’Tis the season to share Spartan holiday spirit. Together we’ll bring the same Spartans Will to a new year — and a new decade — full of possibilities and people determined to make a difference.

Michigan State University biologist and doctoral candidate Kyle Card studies resistance to antibiotics. He became a scientist while dealing with the challenges of genetic syndromes that affect many parts of his body. He’s part of MSU’s Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training, an experimental program dedicated to empowering graduate student trainees to develop professional skills and experiences. Recently, reporters with WKAR News sat down with some of the BEST students to learn more about their inspiring life stories.

On a beautiful fall day in September, with football fans’ cheers filling the air, nearly 1,200 current and alumni marching band members took the field at halftime in Spartan Stadium during the MSU vs. Indiana football game. A sea of green and white in melodic lockstep, for the Spartan Marching Band, it was a Homecoming all would remember. In fact, Sept. 28 was the largest halftime show to date and the 150th anniversary of one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious marching bands.

Scientific breakthroughs don’t always happen in labs. For Sophia and Richard Lunt, Michigan State University researchers, many of their breakthroughs happen during neighborhood walks. The married couple’s step-by-step approach has revealed — for the first time — a new way to detect and attack cancer cells using technology traditionally reserved for solar power. 

The men and women who have served in the United States military have experienced things most of us cannot imagine. Many have been stationed in far-away places and faced incredibly dangerous situations in combat. Once they leave the service, re-entry into civilian life often presents different challenges. At MSU, researchers, educators and staff are dedicated to helping combat veterans and MSU students succeed back on home soil.

In the classroom, Joe Hefner leads one of only six forensic anthropology doctoral programs in the nation. In the lab, he has developed new ways for researchers around the world to identify and classify human skeletal remains. In the field and at crime scenes, he and his team use their expertise to help unravel complex crime scenes — from homicides to Ground Zero following 9/11.

Video gaming is an extremely popular source of entertainment for people worldwide. And at MSU, Spartans aren’t just playing the game — they’re creating it. MSU’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences is home to the only program in game design and development in the Big Ten, which is ranked in the top 10 by Princeton Review. The Game Design and Development Program offers a mix of disciplines, and faculty and students represent a range of backgrounds, including designers, artists and programmers.

Joshua Sapotichne is the director of MSU’s InnovateGov program that embeds MSU undergraduate interns alongside key decision-makers in high-level governmental and civic institutions across Detroit each summer. Students gain experience in public sector innovation and public policy leadership by working on critical problems like water shut-offs and property tax foreclosures.

Many of the cranes and construction barriers on Michigan State University’s campus are giving way to shiny new buildings and renovated spaces that point toward the MSU of the future. These facilities don’t just accommodate a growing student and faculty population, but also provide spaces that put collaboration and innovation first.

For nearly 50 years, Michigan State University has played a key role in growing Michigan’s grape and wine industry. MSU’s viticulture and enology program was established in the 1970s by the late G. Stanley Howell, professor emeritus of horticulture. His leadership was vital as Michigan grew to become a wine destination, expanding from seven wineries to more than 150 today, with $5.4 billion in total economic impact.