Oct. 24, 2025
Photo gallery: A journey through the UP showcases Spartan impact in action
From Iron Mountain to Marquette and beyond, Michigan State University Spartans have spent decades partnering with communities across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to advance health care, education, economic development and environmental stewardship. This fall, the Spartan Bus Tour shined a light on those enduring collaborations and their impact throughout the region.
From Oct. 19-21, President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., traveled with faculty and university leaders on a three-day route featuring more than a dozen stops across the UP and northern Michigan. The tour highlighted how MSU and its partners are working together to improve health outcomes, strengthen local industries and create opportunities for future generations.
A mindful-eating demonstration at Northwest Community Action Agency Head Start during the Spartan Bus Tour in fall 2025. Photo by Sydney Hawkins.
The MSU Spartan Bus Tour arrives on the shores of Lake Michigan in St. Ignace for a photo opportunity of the Mackinac Bridge. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse at golden hour. The lighthouse is said to be one of the most haunted places in Michigan. Photo by Garret Morgan.
An aerial photo of the Mackinac Bridge as the bus from the fall 2025 Spartan Bus Tour drives over it. Photo by Garret Morgan.
UP Health System-Marquette is home to the MSU College of Human Medicine's Upper Peninsula Region campus. Approximately 20 third-and fourth-year medical students from MSU complete their clerkships in Marquette and in community hospitals and clinics throughout the Upper Peninsula. Photo by Garret Morgan.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., takes a selfie with the bus tour group in front of a mural in downtown Cadillac featuring long-time Cadillac Printing Company employee Marion Nye. The mural was created in partnership with MSU Extension's Michigan ArtShare project. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Daniel Conklin, vice president and chief operating officer of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, speaks to a group during the Spartan Bus Tour's visit. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., with MSU alumni Chad Munger (right) and Tracy Hickman, the owners and founders of Mammoth Distilling. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The MSU Forestry Innovation Center is a 1,745-acre AgBioResearch center in Escanaba focused on advancing research and innovation in areas including forest genetics, silviculture, biomass energy and non-timber forest products. Photo by Garret Morgan.
Tyler Tankersley, forest technician at the MSU Forestry Innovation Center, demonstrates how the center's evaporator is used to make maple syrup and other maple sugar products used in agritourism, the food and beverage industry and medicine. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz takes a selfie with the Spartan Bus Tour group and men's head basketball coach Tom Izzo at the Iron Mountain Iron Mine. Izzo, who is from Iron Mountain, surprised the bus tour at this stop. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU Spartan Bus Tour participants learn how floors for the NCAA tournament and professional basketball courts are made during a visit to Connor Sports Flooring in Amasa. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo joined a tour of Connor Sports Flooring during the Spartan Bus Tour. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Matthew Anderson, professor in the Eli Broad College of Business, during a hands-on demonstration of wild rice processing at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Joyce deJong, dean of the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, takes a selfie with (left to right) Stuart Johnson, community assistant dean for the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Upper Peninsula Campus; Andrea Wendling, senior associate dean for academic affairs in the MSU College of Human Medicine; and Supratik Rayamajhi, interim dean of the MSU College of Human Medicine. Photo by Derrick L. Turner
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. with the staff at the MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Heidi Hennink-Kaminski, dean of the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences, plays an arcade game during the Spartan Bus Tour's visit to the Top-of-the-Lake Snowmobile Museum. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Bethany Duyser, assistant director of the IMPART Alliance in the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, signs the bus at the Spartan Bus Tour's closing reception at Uncle John's Cider Mill. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
A mindful-eating demonstration at Northwest Community Action Agency Head Start during the Spartan Bus Tour in fall 2025. Photo by Sydney Hawkins.
The MSU Spartan Bus Tour arrives on the shores of Lake Michigan in St. Ignace for a photo opportunity of the Mackinac Bridge. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse at golden hour. The lighthouse is said to be one of the most haunted places in Michigan. Photo by Garret Morgan.
An aerial photo of the Mackinac Bridge as the bus from the fall 2025 Spartan Bus Tour drives over it. Photo by Garret Morgan.
UP Health System-Marquette is home to the MSU College of Human Medicine's Upper Peninsula Region campus. Approximately 20 third-and fourth-year medical students from MSU complete their clerkships in Marquette and in community hospitals and clinics throughout the Upper Peninsula. Photo by Garret Morgan.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., takes a selfie with the bus tour group in front of a mural in downtown Cadillac featuring long-time Cadillac Printing Company employee Marion Nye. The mural was created in partnership with MSU Extension's Michigan ArtShare project. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Daniel Conklin, vice president and chief operating officer of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, speaks to a group during the Spartan Bus Tour's visit. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., with MSU alumni Chad Munger (right) and Tracy Hickman, the owners and founders of Mammoth Distilling. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The MSU Forestry Innovation Center is a 1,745-acre AgBioResearch center in Escanaba focused on advancing research and innovation in areas including forest genetics, silviculture, biomass energy and non-timber forest products. Photo by Garret Morgan.
Tyler Tankersley, forest technician at the MSU Forestry Innovation Center, demonstrates how the center's evaporator is used to make maple syrup and other maple sugar products used in agritourism, the food and beverage industry and medicine. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz takes a selfie with the Spartan Bus Tour group and men's head basketball coach Tom Izzo at the Iron Mountain Iron Mine. Izzo, who is from Iron Mountain, surprised the bus tour at this stop. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU Spartan Bus Tour participants learn how floors for the NCAA tournament and professional basketball courts are made during a visit to Connor Sports Flooring in Amasa. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo joined a tour of Connor Sports Flooring during the Spartan Bus Tour. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Matthew Anderson, professor in the Eli Broad College of Business, during a hands-on demonstration of wild rice processing at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Joyce deJong, dean of the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, takes a selfie with (left to right) Stuart Johnson, community assistant dean for the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Upper Peninsula Campus; Andrea Wendling, senior associate dean for academic affairs in the MSU College of Human Medicine; and Supratik Rayamajhi, interim dean of the MSU College of Human Medicine. Photo by Derrick L. Turner
MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. with the staff at the MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Heidi Hennink-Kaminski, dean of the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences, plays an arcade game during the Spartan Bus Tour's visit to the Top-of-the-Lake Snowmobile Museum. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Bethany Duyser, assistant director of the IMPART Alliance in the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, signs the bus at the Spartan Bus Tour's closing reception at Uncle John's Cider Mill. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
A mindful-eating demonstration at Northwest Community Action Agency Head Start during the Spartan Bus Tour in fall 2025. Photo by Sydney Hawkins.
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