When Dustin Baker walks onto the football field in Spartan Stadium on Saturday to be recognized as a member of MSU’s Homecoming Court, he knows the two generations of Spartan alumni in his family watching in the stands will be burning with pride.
“My dad’s parents have had season tickets (to MSU football games) since they graduated in the 1940s,” he said. “But for this game, it’ll be more special to see their grandson on the 50-yard line.”
During Saturday’s game, the agribusiness management senior will be recognized as one of 10 students on MSU’s Homecoming Court for the 2011-12 academic school year.
In high school, the election of homecoming royalty might have been a popularity contest, but at MSU, it’s a contest of heart. The Homecoming Committee selects 10 involved and committed students passionate about the university to represent the Spartan community on homecoming court.
Contrary to many high school traditions, MSU does not select single individuals to be king and queen of homecoming, said Jodi Hancock, co-adviser of MSU’s Homecoming Court.
“We’re not looking for one person to stand out,” she said. “We’re looking to represent diverse types of students.”
During this year’s Homecoming week, the court will attend the Alumni Grand Awards Ceremony on Thursday to watch distinguished MSU alumni receive recognition for their contributions to the school. On Saturday, court members are invited to special tailgating events and the Green and White pregame brunch at Kellogg Center, in which Spartan fans and alumni will be able to meet before the football game later that evening. During the game, Homecoming Court members will be recognized for their achievements during halftime.
Although individuals nominated for homecoming court in high school sometimes wear formal dresses and tuxedos, members of the MSU Homecoming Court wear a polo and a fleece designating them as the 2011-12 homecoming court. International relations and political science senior and Homecoming Court member Sarah Pomeroy said wearing the same outfit reenforces the idea all 10 representatives of MSU are just as important as the next.
“Part of me prefers just being able to be comfortable,” she said. “We can look uniform when we represent MSU.”
Later in their reign, the court will attend an 50-year MSU reunion and make multiple appearances at fall Welcome Weekend activities.
“It’s a humbling experience for me,” Pomeroy said. “I’ve grown to really appreciate how much greatness the school has to offer.”
In April of junior or senior year, students who will be in their final year of study the following fall semester are nominated for court by faculty, staff or their fellow students. Those students are notified by email and apply for consideration by filling out a packet of information and questions where potentials describe their involvement on and off campus.
Hancock said the amount of applications the committee reviews each year varies between about 25 and 60 applications.
After the committee selects 20 potential candidates, each student undergoes an individual interview with a panel of outgoing past court members, current students, alumni, faculty and staff members. Hancock said the final selection of 10 students are role models for their fellow students and individuals the university can be proud of.
“We end up with this incredible pool of students,” she said. “They have a common passion and love for MSU, and that’s what sets the candidates who get selected apart.”
Baker said the selection of members of the homecoming court is different from high school for the better.
“It’s based more on school spirit and involvement on campus, not who has the most friends,” he said.
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