & Ales 2019

Saturday, August 10

Vinyasa Yoga at Woldumar

Friday, August 16

Howl at the Moon

Saturday, August 17

Red Paddle Kayak Race

Professional Development Opportunities:

Accounting in EBS

EBS Financial System Roles/Onboarding

Crucial Accountability

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning

Don’t forget about these summer activities on campus!

Are you working on campus this summer? While campus may be a little slower, there are still things to do! From visiting the Dairy Store to grab a scoop of your favorite ice cream to enjoying free concerts at the Beaumont Tower. Whether you’re looking for something to do while you’re on lunch or something to do for the evening, there are a variety of campus activities held this summer.

If you’re looking for something to do on lunch, the Fresh Air Fitness series by MSU Health 4U Program offers a variety of activities during the week:

  • Monday – Tai Chi at the Summer Circle Courtyard
  • Tuesday – Yoga at the Engineering Courtyard
  • Wednesday – Yoga at the Wharton Center
  • Thursday – Pilates on the Green

If you enjoy music, you can find the MSU Carillon every Wednesday at the Beaumont Tower beginning July 3. (In case you’re not familiar with it, a carillon is a set of bells played in a tower.) If you’re looking for something sooner, you can attend Music in the Garden with Spartan Jazz at the Beal Botanical Garden. Make a picnic for the family and come out to enjoy the Music in the Garden: Spartan Jazz concert on Tuesday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m. You can also find a list of other free concerts held this summer at the College of Music website, including their Outdoor Summer Concert Series. Or enjoy music on your lunch break with Rest with Music at Abrams Planetarium. The Rest with Music series is every Monday from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. You can find more information about this series, registration and featured artists at the Health 4U website. If you’re looking for another way to enjoy the outdoors take a walk to the MSU Dairy Store.

The MSU Dairy Store is the perfect place to grab a scoop of your favorite ice cream and enjoy the campus. MSU Dairy Store is open throughout the summer from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the week. They have  a variety of ice cream flavors from Banana Chocolate Chunk to MSU’s very own Izzo Malted Madness. You can get your own single scoop or maybe share a half gallon with the office. For a list of all flavors, regular menu items and drinks, visit the MSU Dairy Store website.

If you’re looking to travel this summer with the family or take a vacation by yourself, don’t forget MSU Benefits Plus can help you save! MSU Benefits Plus has a variety of discounts for theme parks, hotels, travel and entertainment. You can find deals from Six Flags, Great Wolf Lodge, Hotels.com and more! Find these deals and more on the MSU Benefits Plus website.

Whether you are traveling or enjoying the beautiful MSU campus, there are a variety of ways to get the most out of your summer!

Events Roundup – February

Community Festivals 

Art & Craft Beer Fest

Michigan Nordic Fire Festival

Brrs, Beards, & Brews: A Lumberjack Festival

Community Events

Mid-Michigan Women’s Expo

Winter Farmer’s Market

Food

Saturday, February 9

Be Kind Rewind at Lansing Brewing Company

Wednesday, February 13

Live at Kingston Kitchen: Deacon Earl

Sunday, February 17

Cocktail Class

Wednesday, February 20

Spanish Wine Dinner

Arts

Wednesday, February 6

Capturing Stillness

Thursday, February 7

Educator Open House

Friday, February 9

Love in Nature

Tuesday, February 12

The Poetry Room Open Mic Night

Friday, February 15

Tuesday, February 5

Symphony Band

Friday, February 8

Jazz Octets and Jazz Bassist Mimi Jones

Friday, Friday 8

TGIF Dance Party

Saturday, February 9

Diamonds in The Rust at Pump House Concerts

Tuesday, February 12

Sweetheart Dance

Saturday, February 16

Lansing Brewing Company Winter Warrior Party

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, February 9

Sensory Friendly Movies at NCG

Saturday, February 9

Children’s Concert 

Sunday, February 10

Darwin Discovery Day

Sunday, February 10

Family Series at the Library: Heartwarming Harp

Thursday, February 14

Chipmunk Story Time at Harris Nature Center

Saturday, February 16

Youth Ice Fishing Derby

Sunday, February 17

Engineering Day at Impression 5

Sports/Fitness

Saturday, February 9

Moonlight Ski and Shoe at the Harris Nature Center

Sunday, February 10

Broad Wellness: Yoga

Sunday, February 10

Old Town Chocolate Walk

Tuesday, February 12

Lansing Brew Run

Professional Development Opportunities:

Payments to Non-Resident Aliens and Foreign Vendors

Essentials of Employee Relations

Fundamentals of Supervision

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning

Everything DiSC: Behavior Styles at Work

Events Round Up- May

Community Festivals 

Sikh Day Parade and Festival

Cristo Rey Fiesta

East Lansing Art Festival

Community Events

Arts

Friday, May 4

Kimberly Lavon – Mays featured Artist

Arts Night Out

Concept to Conception Exhibit

Thursday, May 10

Beal Garden Presents: Salad Days- The Edible Raw Greens of Spring

Friday, May 11

Field Station: Claudia Pena Salinas Opening Reception

Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Saturday, May 19

Curator-Led Exhibit Tour

MSU Spring Arts & Crafts show

Art Lab Opening Weekend

Food

Saturday, May 5

Water Front Bar and Grill Cinco de Mayo

Sunday, May 6

Chocolate Tasting & Wine

Saturday, May 12

Food Fun Fitness Fair

Thursday, May 17

Wine & Stein at Potter Park Zoo

Sunday, May 20

Food Truck Festival

Tuesday, May 22

Brewery Vivant Beer Dinner

Music

Friday, May 11

Pictures at an Exhibition

Saturday, May 12

Inaugural Bath Eclectic Music Festival

Tuesday, May 15

Lansing Storytelling Projects: Music

Friday, May 18

Acoustic Lunch: Hatchet Man and The Frog

Sunday, May 20

Blues Brawl

Blue Blaze Live! At Ellison Brewery

Sunday, May 27

Darin Larner Jr. Live! At Ellison Brewery

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, May 5

Family Day Eli Broad Museum

Sunday, May 6

Mason Spring Fling Courthouse

Sunday, May 6

Family Series: Lansing Art Gallery

Monday, May 14

MSU Bug House: Open House

Wednesday, May 16

Zoo in your Neighborhood

Thursday, May 17

Inaugural Lansing Made 517 Day

Saturday, May 20

LIDS for Kids

Sports/Fitness

Saturday, May 5

Neogen 5k Walk/Run

Tuesday, May 9

Lansing Brew Run

Saturday, May 12

Yoga at the Brewery

Saturday, May 12

Spinsanity Flow Down

Friday, May 18

Howl at the Moon

Saturday, May 19

Woofer Walk & 5k

Sunday, May 20

Creative Self-Care

Wednesday, May 30

National Senior Health and Fitness Day

Mother’s Day Events

Sunday, May 13

Mother’s Day at HopCat

Mother’s Day Brunch: Princess Boat

Mother’s Day Dinner: Princess Boat

Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet and Dinner: Capital Prime

Mother’s Day Brunch Radisson Hotel

Mother’s Day Celebration: Crowne Plaza

Mother’s Day: Red Cedar Grill

Mother’s Day Brunch: The Bistro

Mother’s Day at the Zoo

Professional Development Opportunities

Thursday, May 10

Fundamentals of Supervision

Tuesday, May 15

Roadmap to Retirement (morning session)

Roadmap to Retirement (afternoon session)

Wednesday, May 16

Everything DiSC: Behavior Styles at Work

Tuesday, May 22

EBS Financial System Roles/Onboarding

Tuesday, May 22*

Crucial Accountability

Thursday, May, 24

Accounting in EBS

*Additional days required to complete the course

Events Round-Up April

Community Festivals 

MSU Science Festival Expo Day

Spring Poetry Festival 

Community Events

Arts

Sunday, April 8

Orchesis 

Thursday, April 12

Beal Garden Tours: The Earliest Spring Flowers

Wednesday, April 25

The MSU Sidewalk Poetry Project

Food

Saturday, April 7

Taste and Tour of Old Town

Wednesday, April 11

Spartan Cork Master: Ellison Beer

Wednesday, April 11

Uncorked Scotch Tasting at The State Room

Sunday, April 15

Lansing Brewer’s Dinner~Spicy, Smoky, Savory & Sweet

Music

Friday, April 6

yMusic

Monday, April 9

Mack the Knife, Music of Kurt Weill

Wednesday, April 11

DSO

Thursday, April 12

Latin IS America

Wednesday, April 18

Swing Dance Jazz Orchestra 

Saturday, April 21

38th Annual Jazz Spectacular Concert 

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, April 7

MSU Green and White Game

Saturday, April 7

2018 Lugnuts Opening Day

Friday, April 13

Potter Park Zoo: An Evening of Awesome, Interactive Experiences at a Living Museum

Sunday, April 15

Zoo in Your Neighborhood

Thursday, April 19

Impression 5 Night at the Museum: Slime!

Saturday, April 21

Small Animals Day

Sports/Fitness

Tuesday, April 10

Lansing Brew Run

Sunday, April 15

Race for the Place

Sunday, April 15

MSU Spartan Spectrum Autism Awareness 5K

Saturday, April 21

Dome Roam 5K Fun Run Walk Roll Race

Sunday, April 29

Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan Race for the Cure

Professional Development Opportunities

Tuesday, April 10

Leading Change

Wednesday, April 11

Prohibited Harassment: For Employees

Wednesday, April 11

Prohibited Harassment: For Supervisors 

Thursday, April 12

Advanced Travel Policies and Reimbursement 

Tuesday, April 17

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning

Monday, April 23

Controlling Accounting and Payroll Forum

Tuesday, April 24

Everything DiSC: Work of Leaders

Tuesday, April 24

EBS Financial System Roles-On-boarding 

 

*Additional days required to complete the course

Events Round-Up March

Our Community: Engaging to Move Forward

On Friday, March 2 from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. a guided conversation entitled “Our Community: Engaging to Move Forward” is being offered for all MSU faculty, academic staff, support staff, postdocs, and graduate student employees. The purpose of these sessions is to allow attendees to provide the context of where they see the university community now, and productively discuss ideas for moving forward. Find out more about this event.

Community Festivals

Saturday, March 17

Maple Syrup Festival

Community Events

Arts

Thursday, March 8

The Local Scene

March 13-18

Something Rotten! Musical

Food

Tuesday, March 27

Forks & Corks

Music

Sunday, March 11

Lansing Symphony Jazz Band

Family/Kid Friendly

Tuesday, March 6

Zoo in Your Neighborhood

Thursday, March 15

Harris Nature Center: Chipmunk Story Time

Saturday, March 31

Doggie Easter Egg Hunt & Kids Eggstravaganza

Saturday, March 31

Easter Egg Hunt at the Capitol

Sports/Fitness

Wednesday, March 14

Lansing Brew Run

Sunday, March 18

Shamrock Run

Other

March 9-11

Michigan Horse Expo

Professional Development Opportunities

Tuesday, March 13

Records Management and Retention at MSU

Wednesday, March 21

EBS Financial System-Roles/Onboarding

Thursday, March 22

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Thursday, March 22

Engaging Teams for Maximum Performance

Wednesday, March 28

Managing Difficult Customers

Thursday, March 29

The Spartan Experience

Thursday, March 29

Fiscal Officer and Delegate Expectations

Thursday, March 29

Processing Purchasing Requisitions

 

*Additional days required to complete course