The Division of Student Life & Engagement has launched a new office within its Communications unit. Spartan Family Connections will serve as the primary resource center for biological and chosen families of students to become involved during their time at MSU.  

Spartan Family Connections will provide a variety of resources and information to families who want to help their Spartan navigate their life on campus. Spartan Family Connections is led by Laurin Gierman. Gierman led Kellogg Catering before entering into a role with the New Student Orientation program. During her three and a half years with NSO, she witnessed firsthand the need for a centrally based resource for students’ families.  

The launch of Spartan Family Connections will serve the MSU community as a resource that will promote family engagement no matter how far away “home” may be.  

Geirman shares her excitement for the new office, saying: “As a Spartan parent, I understand the emotional impact of having a student in college. Supportive adults are the first contact students usually make when feeling the highs and lows of campus life.

"Spartan Family Connections will serve as a type of ‘concierge’ to help families direct their students to already existing supports that students may be having difficulty seeking on their own. We want to provide families the tools, resource and support to help their student navigate their campus experiences and reach our collective goal of student graduation.” 

MSU highly values family engagement and has formally scheduled the inaugural Family Weekend for this fall. This year’s event will take place Sept 23-25. Family Weekend strives to promote family involvement and serves as a means for families to see what a weekend in the life of an MSU student looks like.  

Families will also get to see the excitement that reels through campus during football season, as the event falls on the weekend of a home football game against the University of Minnesota Gophers. Registration for Family Weekend will open mid-August and close Sept 19.  

Kat Cooper, SLE chief communications officer, explains the importance of the new unit, saying: “We know that student success is positively influenced by the support they receive from their families – both biological and chosen. Nurturing this relationship and giving families a resource on campus moves us all closer to our goals.”  

Learn more about Spartan Family Connections unit and Family Weekend at family.msu.edu.