The center’s ideal partnership is a sustained and reciprocal relationship where the students learn and contribute to community solutions, director Renee Brown said. The center recognizes partners who work with students in volunteering, coursework and research work.

“We serve faculty, community partners and students,” Brown said. “We decided that one thing we could do is to acknowledge community partners because they play such a big role in the education and the experiences of our students. To our knowledge, that's not been done.”

The event is an opportunity to bring partners into the university environment they've helped develop, said Derek VanHorn, the center's communications manager.

“To build a relationship, it's more personal and it's more genuine and we want to say ‘thank you that we have a relationship,'” VanHorn said. “It helps sustain those relationships.” 

Brown said offering tickets to an athletic event allows the partners to attend a communal event — one that brings them in contact with the people who benefit most from their service.

“Big Ten sports is something that people enjoy,” Brown said. “It's certainly something that's part of the culture here for students. So, we're trying to invite them to enjoy something with us that happens on campus."

MSU Athletics and the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) are event sponsors. Tickets are provided through MSU Athletics and the university's Residential and Hospitality Services department.

Editor's note: Derek VanHorn is a former employee of The State News.

"We could think of no better way to celebrate than to recognize the faculty, staff, students and community partners who serve others and make a positive impact on the Michigan State University community and far beyond,” Jason Kirk, TIAA's state managing director, said in a statement.