The year in photos: 2024

Sparty, always keen to join in at Fall Welcome activities, runs under a parachute during a game with attendees of BealFest 2024, an event that welcomes Spartans to visit and engage with Beal Botanical Garden. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

The year 2024 opened with a glimpse of the future, as the Alienware MSU Esports Lounge celebrated its opening on Jan. 17. The lounge, MSU’s first dedicated space for esports, is supported by the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences and Dell Technology, offering MSU’s esports team and gaming communities a state-of-the-art facility to level up their gaming experiences. Photo by Nick Schrader.

A view from Farm Lane reveals construction in the distance and new structures that support MSU’s future, like the university’s first free-standing Multicultural Center. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

On Feb. 13, the MSU community came together to honor those we lost and those who were affected by the tragedy that occurred on our campus on Feb. 13, 2023. Along with Spartans around the world, unified by a will that connects us, we continue to remember and support one another. Photo by Garret Morgan.

Indigenous culture at MSU was celebrated at the 38th annual Powwow of Love, hosted by the North American Indigenous Student Organization. Photo by Dane Robison.

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., a neuroscientist, academic leader and concussion researcher, was welcomed as MSU’s 22nd president and began his tenure on March 4. Photo by Nick Schrader.

The MSU’s men’s hockey team brought home the Big Ten trophy, winning the Big Ten Tournament in an overtime victory against rival University of Michigan. Photo by Kelly Branigan.

Cheers of victory echoed from Munn Ice Arena to Jenison Field House, as the women’s gymnastics team won their own Big Ten championship on the same night as the men’s hockey team. Photo courtesy MSU Athletic Communications.

The College of Education has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for elementary and secondary teacher education by U.S. News & World Report every year since the rankings began in 1994. Talk about longevity in leadership! This achievement marks the longest-running No. 1 designation in any field at MSU. This year’s rankings prove, once again, how influential the College of Education is. Photo by Marco Schimizzi.

Mark Dantonio, commencement speaker and former head coach for MSU football, stands with graduates at Spring 2024 Convocation. Spring semester saw more than 10,000 Spartans graduating across baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral and professional programs, with a record-breaking number of students — 272 undergraduates — earning a perfect 4.0 GPA. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

A memorial bench honoring the memory of students Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner has been installed near Berkey Hall, thanks to the efforts of MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, Student Life and Engagement, as well as a generous donation from ASMSU. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

This year, MSU researchers made discoveries that could make the world a better place. Debajit Saha, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering and MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, and his team found that honeybees can detect biomarkers or chemical concentrations associated with lung cancer in human breath, a finding that could improve testing models and help diagnose lung cancer sooner. Photo courtesy Saha lab.

Researchers, community members, students, officials and more marked a pivotal moment in health research as construction began on the Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences Research Center in the New Center neighborhood in Detroit. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

Summer Circle Theatre dazzled the crowds in early summer, showcasing the talents of MSU students through performances of shows like “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]” in free, public performances in the Summer Circle Courtyard. Photo by Raymond L. Black Photography.

A frog comes up to say hello following a swim in the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden pond. Photo by Nick Schrader.

The Spartan watches over campus as summer ends and fall semester begins, ready to welcome many students back to campus. Photo by Nick Schrader.

MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.; Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Dan Bollman; Interim Provost Thomas D. Jeitschko; and Granger Construction officials celebrate the reopening of Farm Lane bridge in style, crossing the bridge with a very on-brand green 1972 Cadillac Eldorado. Photo by Derrick L. Turner..

After a relatively quiet summer, the start of fall semester brought a new sense of energy and activity to campus as thousands of students moved into residence halls and began their journey as Spartans. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

Spartan Stadium becomes a world of its own during football season. Though the season saw some epic highs and lows, it started out strong with a three-game win for MSU and culminated with an energy by the players, coaching staff and fans that was unmatched. Photo by Nick Schrader.

Students celebrated the diverse communities of MSU’s campus at the 17th annual Spartan Remix, an event hosted by the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions alongside student volunteers on the Spartan Remix Planning Committee. Together, they hosted a welcome event that highlighted multicultural art, music, education and more. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.