Congratulations to the three winners of the “Square Up Your Savings” challenge in April! MSU Human Resources and TIAA, one of our retirement vendors, partnered to bring this fun and educational opportunity to the MSU community as part of Financial Literacy Month.
A total of 749 participants completed 10 missions centered on savings education. When a mission was completed, players earned a square to place on a campus map where they thought virtual hidden savings might be located. Players were then entered into a drawing to win one of three iPad minis.
This year’s winners were:
Danielle Ferguson, Veterinarian with Animal Care ProgramPearl Wong, Collection Coordinator with the MSU MuseumSharon Ruggles, Academic Program Coordinator with Geography Environment Spatial Sciences
Thank you to TIAA for sponsoring this challenge! We hope everyone who participated enjoyed the new, more interactive format.
This MSU hat is available at the Student Bookstore.
Summer is in full swing this Father’s Day. Check out some of the events you could take your father, husband or children to. Need a last-minute gift? Stop by after work at one of these shops to pick up some Spartan gear!
If you like biking and supporting a great cause, then you’re in luck! The MSU College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids is organizing their fourth Gran Fondo, a long-distance, mass participation event geared toward cyclists of all abilities. The big ride on Saturday, June 25, will include four courses: a 12-mile, a 25-mile, a 40-mile and an 80-mile that goes all the way to Lake Michigan and back.
All funds raised from this event go toward skin cancer awareness, prevention and research. Nearly 70,000 people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with skin cancer this year, and the College of Human Medicine is committed to researching this disease. The cost to register is $80, and each rider is automatically given a $50 fundraising goal. So if you can’t make it out to the ride that day, you can still help by donating on the website. Donations for this event are tax-deductible.
You can also help out by volunteering. The Gran Fondo is very large, and many people are needed to help it run smoothly. Volunteer duties include setting up the event, registration, assisting riders and working on the courses. Volunteer orientation is Wednesday, June 22.
The races will end in a finish line festival with live music and food open to the public. Whether you want to join a ride, donate or volunteer, you’ll be supporting a fun event for a great cause! Find out more on the Gran Fondo website.
Happy National Higher Education Day from MSU HR! This national day of recognition is only in its second year, having begun in 2015 as a way to educate and inspire college students. A few ways to celebrate might include:
Post about your level of education achieved/being pursued and future academic goals
Use the hashtag #HigherEducationDay on your social media sites
Post about any scholarship or funding opportunities you know of
Consider donating to a scholarship program
Each of us at MSU is part of helping students grow, learn and change the world. Nothing speaks to this better than SPARTANS WILL. As part of this call-to-action, we encourage you to watch the TOMORROW series, inspired by The President’s Report on the past year’s impacts made by and through Spartans.
MSU is known for its agricultural roots and beautiful green campus, but how many of its places are left unexplored? We’ve scoured for the most stunning areas you may never know about and compiled a list below. Worth a stop even if you only visit once, these locations are exemplary of Michigan State and its commitment to keeping our environment beautiful and alive.
Behold the winding paths within Baker Woodlot.
Wander the meandering paths in this healing garden behind the Radiology building.
Explore gardens devoted to appreciating cultural histories in the Lewis Landscape Arboretum.
Share an adventure with the children in your life at the 4-H Children’s Garden.
Baker Woodlot:Â The Baker Woodlot is the 78-acre forest you might never have heard of. Take a stroll on the trails through the lot to soak up some nature and a moment of serenity. Find entrances off of Farm Lane and by the Clinical Center.
Graffiti (Not pictured): Get a taste of the underground by checking out the graffiti under the many bridges at MSU. Graffiti is considered art by some and an eyesore by the rest. Choose for yourself by visiting graffiti-heavy bridges such as on Bogue Street or Farm Lane (Near The Rock) and viewing their marked-up the undersides.
Horticulture and Demonstration Gardens: The Horticulture and Demonstration Gardens comprise a number of gardens, including the 4-H Children’s Garden, the Vegetables and Insect Pollinators Garden, the Judith A. DeLapa Perennial Garden, and more. Each garden is distinct, with different plants, decorations and large structures, so visitors will find something new and delightful around every corner.
Sanford Natural Area (Not pictured):Â Just off the beaten path north of East Neighborhood is the Sanford Natural Area. Enter the fenced-in area through openings near Hagadorn Road or past the Bogue Street Bridge to walk among lush green trees and take in the sounds of nature, including chirping birds and flowing Red Cedar River.
Radiology Healing Gardens:Â On the eastern side of the Radiology Building is a gorgeous babbling waterfall fountain, pond and collection of plants and flowers. This is a tucked-away space for reflection and serenity that every Spartan should visit at least once.
Lewis Landscape Arboretum:Â The Lewis Landscape Arboretum is home to small sculpted courtyards, wide swaths of grass and shape-forming stones. Â Just south of the train tracks west of Bogue Street, this little-known area is designed as an instructional arboretum for students interested in landscape development. Sit on the benches to soak in sunlight or pose next to the inset stone Spartan helmet.
Summer is a great time to try out new forms of exercise. In addition to the variety of running trails crisscrossing campus, outdoor facilities such as the basketball courts, tennis courts, and the IM West outdoor swimming pool are open. Plus, with most students gone for the summer, more exercise machines and courts will be open for use in the indoor facilities. Check out some of the fitness options you can take advantage of this summer.
General use of facilities
Open Recreation
Faculty and staff only need to show a valid MSU ID for open recreation. It is available during posted building hours.
IM Sports West offers open recreation spaces for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, tennis, squash, racquetball, handball, and wallyball. IM Sports East offers open recreation spaces for basketball, volleyball, badminton, squash, racquetball, handball and walleyball. IM Sports Circle offers spaces for basketball and volleyball. Equipment is available to rent.Continue Reading… Explore fitness options at MSU this summer
Spring flowers are in bloom just in time for Mother’s Day! You can stop and smell the roses on your way to one of these Mother’s Day events occurring in the Lansing area this Sunday, May 8. We’ve also picked out a few places you can purchase a last-minute gift!
Once again the Kellogg Center is hosting a Mother’s Day brunch in The State Room. Dishes include a shrimp and white cheddar omelet, MSU organic pork loin, and teriyaki glazed salmon.
Many of the supplies found at University Stores are for more practical purposes. However, the store also sells a great deal of MSU merchandise, including earrings, mugs and clothing.
There aren’t any shows at the Wharton Center on Mother’s Day, but you can present your mom with tickets to some upcoming ones! “The Bridges of Madison County”  is playing May 19–22, and “The Moth Mainstage,”  a series of storytelling performances, is June 9.
May is Military Appreciation Month and this Saturday, May 7, 2016, the MSU Athletics Department would like to thank you for your service with free admission to the MSU/Nebraska baseball game. The game begins at 1:05 p.m. at McLane Stadium located behind Jenison Field House (223 Kalamazoo St.). Show your military I.D. at the ticket booth for your free ticket. To thank you for your service, each branch of the military will be recognized throughout the game! If you are in need of additional tickets or have any questions or concerns, please contact Megan Hall (hallmeg1@ath.msu.edu).
If you are a faculty or staff member who has not self-identified your veteran status, please do so by logging into EBS, selecting your “ESS” tab, then “Personal Information,” then “Veterans Status, Race, and Ethnicity.” Your information will be used for reporting or internal communication purposes only. Thank you for your service!
The MSU Surplus Store has been a major proponent of the Be Spartan Green initiative by taking steps to reduce the amount of university material waste, reuse objects and create new goods out of old ones, and recycle everything that cannot be repurposed. In line with this concept is the MSU Shadows Collection, artisan-designed and handmade items crafted from the trees of our very own Michigan State University’s campus.
Instead of going to the wood chipper, trees salvaged by the Department of Forestry are carved into everything from benches to business card holders, kitchen tables to cutting boards. In addition to the inherent value of purchasing something crafted from trees grown on MSU’s campus, the money you spend goes directly back into the cause. Your purchase will support tree planting initiatives as well as forestry and urban wood recovery programs.
So if you want a diploma frame with a little sentimental value or a coffee table that’s also a conversation-starter, check out MSU Shadows and see how you can Be Spartan Green too.
Sponsors for the event include MSUFCU, LiveOn, MSU Black Alumni Association, Shaheen Chevrolet, and more.
Share some laughter and joy on Saturday, April 23, 2016, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Breslin Center at the SPOM Takeover Carnival and Resource Fair!
SPOM, which stands for Student Parents on a Mission, is a support organization for students at the university who have children. Proceeds for this event go toward the SPOM Scholarship Fund.
The carnival will include activities such as bounce houses, animated characters, laser tag, clowns, a petting zoo, karaoke, MSU Bug House, crafts, and much more. Parents can browse vendors such as Perfectly Posh, Tupperware, Jamberry Nails, and more.
You can also volunteer for the event by helping to set up, work or monitor the activities, and more.
Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Make April 23 a day of fun for your family, all for a good cause!
