The Student Alumni Foundation, or SAF, and the University Activities Board, or UAB, kicked off various events Sunday and will continue holding them until Saturday’s game.

Event extravaganza

Hayrides and History, which took place Monday evening, gave the public tours around campus with brief historical facts about various complexes.

Even though real hay was not present, the John Deer tractor pulling the ride complemented the country-like theme.

“My favorite part about fall is hayrides,” social work sophomore Kelcey Gapske said. “It’s not real hay, but I will manage.”

Hayrides and History is just one event that is part of a much larger tradition. Each year, the MSU and East Lansing communities participate in a week full of homecoming celebrations and commemorations. Homecoming typically brings thousands of alumni from across the nation and world to MSU, mostly for the weekend’s football game.

“(Homecoming) brings students, family, faculty and alumni together,” said Meaghen Murray, director of the spirits and traditions committee for UAB.

Organizations that usually wouldn’t collaborate or interact with one another join strengths for a week of festivities, she said.

“Homecoming recognizes all the different groups on campus and unites them, because we are all Spartans,” Murray said.

SAF organized a weeklong scavenger hunt called Sparty’s Flag Find, in which students search for a flag hidden somewhere on campus in order to win a prize.

“Every morning at 7 this week, we’ll post a clue on our website as to where the flag may be hidden,” said Megan Hall, vice president of SAF memberships. “It’s open to all students and it’s a fun way to celebrate homecoming week.”

SAF also is in charge of building the floats that will be used in the annual homecoming parade this Saturday, Hall said.
UAB teamed up with Abrams Planetarium for Spartan Spectacular, which will offer students the chance to experience a roller coaster-like simulated show, Murray said.

“It’s supposed to be a really cool show, I know I’m really excited about it,” she said. “During the show there will be a constellation in the shape of Sparty dancing to the fight song.”

On Friday, UAB will host a pep rally at the rock on Farm Lane featuring free Dairy Store ice cream and DJ’s from WDBM (88.9-FM), Murray said.

“I hope that the aspect of amplified sound coming from the rock will draw the crowd in,” she said.

Everybody’s game

Homecoming activities will culminate when the undefeated Spartan football team takes on Illinois on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

The game is expected to be slightly unlike the others this season. At halftime, the Spartan Marching Band will perform per usual; this time, though, MSU, Habitat for Humanity, Whirlpool Corp. and others will present the keys to a newly built home to an MSU student.

Some students, such as civil engineering sophomore Jack Potterack, aren’t looking forward to much about homecoming besides the game.

“I honestly didn’t even know that a lot of these events were going on during the week,” Potterack said.
“As far as homecoming goes, I’m really just looking forward to going to the game. That’s the biggest draw for me, but I may check some of the other events out.”

Although some might think homecoming is just an event for alumni, professional writing junior Brittany Tuori feels otherwise.

“Yeah, obviously there’s an emphasis on the alumni and having them come back to campus, but I still think that homecoming can be for the current students too,” Tuori said. “I’m looking forward to attending the pep rally at the rock on Friday; if anything, I just think that most students don’t realize that there’s stuff going on for them too.”

To check out more homecoming events, visit alumni.msu.edu and uabevents.com.