Dear Spartans and friends,
Last week we embarked on the inaugural Spartan Bus Tour, bringing some 60 Michigan State faculty, staff and administrators to diverse communities around the western Lower Peninsula. This three-day trip was a wonderful way to learn more about some of the communities our students and alums call home — and to see where MSU’s impact is felt through research, education and outreach. Thanks to the tour, we now have a better understanding of how to bring even more of our expertise into these communities to help improve quality of life and drive Michigan’s economy.
Day 1
We started the tour on a Monday at the Ziibiwing Center for Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways in Mt. Pleasant. There, we met with tribal council members and tribal college leadership of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and I was honored to share a blanketing ceremony celebrating our growing partnerships. We ended the day at Camp Grayling and Camp Wa Wa Sum in Grayling, and I was inspired to learn more about our Extension partnership with the Michigan National Guard and our efforts to protect the Au Sable River’s popular fishery from climate change.
Day 2
On Tuesday, we continued to see how Michigan State faculty and researchers are tackling grand challenges and providing impactful opportunities. For example, we visited Ludington State Park and met with our geography and geological sciences researchers, who are exploring how to protect Michigan from coastal erosion. We also stopped by Martinez Farm, an apple orchard in Conklin that partners with MSU to address challenges faced by farmworkers. As our Senior Associate of Migrant Student Services Elias Lopez nicely put it, “We’re broadening the scope of what they can see for their futures while honoring their heritage and where they came from.”
Day 3
Finally, on Wednesday, we had a wonderful opportunity to meet with students and staff at Muskegon High School, where we learned more about some of MSU’s precollege programs — and how those are changing students’ lives and offering upward mobility. We also went to our Grand Rapids Research Center and met MSU faculty and physicians conducting groundbreaking medical research in cancer, women’s health and diseases like Parkinson’s. And we saw the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, where we met Spartans creating a better tomorrow by researching aquatic and terrestrial ecology, evolution and sustainable agriculture.
There is so much more to say about each of our 15 stops. But if I were to boil it down to a core theme, it would simply be this: each stop underscored MSU’s commitment to serving the common good through the power of partnership. There is no doubt in my mind — we are Michigan’s STATE university!
Please see the video below for a summary of the trip. You can learn more about the tour and our work across Michigan on the Spartan Bus Tour website and the MSU Today podcast.
I am grateful to all the engaged faculty, staff and administrators who participated in the Spartan Bus Tour. It was an amazing opportunity not only to learn more about the communities we serve, but also to deepen our relationships with our fellow passengers, representing many different disciplines and backgrounds. I am certain these connections will spark new ideas, foster interdisciplinary collaborations and strengthen the sense of community that makes MSU such a special place.
I also want to thank those who so warmly hosted us at each of our tour stops. The 2024 tour represented a significant step in our ongoing efforts to strengthen MSU as Michigan’s state university. I look forward to expanding participation for next year’s tour and traveling different routes across Michigan in the years ahead.
Go vote!
Finally, as we approach Election Day on Nov. 5, I would like to encourage all eligible Spartans to cast your ballot and make your voice heard — an important civic duty that aligns with our mission as a great and passionately public university committed to strengthening democracy. Please visit MSUvote to learn more about how to register, make a plan and stay informed. And for our international community and others ineligible to vote in this election, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the election process.
Sincerely,
(pronounced GUS-ka-wits)
President
Professor, Department of Kinesiology