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Life

STUDENTS

TicketTime: The student-made app allowing students to track parking enforcement, limit tickets

Hannah Holycross
March 8, 2024

MSU students have been receiving parking tickets far and wide and with increased prices, many are trying to figure out the best way to park on campus without breaking the bank. This common problem served as the inspiration for computer science senior Keshav Babu to create the app TicketTime, an app where students can report the presence of parking enforcement in specific lots across campus, giving students the opportunity to avoid the dreaded paper slip under their windshield. 

COMMUNITY

Local artist brightens Lansing with murals

Vivian Barrett
March 5, 2024

Local artist Brian Whitfield has made a mark on Lansing with 30 foot murals and bright colors. From giant fruit on the wall of Capital City Market to license plates driven throughout the state, local artist Brian Whitfield has made a lasting mark on the Lansing area. His artistic journey is far from over, he says. 

STUDENTS

Emotional support animals provide companionship, comfort to students

Vivian Barrett
March 1, 2024

Although they don’t go through formal training and certification, emotional support animals can be life-changing for their owners. Whether it is preventing or helping improve existing symptoms, emotional support animals often provide a connection that boosts an individual’s mental health. Emotional support animals benefit their owners in many ways, from giving companionship to creating a sense of responsibility. However, especially in college, there are many lifestyle factors one should consider before committing to an animal.

STUDENTS

Future Black educators at MSU navigate careers as education becomes politicized

Hannah Locke
February 20, 2024

Since 2021, 44 states have taken steps to restrict the teaching of critical race theory, as well as discussions of racism and sexism in classrooms, according to data from Education Weekly. 18 states have either signed these restrictions into law or approved similar actions. Black teacher education freshman Ferguson said these attacks on Black history affect both her identity and future profession. At the same time, they make her motivation to become a teacher stronger.

COMMUNITY

Black representation among faculty is vital to student belonging, success, students say

Amy Cho
February 20, 2024

“Having a professor that looks like you is important because it shows what’s possible and it, at times, can provide a sense of belonging, where you’re not feeling isolated,” Sheri Lewis, an assistant professor in the Department of African American and African Studies, said. “You see there’s someone that looks like you, (and) possibly have (a) similar background as you, it can be motivating and inspiring and provides a sense of hope and belonging.”

COMMUNITY

MSU historian talks Malcolm X's Lansing years

Kyle O'Connor
February 15, 2024

When local history often gets lost in the textbooks, it’s important to call to mind the icons who walked the same streets we do every day, including Malcolm X, one of the most prominent figures of the civil rights movement. Malcom X grew up in Lansing, Michigan. Arts and humanities professor John Aerni-Flessner focused his curriculum on Malcom X and his time in Lansing within his teaching career at MSU.