Category: Fun & Resources

Learn about fun and/or interesting things to do around MSU or interesting bits of MSU trivia.

Sign up for the SPARTANS WILL. POWER Global Day of Service

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Global Day of Service image
Join the Spartan force on April 16. Sign up today!

Spartans make a difference around the world every day, but one day in particular has been set aside to bring the MSU community together in service.  This year that day is April 16, the fourth annual SPARTANS WILL. POWER Global Day of Service. This organized, collaborative effort brings Spartans together to serve their communities while demonstrating the reach and power of the Spartan network. In 2015 Spartans donated approximately 16,000 hours of service to their local communities through this initiative!

Service-minded Spartans from around the globe, including individual alumni, alumni communities, groups, Spartan-led companies, businesses, non-profits and student organizations, are currently registering service projects. Spartans can also volunteer now for one of these established projects or create their own.

There are more than 30 service projects near the MSU campus, including cleaning, decorating and gardening elementary schools, yard work at Fenner nature center and a kayak or canoe trip down the Grand River to pick up trash and debris. Other nation-wide projects include rebuilding homes in Austin, Texas, and providing science education and history for at-risk youth in Philadelphia. There is even a life-coaching service project in Hong Kong!

The last day to register a project is April 1, and volunteer registration closes April 10. Find out more about the projects and sign up at serviceday.msu.edu.

SPARTANS WILL. Make a difference!

Spartan Marketplace: Your One-Stop University Shopping Experience!

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Spartan Marketplace was developed as a shopping cart experience for your college or department purchasing needs and designed for flexibility and your ease of use. If you haven’t been an avid user since its introduction in fall 2015, take a look at some of its features!

  • Spartan Marketplace logoCurrently 14 suppliers, such as Dell, OfficeMax, and Fisher Scientific, are connected through Spartan Marketplace, and more are steadily being phased in.

  • The single portal allows you to search across catalogs for what you’re looking for and uses one cart to consolidate and hold your orders from multiple suppliers.
  • For users ordering from different accounts, it is easy to save and manage multiple accounts instead of having to plug them in manually each time.
  • Any active employee can access Spartan Marketplace by selecting its tab in EBS. Fiscal officers approve each purchase. The application requires updated versions of many browsers to work well, so be sure to check if yours is compliant with requirements.
  • The contracted pricing shown in Spartan Marketplace is the correct cost; unlike Open Orders, there will be no administrative markup. In addition, most shipping costs are already factored into the pricing, making your process more streamlined and efficient!

There is more information, a webinar recording and a FAQ available through University Services. Be sure to check out Spartan Marketplace for a seamless online ordering experience!

Jump into spring

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Tulips
Tulips frame the view of Farm Lane. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

Spring officially begins on Sunday, March 20. It’s time to pull pastel-colored clothes out of the back of your closet and dust off the lawnmower. The arrival of spring marks popular activities such as redecorating, gardening, and outdoor exercise. Here are a few events and activities in and around MSU to help get you into the spring spirit.

Home and Gardening

The Lansing Home and Garden show is at the MSU Pavilion from Thursday, March 17 to Sunday, March 20. The show features and abundance of exhibitions, demonstrations and seminars that can guide you on your way to creating your dream home and garden.

Exercise

The mid-range temperature of spring is perfect for outdoor exercise. These upcoming 5K races offer a great opportunity to give back to the community and exercise all at once:

Continue Reading… Jump into spring

Get Ready, Get Set…For Race for the Place!

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On Sunday, April 17, MSU Safe Place will hold its annual Race for the Place, the largest fundraiser for the program. It’s not only an opportunity to get out and run, it’s a large-scale event your whole family can participate in.

The primary event is the Race for the Place 5K, which allows the opportunity to run or walk and receive discounts for signing up early, as a group, if you are an MSU student or under age 18. The race stretches over MSU’s beautiful campus, and be sure to look out for Sparty, because he could be running right alongside you!3414064391_b18b99d7b5_z

In addition to the 5K, MSU Safe Place arranges a 100-Yard Dash for kids six and younger (no entry fee) and a One-Mile Fun Run for children under 12. If you preregister for the Fun Run, which has a fee of $15, the participant will receive a short-sleeved t-shirt.

All of this is in support of MSU Safe Place, an organization dedicated to helping people whose lives have been affected by relationship violence or stalking. They provide an array of confidential services to victims and work to raise awareness throughout the MSU community. Their services are completely free, so they hold small fundraisers throughout the year and relay on Race for the Place, their largest annual fundraising event, to support the organization’s needs.

So get going and sign up! It’s set to be a day full of excitement, but hurry! If you sign up before March 25, the 5K fee is only $25!

Happy Leap Day!

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MSU Food Truck
The Eat at State ON-THE-GO food truck.

Leap Day gives you an extra 24 hours once every four years. So, what are you going to do on your extra day? Here are a few ideas:

  • Go out and do something fun for lunch. The Eat at State ON-THE-GO food truck, the Dairy Store (Grilled Cheese Monday)  and Health4U  can offer new and interesting food or experiences.
  • If you have kids, play leapfrog.
  • Take the extra time to sort out your email, workspace, home, car or anything else.
  • Tell somebody you appreciate them.
  • Write a list of 29 things you want to accomplish before the next Leap Day.
  • Try something new! During these few extra hours you can stargaze, listen to a new album, try out a new recipe, or go rock climbing. If you have never attended a TEDxMSU event, you can purchase a ticket for the March 2 talk.

Have a great Leap Day!

Help MSU compete in RecycleMania 2016

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White paper and mixed paper at MSU recycling center on Tuesday November 9, 2010. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
White paper and mixed paper at MSU recycling center. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

Last year, MSU was one of 394 colleges and universities that participated in the friendly competition RecyleMania. MSU contributed more than 1 million of the 80 million pounds that was recycled across the country in the competition. Spartans can do even better during RecyleMania 2016, which runs from February 8 to April 1, by coming together to recycle more and throw out less.

In addition to continuing regular recycling habits, staff and faculty can get involved by hosting an office clean-out. The service is free and provided by the Surplus Store and Recycling Center. If your office already has recyclables prepared and sorted, Recycling Center staff will arrive at your office, help load the items and remove them that day. Or, temporary containers can be dropped off at your office and picked up at a later date. To schedule an office clean-out, call 517-355-1723.

There are a few additional ways staff and faculty can participate in RecycleMania. This year MSU Recycling is emphasizing book reuse and recycling. Books that are collected will be sold for reuse through the Surplus Store, donated to local charities or recycled. Organize a book collection by calling 517- 355-1723.

From noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, at Auditorium and Tuesday, March 15, behind Wells Hall you can get a picture with Scrap Metal Sparty and talk to MSU recycling staff.

Like the MSU Recycling Center’s Facebook page for recycling tips and updates on RecycleMania.

Warm up with these savory recipes

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Beef_stew_smallThere’s nothing like a hot meal to warm you up in the cold winter months. Once again, Residential and Hospitality Services Senior Executive Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski has provided us with some delicious recipes to share. These winter warmers will bring a smile to your face and impress any guest! One of Chef Kurt’s favorite recipes is the beef dish below, and you can also try out his Shrimp Scampi and Catalan Seafood Stew recipes.

Slow Cooked Balsamic Beef

4# beef chuck roast
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 T. olive oil
1 c. chicken broth
ÂĽ c. red wine
1 medium onion sliced
2 carrots peeled and rough cut
1 package of baby bella mushrooms quartered
1½ c. large cut pieces of rutabaga
1 bay leaf
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
3 T. Balsamic Vinegar
ÂĽ c. chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
Zest of one lemon
1 clove of garlic minced

Generously season both sides of the roast with salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear each side of the roast for about 3-5 minutes.

Add broth and wine to the hot skillet to de-glaze it, scraping up the brown bits on the pan remove from heat and reserve.

Place sliced onions, carrots, mushrooms then rutabaga in the bottom of the slow cooker and put the seared meat on top.

Pour the deglazed sauce mixture on top of the meat in the slow cooker.

Combine balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce in a small bowl and pour over meat in the crock pot.

Cover & Crock on Low for 6-8 hours.

Remove and serve with lemon/garlic/parsley topping (gremolata)

Happy Fun at Work Day!

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Work doesn’t always have to be “work.” Adding fun and humor to the workplace is a great way to boost productivity and morale. January 28 is Fun at Work Day, an unofficial holiday set aside to remind the workforce of the benefits of play, friendly competition and humor in day-to-day life.

Dairy Store Display
A trip to the one of the MSU Dairy Store locations is a great mid-day break activity!

Here are a few ideas to get started:

Decorations

Add some flair to your work space! Putting up pictures, posters, comics and more personalizes your space and can give your coworkers a laugh when they stop by.

An organized cubicle or desk decorating contest can also engage the whole office and increase creativity. Who in your office can give their work space the most Spartan spirit?

Bulletin Boards

A bulletin board with thank-you notes, drawings, fun facts, jokes, newsclippings and more creates a space of community and public expression. Employees can pose a daily or weekly question for everyone to respond to on the board, such as “What’s your favorite movie” or “What superpower do you wish you had?” Dry erase boards are perfect for writing daily inspirational quotes or jokes or showcasing the talents of any artists in the office.

Midday outings

A change of scenery can boost energy and clear the mind. Health4U  offers an abundance of activities from noon to 1 p.m. on weekdays. You can experience something new with your coworkers at a session involving relaxation, light exercise or instructional cooking.

Fun at work builds camaraderie, increases employee satisfaction and productivity and inspires creativity. We hope you have fun today!

Engage with your community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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MLK and LBJ
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson shakes hands after the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

MSU’s Project 60/50 began in 2014 as a community-oriented conversation starter that derived its name and mission from the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These two historical pieces of legislation were born from a diverse yet united community’s countless hours of organized campaigning and conversation to achieve the worthy and crucial goal of equality.

The struggle for civil rights continues in this country, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on progress and assess what lies ahead. Dr. King has brought hope, inspiration and motivation to millions during and after his lifetime. His encouragement of peaceful protest and widespread awareness of ongoing discrimination remain relevant today.Continue Reading… Engage with your community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2015 MSU Holiday Arts & Crafts Show

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Get something original and hand-crafted this season at the 52nd Michigan State University Holiday Arts & Crafts Show!

UAB arts and crafts pic-small

On Saturday, December 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Union will be filled with the work or more than 130 artisans from across the country. This event is one of two arts and crafts shows presented by the University Activities Board each year.

Some of the handmade items for sale include candles, furniture, jewelry, home and yard decor, aromatherapy, clothing, children’s toys, painting, photography, pottery, sculpture and much more! You’ll be sure to find the perfect decoration or gift with such a variety of specially crafted items, and attending the event supports the UAB and the artists.

Make sure to check out the abundance of family-friendly activities just north in downtown East Lansing at Winter Glow!  The free event is Saturday, December 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. and features ice carving, a winter barnyard, horse and carriage rides, a special outdoor holiday farmer’s market, a heated music tent, carolers, games and much more.

Remember that parking at MSU is free on weekends, too!

Find out more about the holiday craft show here.