The Rock has been a campus landmark since it was donated as gift from the Class of 1873. And while it's been in various locations across campus, it was in 1985 that it settled into its current home in front of the MSU Auditorium. Known as an ever-changing campus billboard, the Rock is painted by students to reflect milestones, recognitions, current events, celebrations and so much more. Below, find out some of the ways students have experienced the Rock during their time at MSU. Have you painted the Rock? Send us a note at msutoday@msu.edu.
A living entity
Photo by Brennan Mahokey
One of the coolest traditions at my time at MSU has got to be painting the Rock. There's just something about it that brings strength and community to the students. It was always cool when I would walk to class how the Rock would always be updated with the most recent MSU happenings or a current event. What I especially liked was the way it was used for protest or to make a statement on what was happening, not just at the university, but in the world.
In my six years of being here I had never seen it defiled either. It was a neutral ground of sorts where even if you didn’t agree you’d get your turn to say so. In times of hardship during the violence that happened on campus in 2023, being at the Rock seemed almost natural and brought calmness to something that just didn’t make sense to us.
I remember my friends would even have little bets to see who could remember what was on the Rock for the week to see if they actually went to class since it was updated so frequently. Even though the Rock may not seem alive, to me, at least, I can see it breathing with the colors and stories of every emotion MSU has felt over time – and that is absolutely beautiful.
- Cionne Casanova, advertising management and public relations student
A time capsule
Photo courtesy Reese Carlson
Painting the Rock on Michigan State’s campus is a tale as old as time. Well, maybe not that old, but the Rock has been around for a while.
During my first year at MSU, I joined the MSU Women’s Water Polo Club. The season had gone incredibly well, and in early April we were headed to the Big Ten Tournament ranked second in the division. Because of this achievement, the team decided to paint the Rock before we left for the tournament.
This is an activity that many students have participated in over the years, but there was still something thrilling about meeting up after sunset with our cans of spray paint to make a masterpiece. A masterpiece that would likely only be visible for a day or two, of course.
At the time, there was an art major on the team, so she was in charge of spray painting the actual water polo player on the front. The rest of us, being not so artistically inclined, were put in charge of doing the white background and then when that was done, we wrote our names on the back. We posed for pictures and laughed about literally sitting around waiting for paint to dry.
Now in my last year here at MSU, I walk by the Rock and can’t help but smile, when I think about how under all those layers of paint, there is a sort of time capsule. Our drawing won’t ever be visible again, but the Women’s Water Polo Club from spring of 2022 is captured in a moment of time, somewhere in the paint layers on The Rock.
- Reese Carlson, journalism student with a concentration in environmental and health reporting
A community builder
Photo courtesy Maggie Carstensen
I have been a part of the Wharton Center Student Marketing Organization for about two years now. WCSMO painted the Rock for one of the shows in the 2024-25 season, “Les Misérables,” and to promote their student tickets.
The whole night was a great experience. We started off by painting the entire Rock blue. Around halfway through painting the Rock, we quickly realized that there wasn’t enough spray paint to finish the rock. While we tried to troubleshoot while we were there, we decided that someone was going to have to make a spray paint run.
Being one of the only people with a car who came out to paint the Rock, I was really the only one for the job. After an eventful car ride, we got about three cans of extra spray paint, so we were all set to finish the Rock.
Having the opportunity to paint the Rock at MSU was so much fun. I was able to take part in one of the many MSU traditions with an organization that I care about. Being able to paint the Rock was such a cool experience; it reminded me of the community that I was able to cultivate at MSU.
- Maggie Carstensen, journalism student