The Union, filled with students sporting black dresses, suits and masquerade masks, was a special place Saturday night for microbiology senior Jessica Plastow and criminal justice sophomore Kyle Engelhardt, who attends Schoolcraft College.
The couple was celebrating their two year anniversary at the MSU Honors College's annual ball.
“The day that I asked her to be my girlfriend ended up being on the Honors College ball day, and that was two years ago,” Engelhardt said.
Plastow said the event was a chance for the couple to enjoy their night together.
“It’s a good opportunity to do something different,” Plastow said. "You could go to the club, but it’s not as respectful as it is here. It’s a fun event every year.”
The event started at 8 p.m. and ended at midnight.
The dance included food, a DJ, masquerade decorations and a photo corner complete with masquerade props.
“It’s a tradition that they’ve had for a long time through the Honors College Activities Board,” genomics and molecular genetics junior Kevin Kramer said.
The majority of students who attended the event were couples, but many chose to attend solo or with groups of friends.
“My friends were all very excited to get dressed up and all fancy,” Lyman Briggs College freshman Rozzie Bloch said. “It’s very exciting for all of us to have the high school homecoming we never went to. It was a nice bonding time for me and many of my honors college friends.”
The MSU Honors College Activities Board is looking forward to planning other events in the future, but the Honors College Ball will always be the biggest event the board holds annually, Kramer said.
“To promote solidarity and to bring everyone together within the Honors College is our main goal,” Kramer said. “Everyone has so many wonderful contributions to bring to each other, and sometimes it’s nice to hang around with people who are outside of your college or major.”
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