I think back to a time of the last century that MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis referenced, when MSU was a place where female student athletes were not able to be awarded letter jackets. Fast forwarding to the evening this past week, nothing was more assuring to see the resounding number of female student athletes receive a large number of the varsity letters distributed at the ceremony.

While MSU Athletics has become significantly more inclusive compared to the aforementioned, one challenge seems to remain at MSU: student athletes are considerably disconnected and judged harshly from their peers than those who are not directly a part of the athletic experience.

More often than not, I am approached by student athletes, where they share their stories (and often times, tears) because of the challenges of the stereotypes that come about in their natural born talents and pursuit in sport. The negative perceptions that student athletes are given the easy way out on their exams, the paper written for them, or class credit handed over regardless of their attendance.

Unfortunately, these are all real stereotypes here at MSU, and this has drawn nothing but a deep line between student athletes and non-student athletes. Student athletes are in fact required to utilize the Clara Bell Smith Student Athlete Academic Support Center. In addition, most of the programs have severe penalties if students do not show up to class. There are severe consequences (especially on many of these scholarships) should a student athlete not take their academic pursuits seriously. I have been told more often than not that the concern is not students not receiving a degree, but ensuring student athletes are in the career of their choice upon graduation.

But make no mistake about it — our institution benefits overall from the success of our athletic programs. Our student recruitment and admission levels rise, our overall campus attitude seems to rocket on game day weekends, donors are more likely to give and we all just know how to wear that Spartan helmet with pride because of that win on the court, field or in the water. It’s why we’re a constant top-ranked university across the Big Ten Conference.

However, the success of our peers should not be a rationale to drive divisions among the success of students coming to MSU based on their natural born talents, insofar as to compare non-student athletes are here on academic scholarships. We should be proud of all our peers, regardless of how they contribute to the overall growth of this university.

It’s as simple as this: every student here at MSU has a talent as a Spartan. It’s why you and I were admitted to this world-class institution. Whether the talent is fostered strictly in the books, in a student organization, or on the field — we all contribute to the success of this university. All of us have a reason to take pride in this community and ultimately the “sense of place” that we call home.

I remember listening to the sentiment shared by Mrs. Sadler at the ceremony, describing how “all Spartans at Michigan State need to recognize, pursue, and utilize their platform (whatever it may be) and use it – for good.” I am sure that if Mike were at that podium sharing his story, he would have been behind that statement entirely.

I’m calling on Spartans to harness their platform (whatever, and wherever that is), recognize their influence and use that opportunity to influence good in East Lansing and greater society. I’m excited that ASMSU has bridged a new relationship with the student-athlete support center this year, overall contributing to the opportunities ahead with our student body and our student-athletes. But that doesn’t just apply to student athletes: non-student athletes have the same opportunity to pursue their calling and grab hold of their platform just as proud.

Our time at MSU is limited – we simply cannot continue to find divisions among our peers. Recognizing that some students at MSU are only here because of scholarships for academic or athletic success may not be remembered many years to come. But the success of our teams, our classrooms, our research and our community simply won’t come alive in the Spartan story in the years to follow if we don’t take the courage to smile once in a while, find our talents, take our platform and realize we all have a special thread weaved through that glimmering Spartan flag.

Lorenzo Santavicca is the undergraduate student body president at MSU. He can be contacted at president@asmsu.msu.edu.