Like our iconic campus lamp posts, illuminating the path forward, Spartans, too, provided hope this year.
From amazing advancements in cancer research to the grand opening of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams and so much more, we found ways to make a positive impact and change the world for the better.
There was much to be proud of and reasons to celebrate, too.
Spartans took home jazz honors and Big Ten titles; we opened new spaces on campus where Spartans could learn and grow; we set incoming class records and we made our voices heard at the polls. We sent our research to space – yes, space!
We marched with the Spartan Marching Band. We spoke up and spoke out. We studied along the banks of the Red Cedar. We embraced our ever-expanding Spartan community.
And we always took time to marvel at the campus landscape that surrounds us.
Take a look at some of the photo highlights of 2022.
Dec. 5, 2022
The year in photos: 2022
The year started off with exciting Spartan news on a national level: MSU economist and professor Lisa D. Cook was appointed by President Joe Biden to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in January and officially confirmed in May, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the board in its 108-year history. Photo courtesy Federal Reserve.
A rainbow appears over north campus, showcasing the promise of possibility. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Stars gently peek through the trees of the Munn Pinetum. Photo by Nick Schrader.
The sunflower, a symbol of peace in Ukraine, is held during a rally for peace at Demonstration Hall. The rally was organized by the MSU Ukrainian Students Organization. Photo by Nick Schrader.
Champions! Jazz Studies students and faculty return home after placing first at the second annual Jack Rudin Jazz Championship in New York. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Teresa K. Woodruff, then-provost and academic vice president for academic affairs, visited with the Spartan Marching Band during the first-ever Admitted Students Day hosted by MSU Admissions. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU graduate James Piot competed in the 86th Masters Tournament. Photo courtesy MSU Athletics.
As spring semester drew to a close, more than 9,600 Spartan students received their degrees at commencement — joining the ranks of over half a million alumni living and making a difference around the globe. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Though commencement is a highly anticipated event for every Spartan, one graduate in particular received some long-awaited recognition for serving an important role at MSU. Madison Scanlon, a College of Communication Arts and Sciences graduate, revealed herself as one of the students who portrays the Sparty mascot by crossing the commencement stage in Sparty’s boots. Scanlon, who performed as Sparty in secret for four years, is one of only three women who have represented the beloved MSU mascot. Photo by Nick Schrader.
Michigan's first total-body PET/CT scanner arrived at the MSU Radiopharmacy in the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building in Grand Rapids. For more than 50 years, MSU has been a leader in cancer research and treatment, from the discovery of cisplatin, the gold standard in cancer drugs, to building a dual-cyclotron radiopharmacy that produces radioactive isotopes used to treat cancer and help patients in Michigan and around the world. Now, the total-body PET/CT scanner — made possible through MSU’s partnership with Bold Advanced Medical Future Health and in part by an honorary Spartan’s generosity — enables both research and clinical care and is the next step in MSU’s cancer story. Photo courtesy MSU Office of Health Sciences.
The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, the preeminent user facility of its kind in the world — and home to the world’s most powerful heavy-ion accelerator — opened its doors May 2. Campus, state and national leaders attended to commemorate the momentous occasion. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Summer Circle Theatre celebrated its 60th anniversary season during 2022. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Through a residence hall room window, students shared their pride. Photo by Nick Schrader.
The Detroit Apple Developer Academy, a partnership between MSU and Apple, celebrated its first cohort of 100 students as they graduated from the program. The academy offers students a free 10-month program that teaches entrepreneurship and app development skills, while emphasizing inclusivity and making a positive impact within their communities. Photo courtesy Apple.
Beaumont Tower is highlighted among the lush green scenery of campus. Photo by Nick Schrader.
While MSU’s campus is constantly growing and evolving, it’s no surprise that the city we call home has also seen a great deal of change. One new face in East Lansing is Landmark, an apartment community on Grand River that features some unique MSU-inspired décor. Photo by Jacob Templin-Fulton.
Fall semester welcomed 9,800 new students to campus, MSU’s largest and most diverse incoming class to date. Photo by Nick Schrader.
On Aug. 18, 1922, WKAR first took to the air waves as an AM radio station, broadcasting agricultural news and information from MSU. One hundred years later, WKAR is a robust media organization that includes WKAR Television, WKAR Radio, wkar.org, Radio Reading Service, WKAR Digital Studios, WKAR Family and much more. WKAR kicked off a yearlong celebration in August, with festivities continuing in 2023. Photo courtesy Amanda Pinckney.
The fantastic Spartan Marching Band, a 300-member ensemble, provided countless hours of pride, excitement and talent during the 2022 football season. Photo by Nick Schrader.
The MSU community never misses out on a chance to show its Spartan pride, and cheering for MSU from the Izzone is one of the best ways for students to do so. The annual Izzone campout officially kicked off the start of the men’s basketball season, and dedicated students spent the night on Munn Field to show their support for Coach Izzo and the team. Photo by Nick Schrader.
The Wharton Center for Performing Arts, which opened in 1982, celebrated 40 years of performing arts. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Grand marshal James Bibbs was the perfect ambassador for this year’s Homecoming, which once again provided a wonderful setting for the Spartan community. Bibbs was the first Black head coach at the university and first Black head track coach in the Big Ten. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU women’s soccer won the program’s first Big Ten title on its way to becoming the winningest team in program history. Photo courtesy MSU Athletics.
Led by Katie Osika’s second-place finish, MSU women’s cross-country won its third Big Ten championship in four years. Photo courtesy MSU Athletics.
Students spend time in Introductory Chemistry Lab I, taking a closer look at their experiment. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU students turned out in droves to make their voices heard during the midterm election. The last ballot cast on campus happened at 12:09 a.m. Nov. 9 by a computer science student who got in line to vote just before 8 p.m. Nov. 8. Photo courtesy Suchitra Webster.
The Broad Art Musuem at Michigan State University celebrated its 10th anniversary. Opening its doors on Nov. 12, 2012, the iconic campus building is the masterpiece of world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid. Photo by Nick Schrader.
MSU men’s basketball competed against Gonzaga in the 2022 Armed Forces Classic on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego on Veterans Day. Photo courtesy MSU Athletics.
The College of Arts and Letters celebrated the opening of a new space dedicated to the Department of African American and African Studies — the first of its kind at MSU. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The Brandizzi Lab at MSU sent seeds to space aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission, which launched Nov. 16, to explore how humanity can sustain itself outside of Earth. Photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls.
The Black Students’ Alliance hosted its 50th annual Black Power Rally at Wharton Center for Performing Arts. The event cultivated awareness about the histories, narratives and everyday experiences of African and African diaspora peoples through the medium of art, music, dance, spoken word/poetry and skits, produced and executed by students across campus. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D., joined MSU’s Prevention, Outreach and Education Department at the kickoff of “It’s On Us Fall Week of Action.” The week featured empowering events to promote awareness and prevention of gender-based violence, reminding the campus community that change starts with each one of us. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
As 2022 draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on all the important moments that helped shape our lives this year, and to look forward to all that’s yet to come. To Spartans near and far, thank you for making MSU – and the world – a better place, this year and every year. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
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By: Kelsie Lane, Liam Boylan-Pett and Jennifer Trenkamp
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