The crowd dancing to DJ Donnie’s beats during an ASMSU tailgate on Sept. 14, 2013 at the tennis courts in South Neighborhood. Several students and organizations joined ASMSU for the tailgate. Georgina De Moya/The State News
As part of the lifelong Spartan experience, ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, has been keen on maintaining school spirit by hosting tailgates at the tennis courts in South Neighborhood every home game.
Anna Hogg, ASMSU director of marketing, noticed there were more students joining the tailgate on Saturday than on the two previous tailgates.
“I think (the numbers) are growing the more we get the word out there,” Hogg said. “The ASMSU tailgate has been going for multiple years now.”
Hogg said the student government provides students and their families with free entertainment at the tailgate, in addition to free promotional items that ASMSU hands out at the event.
ASMSU Event Planner and hospitality business junior Ariana Wellings said the tailgate is a good way for students to show their spartan spirit and get ASMSU more attention amongst students.
“It’s an area for us to give back to the students and for them to learn more about us,” Wellings said, adding that the event gives students the space to plan their tailgate the way they want it to be.
Students and alumni can buy parking passes for the tailgate through the ASMSU website, or pick them up at the ASMSU office in the Student Services building. The organization offers both season and single game passes with the prices differing per game.
“As a fellow Spartan, I have (gone tailgating) throughout my four years,” said electrical engineering senior Jose Carmona, adding that this was the first time that he participated in a tailgate planned by ASMSU.
Carmona said that unlike some students, he was aware of the services the student government provides for students, such as the free legal services.
On the other hand, human development and family studies senior Dayna Valent was not aware of what ASMSU was before The State News spoke with her. Valent said she had heard the organization’s name spoken around campus before, but she never knew what it stood for, despite her participating in its tailgate for the second time.
“I just come here to hang out with friends,” she said. “(The tailgate) is mainly for students, so you meet new people.”
Hogg said the next ASMSU tailgate will be on Oct. 12, when the Hoosiers come to town for Homecoming.
“We still haven’t finalized anything about the U-M tailgate,” she said, adding that the student government is planning on having extra entertainment on that day.
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