The year in photos: 2024

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 last time the College of Education wasn’t ranked No. 1 in the nation for elementary and secondary teacher education by U.S. News & World Report, the year was 1993. 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.

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.

History was made at halftime during a home football game against Prairie A&M, as Michigan State inducted the 1965-66 football teams into the Hall of Fame, the first full teams to receive the honor. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

MSU women’s soccer had one of the best starts in program history this year, maintaining a 14-game streak with no losses. The team finished at 14-3-5, a historic season that earned them a No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and the nation’s longest winning streak from Aug. 15 to Oct. 13, and also included the their second-straight finish in the NCAA Sweet 16. Photo by Nick Schrader.

A bird’s-eye view reveals a colorful grid of some of the 1,500 tents that were set up for the annual Izzone campout, where dedicated students camp overnight on Munn Field in support of the MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams and to secure their spot in the Izzone, the MSU men’s basketball student section. Photo by Jonah Brown.

With the goal of “bringing MSU to Michigan,” President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., alongside more than 60 faculty members and administrators, embarked on the inaugural Spartan Bus Tour from Oct. 21-23. The tour, which made 15 stops in 13 cities, highlighted MSU’s commitment to education, research, outreach and extension throughout our state. Photo by Garret Morgan.

Ahead of the 2024 general election, President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., visited WKAR’s early voting center to cast his vote. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

Through football season, the Spartan Marching Band displayed unforgettable showmanship and musical prowess. Photo by Nick Schrader.

Spartans, including student veterans, celebrated Veterans Day by painting the Rock with a thankful message and patriotic design. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.

MSU research has no boundaries. From space to fields to the depths of the Great Lakes. This year, divers traveled to the bottom of Lake Huron to see if shipwrecked rye seeds, nearly 150 years old, could be brought back to life by MSU scientists. While the rye seeds didn’t germinate, Eric Olson, associate professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, reflected “This was a huge human endeavor. What we did was challenging and difficult, but we didn’t shy away from it. We’re the best qualified group in the entire U.S. to be trying this because we have all the resources right at our fingertips. And MSU just has this environment where you can make anything possible.” Photo by Garret Morgan.

Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM, MSU’s student-run radio station and media organization, achieved national recognition as it was awarded National College Radio Station of the Year in the Pinnacle Awards presented by the College Media Association. Photo courtesy Impact 89FM.

Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr., a Black pioneer in four different fields: foreign economic development, higher education, philanthropy and business, passed away Nov. 16. When elected president of MSU from 1970-78, he became the first Black person to lead a major predominantly white university in the United States. During his presidency, he oversaw the building of MSU’s first superconducting cyclotron, the creation of the MSU Foundation and the launch of its first capital campaign. The capital campaign led to the construction of Michigan’s largest performing arts center, and in 1982, MSU’s Board of Trustees voted to name it the Clifton and Dolores Wharton Center for Performing Arts. Photo courtesy MSU Archives and Historical Collections.

As snow (occasionally) settles on the ground and the year comes to a close, we couldn’t be prouder of all the amazing things Spartans have accomplished this year. From student successes to sports victories and groundbreaking discoveries, the people who make up the MSU community have truly made 2024 special. Thank you for an amazing year, Spartans! We can’t wait to see what the next one has in store for us. Photo by Garret Morgan.