EAST LANSING, Mich. — Human-powered vehicles, handmade aircrafts and talking food will fill Michigan State University buildings May 26 through May 29 as more than 7,000 out-of-the-box thinkers from around the world compete in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals.
MSU and the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau have partnered to welcome participants – from elementary school students to adults – and their families for the creative problem-solving competition. OotM requires teams to select a problem, create a solution and present the solution before a panel of judges. Teams competing at MSU have won their state and/or national competitions.
“MSU is a great place for a meeting of the minds,” said MSU Provost Kim Wilcox, who will welcome contestants at the opening ceremony. “We have a long-standing commitment to international outreach and engagement and are pleased to welcome this year’s world finalists and their families to our campus.”
MSU is the only Big 10 university to host the event. Tony Birkmeier, a 2005 MSU alumnus and an OotM alumnus, is assistant tournament director for World Finals. He has been instrumental in bringing the World Finals to MSU.
For the competition, teams chose from five problems: designing a human-powered vehicle, a problem sponsored by NASA; creating and operating a series of aircraft; writing and presenting a play about the discovery of archeological treasures; building columns from balsa wood; and creating and presenting a “food court” in which an unhealthy food must defend its nutritional value.
Twenty-five teams from Michigan will compete. California has the largest contingency with 36 teams. In total, 813 teams are registered, representing 14 countries. Events will take place throughout campus, and participants will live and eat in nine of MSU’s residence halls.
“We are proud to welcome the participants, parents and volunteers of Odyssey of the Mind,” said Lee Hladki, president of GLCVB. “A large, international event like this with such a positive, education-focused theme is great for the region, and the MSU campus is the perfect backdrop. We wish the best of luck to all the participants and hope for a pleasant stay for our many guests.”
Since competitors often travel with family, Lansing-area businesses will prosper from more than 20,000 people visiting the region, according to GLCVB. Of the nearly 30 Lansing-area hotels, 23 are seeing an increase in business, with seven hotels sold out exclusively for OotM. Restaurants, retail shops and attractions are expected to see an influx of visitors that will create a large positive economic impact on the mid-Michigan region.
In addition, some businesses belonging to the East Lansing Merchants Association participated in a coupon flier to entice visitors to eat and shop at their businesses. And the city of East Lansing produced pins as an incentive to attract participants to spend at local venues.
The public is invited to get involved as well. For the first time, an exhibit by micro-sculptor Willard Wigan will be on display until 5 p.m. in Holden Hall each day. He will receive OotM’s Creativity Award and is creating a sculpture of the OotM raccoon mascot, Omer. Many of Wigan’s pieces are virtually invisible to the naked eye but can be seen using high-power magnification. MSU will host a public show 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 27 in the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center’s Centennial Rooms.
Starting May 24, the MSU Dairy Store will offer Omer tracks, an ice cream developed for OotM. It features malt vanilla with a caramel swirl, with chocolate covered sugar cone pieces and M&Ms.
Odyssey of the Mind was created by C. Samuel “Dr. Sam” Micklus, professor emeritus at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J., in 1978. Micklus’ wife, Carole Micklus, is the World Finals tournament director. Sam Micklus continues to develop problems for the program, along with his son, Sammy, president of Creative Competitions Inc., which organizes the competition.
“MSU and Odyssey of the Mind both offer superior educational experiences, so there is a natural fit,” Sammy Micklus said.
The World Finals first came to MSU in 2007 and is anticipated to return in 2013.
For a schedule of events during the 2010 World Finals visit www.odysseyofthemind.com.
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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.