Army ROTC promotes focus, leadership, teamwork

Leadership experience is a complement to any student's résumé. For Micah Bushouse and Jake Reidel, the leadership skills gathered at MSU in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, or ROTC, could save lives. Bushouse and Reidel graduated in May, earning their degrees — in telecommunication, information studies and media, and criminal justice, respectively — and also their commissions as second lieutenants in the United States Army. Both students occupied top leadership positions during their senior year in the program.

Planning key to financial success

College is a wonderland of expenses. The spending can last from the very moment that green-and-white acceptance packet arrives to years after when you walk across the stage with your undergraduate degree. As a student, it can be tough to put into perspective.

First class graduates from new program

After finishing a grueling 765-hours of course work in one year, the first class graduated from MSU's accelerated nursing program. In its trial year, the College of Nursing's accelerated second degree program had 44 nurses finish and held the graduation ceremony Friday. The program is offered to students who already have one degree in nursing.

Fresh face forward

After a disappointing first-round loss in the Big Ten Championships last season, a younger Spartans field hockey squad is looking to make a statement this fall and cement its legacy under new head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. The team, which established itself as one of the best in the country under former coach Michele Madison, will take the field this year minus its two All-American starters — goalkeeper Christina Kirkaldy and forward Michelle Huynh-Ba.

New field hockey coach ready to challenge players, staff

When MSU's field hockey team lost long-time head coach Michele Madison to the University of Virginia last spring, the program didn't have to look far for someone to step into the top spot. Rolf van de Kerkhof, who spent seven seasons as assistant coach under Madison, is ready to make a name for himself and his Spartans team, looking to put the program back in the national spotlight after last year's merely average season.

Team works toward better season, record

Scoring a goal. At its basic level, a goal in soccer puts a point on the board. And especially in soccer, one point can be the difference between sublime victory and agonizing defeat.

Police briefs 08/14/06

Smith: Team confident about season

The pressure is building for John L. Smith. The Spartans' football head coach has his hands full trying to put the pieces together for a successful season this year in East Lansing. In his fourth year at MSU, Smith's August preparations for the fall should be rather routine by now.

Campus obstacles

Many of the orange construction signs littering campus will disappear this week, an absence welcomed by travelers both on and off the road.

Season difficult to predict

With the ever-fluctuating nature of college athletics, it is nearly impossible to predict the future of a team or season.

Haynes picked for Foreign Tour

Senior MSU baller Rene Haynes was selected to play for the 2006 Big Ten Women's Basketball Foreign Tour Team. She is ready for the chance to represent both the league and her team in an international setting. "I'm just excited to play and represent the Big Ten," Haynes said. Haynes and the rest of the Big Ten team will trek along the Scandinavian landscape to compete with international teams and get a taste of overseas culture. "I'm excited to, you know, go to a new place and a new area," Haynes said. Haynes' résumé speaks for itself.

Musical affair

A first-rate musical starring diverse players from around the world was on location in downtown East Lansing for anybody looking for a reason to clap their hands and shuffle their feet — rated G, for all audiences. Starting Friday night, the Great Lakes Folk Festival was the main local attraction of the weekend, with bands providing clips of their musical heritage through Sunday evening. Concertgoers didn't even have to show up early to get matinee prices — the three-day outdoor festival was free — but many fans did show up early because they were so excited. "I'm psyched to the hear the Cajun/Zydeco music," said Haslett resident Heather Dykstra, 37, while sitting on a blanket on opening night. Dykstra and her husband watched their two young children, ages 2 and 5, play in the volleyball court's sand while an Indian Sarod act, Aditya Verma, was setting up on the Valley Court stage. This was Dykstra's first experience with the festival, and besides enjoying the music, she was happy just to have an opportunity to dance with her children in a friendly setting. After allowing her kids time to play in their own little beach haven, Dykstra pulled them toward the Dance Stage in a wheelbarrow to shake a leg to Ron Likovic's Slovenian Polka tunes. Not only were crowd members getting into the different acts, but fellow musicians were digging each other's tunes all weekend. Twenty-two-year-old guitar player Julian Primeaux for Lil' Nathan & the Zydeco Big-Timers said Sunday that he really fancied the Juke Joint Swing set put on by Wayne Hancock Saturday night and generally thought all the acts really had it together. Primeaux's band was unique to the scene because it was the only Zydeco band performing.

U-M, MSU rivalry began in 1800s

When John Macklin was named head football coach and athletic director of Michigan Agricultural College in 1911, he inherited a fledgling football program plagued by low attendance at a school where enrollment just slightly topped 1,700. Macklin led the M.A.C.

Funding to continue for foreign languages

MSU will continue to take steps toward becoming a global university with increased funding for international and foreign language studies. The U.S.

Cleaner CATA makes better city

You might see new buses on campus this fall, and they're nothing like what you're used to.

Bible doesn't promote slavery, abortion rights

Shane Krouse's column "Bible supports abortion rights," (SN 8/10), claims various things about Christians, the Bible and slavery.

Freedom shouldn't be taken for granted

Drew Robert Winter makes the case that the president is a tyrant in his column, "'Freedom,' as defined by Bush, only infringes on people's rights," (SN 8/2). I've been hearing this accusation since 2000, when President Bush "stole" the presidential election.

Men's golf team will rely on returning starters to secure top tournament honors this season

Despite the old adage, when the MSU men's golf team hits the links this fall, it will be looking for great individual efforts in order to secure tournament success.

Detroit Zoo penguin could be named Izzo

Izzo could be the name of The Detroit Zoo's baby penguin, or chick, if the name receives the most votes.

MSU varsity sports to be on FOX cable channel in 2007

A new deal between Big Ten universities and ABC and its affiliates could not only bring more financial help to schools like MSU, but exposure as well. The deal, announced June 21, would extend coverage of men's football and basketball, women's basketball and volleyball to ESPN and ABC sports for another 10 years. It would also establish a cable-only Big Ten Channel carried by Fox. The partnership begins in 2007 and will bring an additional $7.5 million to each university in the conference. It sets the number of games being shown each year to include more than 40 football games on ABC and ESPN, nearly 60 basketball games on ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPNU and about 110 Big Ten events on ABC and ESPN annually. Athletics Director Ron Mason said he is excited by the attention the deal could bring MSU. "The university will become a major part of this deal because of all the exposure we will be receiving," Mason said.