Before the event started, photographs of the graduates continuously popped up on projection screens throughout the arena, often including phrases like "We are so proud of you!" and "Congratulations!"

Laughs, cries and applause filled the room every few minutes; it was the ultimate bittersweet moment.

As students quieted down and parents halted their flash photography, flags of each MSUcollege were held by a student and eventually placed on the side of the stage.

MSUPresident Kevin Guskiewicz began the convocation with remarks about the graduates' journey at Michigan State University, along with a message about their futures.

"You arrived at this destination in your academic journey by keeping your eyes on the outcome," Guskiewicz said. "Always stay curious; it will always help identify your true north … You'll be on the right track to lead lives of purpose and meaning."

Guskiewicz then introduced Mark Dantonio, former Michigan State football coach and one of the event's speakers.

Dantonio was MSU's head coach from 2007 to 2019, and in that time he became the all-time winningest coach for the Spartans, carried a 114-57 record, and won three Big Ten championships and a Rose Bowl, among other notable victories.

Dantonio received an honorary Doctorate of Education degree, and while he stood to receive it, cheers piled on in support.

"You're a highly accomplished and inspiring coach who's committed your life to providing expansive leadership and development to students in a wide variety of aspects, both on and off the field," Guskiewicz said. "You have cemented your place in college football history and actively serve as an inspiration to Spartans across the nation through dedication, resilience, and winning football."

During his speech, Dantonio talked about the history of Michigan State, reassuring graduates that they can make a difference in the future and that students need to chase their dreams and dream big.

He listed the five goals he aspired to as a coach: make personal relationships with the people you care about; work on your education - even past college - and make sure you have a passion; work as much as you can to get better; be a light in your community; win as much as you can.

"If you have discipline and maturity, you can accomplish everything," Dantonio said. "Tomorrow will not be different unless you change today."

Dantonio said this graduating class can positively change the future, especially when it has the Spartan community with it along the way.

"The Spartan's greatest strength is the warrior standing next to them," Dantonio said. "You will be the ones who carry Michigan State forward in so many different areas of society. Make sure you dream big and leave a legacy."

There was buzz before convocation from people looking forward to hearing Dantonio speak, and nursing senior Emily Bahu was one of them.

"I wanted to come (to the convocation) but was also very excited to hear Dantonio speak," Bahu said. "It's very bittersweet."

Bahu will be working at the University of Michigan Children's Hospital next year, and upon reflecting on the last four years, she said college students should "cherish every moment" and "say yes to everything."

In the closing remarks, Guskiewicz told graduates, "This volume your life story is coming to a close, and a new one is about to open," and said graduates should think about how they want to finish the next one.

"In time, you came together to share this campus, your fellowship and all that it had to share," Guskiewicz said. "You celebrated each other's triumphs and each other's adversity. I urge you to stay curious, to stay engaged … and to apply your preparation to the benefit of our society. Congratulations, and Go Green."

The students, who are demanding that the university divest funds from Israel, said morale is high among demonstrators and that they plan to remain in the field through Sunday, when the permit for the encampment is set to expire.

Last night, following a speaker's lecture on the history of Israel-Palestine relations, organizers held a meeting in the encampment to reestablish group norms and emphasize the purpose of the demonstration. At midnight, several students stepped outside of the encampment to recite a Tahajjud prayer.

Journalism and international relations junior Cara Mack said that despite cold temperatures throughout the night, she and other students are in good spirits. Mack added that the encampment has received a generous amount of donated blankets as well as foam mattress toppers from students moving out of the dorms.

"That was very helpful," Mack said, referring to the donations. "I actually slept on a, like, four-inch mattress pad. So honestly, I can't complain. It was a little cold, but I was with my friends."

While today's agenda is still being formulated, tentative plans include a press conference around 10:30 a.m. as well as continued education and training for students at the encampment.

While the students remain set up behind Wells Hall this weekend, MSU will be holding its commencement ceremonies for graduating seniors. Protestor Jesse Estrada White, who is a comparative cultures and politics junior and student organizer with Sunrise MSU, said there are several reasons graduating seniors may choose to remain at the encampment rather than participate in any ceremony.

"(One reason is) if you don't really feel like celebrating a university that has been complicit in funding genocide, occupation and apartheid," Estrada White said. "I don't want to overshadow (peoples' achievements) but there is also a higher purpose in staying in this camp and being a part of this demonstration."

As of June 30, 2023, MSU has $218.1 million invested in three BlackRock funds: BlackRock Emerging Companies, BlackRock Strategic and BlackRock Systematic China Absolute Return, according to the MSU list of investments.

Advocates for divestment argue that those investments and an additional $363.8 million invested in BNY Mellon are funding weapons manufacturers involved in the Israel-Hamas war.

Additionally, MSU has $236,114 invested in Israeli bonds and $479,006 invested in weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

MSU spokesperson Mark Bullion said that while MSU does own U.S. treasury bonds that were issued to fund Israeli aid, "the university purchased these bonds in March 2023, well before the current conflict."

MSU's Board of Trustees announced earlier this month that its finance committee will review the university's financial holdings but won't consider "divestment of any kind."

President Kevin Guskiewicz said the university is "doing everything to protect the endowment and our financial investments from any political influence."

But even if MSU did decide to pull out of the Israeli bond, doing so would be "chaotic," Assistant Vice President of Financial Management Jeff Rayis told The State News in February.

Financial experts say the complex web of outside asset managers and contractually-bound investments put the university in a bind - without much control over its own endowment.

Both MSU's undergraduate student government and the council of Graduate Students passed resolutions calling for divestment earlier this year. MSU's Faculty Senate voted no on a similar resolution, a decision that 90 faculty members signed an open letter disagreeing with.

Protestors at the ongoing encampment are echoing the same demands.

The MSU Board of Trustees gave the Gaza solidarity encampment until Sunday to camp. But the decision was preceded by hours of back and forth between students, administrators and the police yesterday.

Estrada White said the group has yet to make a decision on whether the encampment will remain up after the permit expires on Sunday.

Yesterday's set up

The students arrived early yesterday morning to set up the camp, following suit with students at dozens of other universities across the country.

"We're here to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the mass mobilization across all campuses calling for divestment from the state of Israel and an end to the genocide," Palestinian student organizer with the Arab Cultural Society Saba Saed said.

There were around 35 students then. That number has grown to over 60.

The encampment is set up between Wells Hall and the International Center in an area called "The Peoples' Park." The field held an anti-Vietnam war encampment in 1970.

Estrada White said this is "in the spirit of the encampment."

"Part of that is the symbolism, the connection," Estrada White said. "We may be … 50-60 years beyond that, but the university is still complicit in war, it's still complicit in genocide. Also, it's a good place for a camp."

Tensions rise and students file permit request

The students prepared early for the possibility of police force, which has been seen at the various protests across the country.

Yesterday, Saed told The State News that the university's police response would indicate "how willing they are to actually listen to these student voices."

Dana Whyte, spokesperson for MSU's Department of Police and Public Safety, said dissent is encouraged on campus. But she said protests "cannot interfere with the rights of others, or stop the function of a speech or event, or interfere with the normal business operation of the university in causing disruption."

Before any arrest for disruption takes place, multiple public notifications are made in an attempt to disperse it, Whyte said.

Campus police arrived at the encampment a few hours after it was set up. Officer Steve Beard told student organizers that MSU ordinance 13.01 prohibits unauthorized camping on university grounds.

"You can still stay, you can still gather, you can do what you want to do, but the tents - because of the ordinance - have to come down," he told students.

Students would have to get permission from the Board of Trustees to have the encampment, which would require filing a permit request for approval.

The police then gave students 45 minutes to either remove tents or get permission from the board. They said they would extend the time if needed.

The 45-minute mark came and went as more students arrived with food and water. They began locking hands, waving Palestinian flags and chanting.

But it wasn't just students coming to the encampment, as more MSU administrators arrived throughout the afternoon: Vice President of Public Safety & Chief Safety Officer Doug Monette, Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore and Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX compliance Laura Rugless.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz also visited the Gaza solidarity encampment and spoke to protestors. He told students their permit request would be reviewed.

"It's gonna go through our process," he told The State News after his discussion with students. "I support them petitioning to be able to have the encampment."

He deferred the students' concerns about MSU investments to the Board of Trustees, which he said is "reviewing our investment and endowment policies."

The board, however, said earlier this month that it will not consider "divestment of any kind."

Student organizers filed a permit request in hopes of protecting the camp, which MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said would be reviewed by the Office of the Board Of Trustees.

Many of the police officers at the encampment also left, though Guerrant said they would "continue to monitor" it.

Encampment receives approval and gets on solid ground

The MSU Board of Trustees approved the Gaza solidarity encampment's permit request in the early evening, according to Guerrant.

The approval allowed for encampment to remain standing in the space between Wells Hall and the International Center through Sunday, April 28, which was the time period requested by organizers.

Student protestors said they were grateful for the board's cooperation.

"I am thrilled that the Board of Trustees has recognized our right to protest and decided to not forcefully remove us," comparative cultures and politics senior and one of the encampment marshals Natalie Harmon said."I really hope that this is a step in the right direction and that they'll actually listen to our demands and take a step towards divestment."

Estrada White said he didn't know if the group would stay past the permit's expiration.

"I don't know yet," Estrada White said. "It's a collective decision."

As the students waited for the board's approval, they also established encampment rules.

The rules asked that students "practice kindness" and treat the encampment like a commune.

"Give what you can and take what you need," the rules said.

The rules also discouraged drug and alcohol use.

Students designated "marshals," who wore bright orange vests and were charged with leading the protest and communicating with police and the media.

Protests continue as dusk nears

The students held a protest in the afternoon using signs they had created while at the encampment.

They chanted, "from Columbia to MSU, the student revolution is stronger than you."

Later, they settled in for the night as they listened to speakers discuss the history of Israel-Palestine relations.

They added to the encampment with a make-shift kitchen, hand-washing stations and lights.

Protestors also displayed a large photo of Tariq Thabet, a former MSU exchange scholar who was killed in an Israeli bombing late last year.

Reporters Alex Walters, Theo Scheer and Owen McCarthy contributed to the contents of this article.

The song "always made me cry," she said.

MSU was McGinnis' dream school, but her time there was cut short by a family tragedy. She returned home, where she started a family and career. But she always wanted to finish her degree.

In spring 2023, however, she came back to complete her remaining credits. She will graduate this Saturday with a degree in interdisciplinary studies in social science, over 30 years after she first enrolled.

McGinnis first knew she wanted to attend MSU in the summer of 1986, while attending a baton twirling camp hosted on campus.She stayed in Gilchrist Hall and practiced every day in the field outside Demonstration Hall.

"I just fell in love (with MSU)," McGinnis said.

Two summers later, McGinnis received her acceptance letter from MSU. She was so thrilled that she decided to keep the letter, which McGinnis said she still has today.

McGinnis said her times at MSU were "some of the best years of my life."

Moving to MSU was an adjustment for McGinnis, who came from a hometown of about 1,000 people where everyone knew everyone.But MSUallowed her to "make (her) own world with people (she) chose and with academics that (she) chose."

"I could make connections that are mine and only mine, and not because of who my family is, or why my brother is, or who my sister is, or what teachers I had," McGinnis said.

Her favorite place to hang out was the Sensations dance club in the basement of Dooley's, which was a bar on Albert Street that closed in 1996.

"It was the best, it was just like a dance bar, best music," McGinnis said. "Sensations was our jam."

When McGinnis needed to unwind, she would visit her roommate's parents' house in Okemos. She said,"it was like having a second family."

Going to MSU was "everything (she) hoped it could be and more," McGinnis said.

"I always wanted to go there, it's all I wanted to do, and it met every expectation and exceeded every expectation that I had."

But McGinnis would have to drop out of MSU before completing her degree.

In the spring of her sophomore year at MSU, her father was killed by a drunk driver.

Though she returned to MSU for the fall trimester after her dad's death, she quickly realized that being away from her mother and sister at home during that time was "not feasible for (her) anymore."

"Things were a mess at home … mostly my mind was on other things, and I think I barely went to class," McGinnis said.

McGinnis said her mom was impacted most by the tragedy because her mom and dad were high school sweethearts who thought they would spend their lives together.

"My mom's idea of what her life was going to be was completely demolished, and that's just a really hard thing to transition from," McGinnis said. "Whereas I was still so young and my sister was still so young, that our brains could kind of adapt to this sort of new world."

After completing fall trimester, McGinnis dropped out and moved back home to be with her mom and sister.McGinnis was about a year and a half short of finishing her degree.

But moving back home allowed her to grow closer to her sister.

"My sister and I were sort of in it together because I think my sister was so good at recognizing that I'd left school to come home," McGinnis said.

McGinnis also resumed working at the new outlet mall in her hometown of West Branch, where she had worked over the summer.

During that difficulttime, serendipity stepped in. The newshops at the mall were recruiting college students to work, meaning McGinnis was surrounded by new friends - a taste of what she had loved so much about college.

"With the outlet mall being like it was at that time, with all those young people working there and coming fresh off from college, it made me feel like I'd extended that college experience," she said.

Finishing her degree started to feel like less of a priority for McGinnis as she focused on supporting her family.On top of that, she was making good money as the store manager of one of the designer boutiques in the mall.

"It really felt like I had made this career choice for myself," she said. "Without that degree I still had this career."

Around that time, she also met her eventual husband, Pat McGinnis. The couple married about five years later and had their first child a year after that.

"My focus just became family, and I loved my life," McGinnis said.

But her love for MSU and desire to finish her studies would linger in the back of her mind for over 30 years.

'MSU Shadows' leads to a realization

In the fall of 2022, McGinnis attended an MSU vs. Western Michigan University football game with her husband.

Before the game, the band followed its tradition of playing "MSU Shadows," and McGinnis was again reminded of her "missed opportunity" at MSU.

As she listened to the alma mater that day, McGinnis was at a crossroads in her life.

She and her husband had just relocated from their home in Grand Haven -wheretheyraised their kids while McGinnis worked as a reading interventionist in the public schools- to Portage.

"We moved as empty nesters," said McGinnis, whose two daughters graduated from MSU.

Before moving, McGinnis said she assumed she would find a job in Portage schools. But she started to realize she was too attached to her previous school and students to work anywhere else.

"I know lots of teachers move around," McGinnis said. "You can switch jobs, but for me, I just couldn't see that I would develop that same passion."

McGinnis was unsure of what to do next until her husband proposed she go back to school, this time at Western Michigan University, located a town over from Portage.

McGinnis considered the possibility, and even met with an advisor at WMU.

But she changed her mind at the MSU vs. WMU football game, as she cried to "MSU Shadows" and swayed next to her husband along with the crowd at Spartan Stadium.

"Pat just looks over at me and he's just like 'you have to finish school here,'" McGinnis said.

The couple said they attended their first game at Spartan Stadium together with a group of friends in fall of 1990, McGinnis' last trimester at MSU before dropping out.

Now, McGinnis will graduate on Saturday with the degree she started more than 30 years ago.

Navigating campus as a non-traditional student

Upon returning to MSU in January 2023, McGinnis said she felt out of place among the 18 to 22-year-old undergraduates.

"It's that whole thing where you think everybody's talking about you and thinking about you and that's just in your own brain," she said. "Because really, when I got in, everybody had their own issues and had their own feelings of imposter syndrome."

"It was just definitely in my head, and it just took me a little while to work it out."

As she adjusted to life as a non-traditional student, McGinnis said she even considered wearing Michigan State clothes so people would assume she was a university employee.

"I told Pat, 'I'm gonna start wearing Michigan State, so when I walk around, people are just like, 'oh, that's the secretary of the social sciences building,'" she said.

It was also a challenge for McGinnis toadjust to the reliance on technology in her classes rather than the paper and pencils she remembered.

On her first day of class, McGinnis was expecting a hard copy of the course syllabus and did not know how to access the digital copy her professor was reading from.

She texted her daughters for help, and they told her how to sign into D2L, the online software MSU professors use to organize their courses and assignments.

Her husband would later show her how to take notes on a laptop, but McGinnis said she opted to take notes on paper instead.

"I was the only person that was pulling out my folder with my pen and pencil but, you know, I aced the classes, so I did something right," she said.

A passion for education

McGinnis also had to fulfill her capstone project requirement, which social science students must complete to demonstrate a mastery of a particular subject matter. McGinnis enthusiastically presented her project in a crowded third floor hall of Berkey Hall last Friday.

For McGinnis' project, she set out to learn more about Michigan's criminal justice system, focusing on its impact on juvenile offenders.

One of her main questions was if the criminal justice system takes into account that juvenile offenders' brains aren't fully developed when they're arrested, she said. She also wanted to know how punitive policies against juvenile offenders' impact recidivism rates, and if there have been specific reforms to ensure that juveniles are being treated in the justice system as minors rather than adults.

Through her research, she found that most people working in Michigan's criminal justice system are aware of how juvenile offenders have different needs than adults, but that many areas lack the funding to provide support and programming aimed at rehabilitating juveniles.

"Our kids are the most important thing we have," she said. "That's where we need to put our resources."

McGinnis was motivated to explore juvenile justice because of her experience working in public schools in Grand Haven. There, she observed a socioeconomic divide among students, and saw how kids from lower income backgrounds were disadvantaged.

"I would think, 'these kids are starting out behind everyone,'" she said. "They've got weight on their shoulders, and it's so heavy. The system is so hard to break out of, and how do they transition out of that?"

McGinnis' experience teaching in Grand Haven along with her studies at MSU inform her view that the justice system should be focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment, she said.

McGinnis' passion for criminal justice persists despite the fact that her family experienced a "very serious failing of the justice system," after her dad died.

The drunk driver who killed her father never "served a night in jail," she said.

McGinnis inspires her daughter

McGinnis' eldest daughter, Molly McGinnis - who graduated from the MSU College of Education in 2018 - arrived at Berkey Hall to surprise her mom during her capstone presentation.

Molly McGinnis said her decision to study education was motivated by seeing the impact her mom had as a reading interventionist.

"Even before she had her degree, she was still inspiring me to go after things, and to be a better person and achieve my goals," Molly McGinnis said.

Molly McGinnis said she was proud of her mom for returning to MSU and getting all 4.0s in her classes.

"Seeing her do this is just really inspiring to me."

McGinnis' adviser, Nicolas Gisholt, will be in attendance during commencement on Saturday.

He said McGinnis was "super excited" about coming back to MSU, and that he formed a friendship with her as they're around the same age and both have families.

"Commencement is one of my favorite days every year, because that's where I get to see my students kind of come to the day they've been looking forward to, whether it's been four years or whether it's been 25 years," Gisholt said.

During the commencement ceremony on Saturday, McGinnis said she will wear the cap her daughter Molly wore when graduating in 2018. She'll also wear the gown her daughter Mary wore when graduating in 2022.

As the band plays "MSU Shadows" during the commencement ceremony on Saturday, emotions are likely to arise again for McGinnis.

But her tears will be for other reasons than a "missed opportunity" at MSU.

Update - 8:45 p.m.

At nightfall, those in the encampment are now sitting quietly, listening to speakers discussing the history of Israel-Palestine relations.

The group has grown, now including about 60-70 students and older community members.

They've continued to expand and embellish the encampment. It now includes a make-shift kitchen, hand-washing stations and lights.

At the front of the crowd there is now a large photo of Tariq Thabet, a former MSU exchange scholar who was killed in an Israeli bombing late last year.

Update - 6 p.m.

The MSU Board of Trustees has approved the Gaza solidarity encampment's permit request, according to university spokesperson Emily Guerrant.

The approval allows for encampment to remain standing in the space between Wells Hall and the International Center through Sunday, April 28, which was the time period requested by organizers.

Student protestors said they were grateful for the board's cooperation.

"I am thrilled that the Board of Trustees has recognized our right to protest and decided to not forcefully remove us," said Natalie Harmon, a comparativecultures and politics senior who is one of the encampment marshals. "I really hope that this is a step in the right direction and that they'll actually listen to our demands and take a step towards divestment."

Jesse Estrada White, a comparative cultures and politics junior and student organizer with Sunrise MSU, said he didn't know if the group plans on staying past the permit's expiration on Sunday.

"I don't know yet," Estrada White said. "It's a collective decision."

Update - 4 p.m.

MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said "all indications" point to the Board of Trustees approving the student protestors' permit request.

"All indications are it's going to be approved," Guerrant said. "I don't anticipate any problems, and I'm sure that will happen in the next couple of hours."

Guerrant added that the pending decision is mainly concerned with the size of the demonstration and ensuring that demonstrators are aware of relevant safety information. Additionally, Guerrant said the Gaza solidarity encampment is the first time "on record" that students have used the permit request process for a political demonstration.

"(The board is) reviewing it, they didn't seem to have any major concerns," Guerrant said. "They were just double checking a couple of safety parameters they want to be communicated."

Update - 2:30 p.m.

Student leaders have established a set of rules governing the Gaza solidarity encampment behind Wells Hall.

The rules ask broadly that students "practice kindness" and treat the encampment like a commune.

"Give what you can and take what you need," the rules say.

The rules also discourage drug and alcohol use.

Students have designated "marshals": Leaders of the protest wearing bright orange vests, charged with communicating with police and the media.

Other students are discouraged from interacting with outsiders.

Two senior MSU administrators- Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore and Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX compliance Laura Rugless- briefly visited the encampment to talk to students.

The students have now settled into the camp, outfitting their tents with foam mattress toppers from newly-vacant dorm rooms.

Update - 2 p.m.

Student organizers said they have filed a permit request in hopes of protecting their Gaza solidarity encampment.

MSU police said this morning that the protest violated a board ordinance prohibiting camping on campus.

MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant confirmed that the permit request will be reviewed by the Office of the Board Of Trustees.

MSU police have moved further away from the student's tents. The majority of the officers and vehicles have left.

Guerrant said the remaining officers "will continue to monitor" the encampment.

Update - 12:30 p.m.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz visited the Gaza solidarity encampment behind Wells Hall and spoke to protestors.

He addressed concerns that the student activists' tents and signage would be removed by MSU Police, telling them his administration will review their permit request and decide whether the encampment can continue.

"It's gonna go through our process," he told The State News after his discussion with students. "I support them petitioning to be able to have the encampment."

The student activists pushed Guskiewicz on their demand that the university divest from an Israeli bond and stock portfolios they say fund weapons manufacturing.

He deferred to MSU's Board of Trustees, which he said is "reviewing our investment and endowment policies."

The board, however,said earlier this month that it will not consider "divestment of any kind."

Update - 11:45 a.m.

If the protesters want to stay in the courtyard, they will need to apply for a permit which will be reviewed by MSU's Board of Trustees, said Vice President of Communications Emily Guerrant.

"I don't know what the board would ultimately decide," she said.

There is also no set time when the university will enforce the ordinance preventing campus camping, Guerrant said. MSU Police previously told protesters they had to clear their tents by 10 a.m.

"We are continuing peaceful conversations with activists, but there is no firm timeline," she said.

The protesters - 40 to 50 in all - have stopped chanting and are now eating in the encampment. New activists are arriving with food and water.

Update - 11 a.m.

Campus police arrived at the encampment two hours ago. Officer Steve Beard told student organizers that MSU ordinance 13.01 prohibits unauthorized camping on university grounds.

"You can still stay, you can still gather, you can do what you want to do, but the tents - because of the ordinance - have to come down," he told students.

Beard said students would have to get permission from the Board of Trustees to have the encampment.

At 9 a.m., the police gave student activists 45 minutes to either remove tents or get permission from the board. They said they would extend the time if needed.

Activists say they don't intend to leave.

"We're standing our ground," said Jesse Estrada White, a comparative cultures and politics junior and student organizer with Sunrise MSU.

There are now three police cars on the edge of the Wells Hall corridor. Two of them have K-9s. They have yet to take action, despite the 45 minute mark passing.

Interim Vice President of Public Safety & Chief Safety Officer Doug Monette also arrived at the encampment. He deferred questions to MSU Police's Public Information Officer, who he said would arrive shortly.

"A lot of people here have bad experiences with cops, for good reason," Estrada White said. "Just them being here threatening removal, possible arrest or citation, is unnerving enough. Dogs don't help."

The students began locking hands, waving Palestinian flags, and chanting. There are now 40-50 protesters on the scene.

Original Report -8 a.m.

Michigan State University students have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment on campus, the latest and most extreme effort in their calls for the university to divest funds from Israel.

The students, around 35 in total, set up 18 tents in the corridor between Wells Hall and the International Center at 5:30 a.m. this morning, and plan to stay there until MSU meets their demands.

"We're here to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the mass mobilization across all campuses calling for divestment from the state of Israel and an end to the genocide," said Saba Saed, a Palestinian student organizer with the Arab Cultural Society.

Students at dozens of universities across the country have started encampments and sit-ins this week, often facing heavy police response and arrests.

Dana Whyte, spokesperson for MSU's Department of Police and Public Safety, said that dissent is encouraged on campus. But protests "cannot interfere with the rights of others, or stop the function of a speech or event, or interfere with the normal business operation of the university in causing disruption," she said.

Before any arrest for disruption takes place, multiple public notifications are made in an attempt to disperse it, Whyte said.

Saed said the university's police response will indicate "how willing they are to actually listen to these student voices."

Later in the day, the activists plan to paint more signs and banners and hold a press conference.

It's "in the spirit of the encampment," said Jesse Estrada White, a comparative cultures and politics junior and student organizer with Sunrise MSU.

The encampment is set up in "The Peoples' Park," an area that held an anti-Vietnam war encampment in 1970. The demonstration held 200 people at its highest, according to the MSU Archives.

"Part of that is the symbolism, the connection," Estrada White said. "We may be … 50-60 years beyond that, but the university is still complicit in war, it's still complicit in genocide. Also, it's a good place for a camp."

MSU's Board of Trustees announced earlier this month that its finance committee will conduct a review of the university's financial holdings but will not consider "divestment of any kind."

President Kevin Guskiewicz said the university is "doing everything to protect the endowment and our financial investments from any political influence."

As of June 30, 2023, MSU has $218.1 million invested in three BlackRock funds: BlackRock Emerging Companies, BlackRock Strategic and BlackRock Systematic China Absolute Return, according to the MSU list of investments.

Advocates for divestment argue that those investments, alongside an additional $363.8 million invested in BNY Mellon, are funding weapons manufacturers involved in the Israel-Hamas war.

Additionally, MSU has $236,114 invested in Israeli bonds, as well as $479,006 invested in weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

MSU spokesperson Mark Bullion said that while MSU does own U.S. treasury bonds that were issued to fund Israeli aid, "the university purchased these bonds in March 2023, well before the current conflict."

But even if MSU did decide to pull out of the Israeli bond, doing so would be "chaotic," Assistant Vice President of Financial Management Jeff Rayis told The State News in February.

Financial experts say the complex web of outside asset managers and contractually-bound investments put the university in a bind - without much control over its own endowment.

Both MSU's undergraduate student government and the council of Graduate Students passed resolutions calling for divestment earlier this year. MSU's Faculty Senate voted no on a similar resolution, a decision that 90 faculty members signed an open letter disagreeing with.

Academics/administration reporter Owen McCarthy contributed to the contents of this article.

Now, community feedback on the future memorial has been collected from an online survey and recent focus groups.

A ten-person committee of students, faculty, staff and community members is now reviewing the feedback before crafting a call for proposals that will solicit designs for the memorial.

"The data really helps us get a sense of what the community feels the overall purpose should be," said Judith Stoddart, co-chair of the Feb. 13 Permanent Memorial Planning Committee and vice provost for University Arts and Collections.

Results from the survey, which gathered nearly 2,000 responses, indicated that community members want the memorial to provide a space for reflection, honoring and remembering.

Fifty-two percent of respondents wanted the memorial in a "natural, serene setting that offers a contemplative environment," while 39% want it in a "central hub, near areas of activity and gathering," according to data obtained by The State News in a public records request.

Community members want the memorial in a "private but easily accessible" location, Stoddart said.

"It's leaning towards a more natural setting, but also in a place that is both easily located and not something that you just stumble across," she said. "You can interact with it, but you're not forced to interact with it."

Of the 8% of respondents who left a written response about the memorial's location on the survey, many wanted the memorial to reside between Berkey Hall and the Union, the two sites of the shooting.

"We're still reviewing a variety of locations that meet the criteria," Stoddart said. "It depends on space … In the north part of campus, there aren't a lot of available locations."

The committee will finalize its call for proposals in May or June, at which point artists and designers can submit their proposed memorial designs to the committee.

The committee will present a final selection of proposals to the community in the fall of 2024. Using public feedback, the committee will then recommend a final design to MSU's provost and executive vice president for administration.

Construction of the memorial is expected to begin in spring 2025.

The memorial will be financed by $300,000 from the Spartan Strong Fund, which collected donations after the shooting to support those most impacted.

Speakers at the event included student leaders, distinguished MSU history professor Dr. Pero Dagbovie, MSU President Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz and MSU Communication Arts and Sciences alum Lauren Clayborne.

Black Celebratory Secretary and Spring 2024 graduate Kaj McFarland said it was important to have an event showing Black students on campus that they're supported by their peers.

"We need a space where we can be authentically ourselves," McFarland said. "I feel like it's very important to show them (Black MSU students) that we are here for them and that they do always have a place on MSU's campus, even if you feel left out."

Black Celebratory President and Spring 2024 graduate Ariel Foster said she believed the ceremony would instill a sense of encouragement in graduates.

"I just hope people take away being liberated and encouraged not to be afraid to celebrate their culture," Foster said. "There's been many times where I was the only Black student in a classroom and it kind of made me hesitant to say certain things or feel certain ways. I feel like when we're able to come together at this annual ceremony ... people are able to see that you're not alone and that there's people and faculty that are Black that support you."

Black graduation needs to be highlighted and celebrated because of education historically being withheld from Black scholars, Foster said.

"Education was such a strong thing within systematic racism," Foster said. "It was kind of withheld from us, and it's an accomplishment. A lot of people are still first generation students, and accomplishing these things is making their family proud."

Black Celebratory Alumni Chair and 2023 grad Daiah Williams said it's important for the planning of this celebration to remain in the hands of Black students.

"It's for us, by us," Williams said. "I really hope that the graduates can see themselves in the program and know that all of our work was towards celebrating them."

One way graduates may see themselves in the festivities was by taking part in Kente stole and libation ceremony traditions.

Kente stoles are a tradition that originates from the Ashanti people in Ghana and their Kente cloth. Kente cloth was originally woven from cotton and silk and featured striking patterns and colors representative of different symbolic meanings, usually tied to cultural heritage. In the modern day, Kente stoles are used as symbols recognizing diversity in academic spaces.

The libation ceremony consisted of pouring out water in honor of ancestors and those who came before MSU Black graduates. A name would be said as water was poured, and all in attendance were prompted to say, "ashe" in response. Though interpretations vary from person to person, Ashe is a word thought to be representative of gratitude and the ability to make something happen. Graduates were invited to call out and honor the names of those who helped them get to where they are.

Acknowledgement of Black history was a vital part of the celebration as a whole. Dagbovie noted the celebration was taking place in a building named after Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr., the first Black MSU President.

In his remarks, President Guskiewicz said he'd been lucky enough to have a meal with Former President Wharton. He said he still has much to learn, but promises to stay true to MSU's diversity, equity and inclusion roadmap.

"You can count on me to be bold in the way that we will move forward with regards to diversity, equity and inclusion," Guskiewicz said. "I believe an inclusive culture is foundational to the success of any great research university aiming to be exceptional. We will be exceptional."

Kinesiology senior and Class of 2024 Student Speaker Mychaela Lovelace said it's important for the class of 2024 to accept rejection as they move forward, but to not let it deter them.

"Repeat after me," Lovelace said. "I was rejected, but not defeated."

But as the class of 2024 moves forward, there's a gap left in Black Celebratory's leadership.

Criminal justice junior and Black Celebratory Vice President Omar Cooper said that while funding and further verbal support from MSU officials would be appreciated, they want to continue Black Graduation being put on by Black students. But for that to happen, Black Celebratory is looking for new students to step up and join the board, he said.

"We're actively looking for board members right now," Cooper said. "Any students on campus who are looking for leadership positions- we have quite a few positions open. The labor can be a lot, but we're always students first. We're planning something for the students to celebrate Black students on campus."

More information on Black Celebratory's positions, fundraising opportunities and upcoming events can be found on their instagram page.

Game One

Joseph Dzierwa took the mound for the Spartans in the first game of the series and squared off against Penn State's right-hander Travis Luensmann.

Neither team had a great offensive start in the first inning, but in the bottom of the second inning, Michigan State was able to get onto the scoreboard and get an early 1-0 lead. Outfielder Greg Ziegler singled to begin the inning, a sacrifice bunt moved him over and infielder Sam Busch got a walk right after. Both runners stole second and third on a double steal, before catcher Sam Thompson grounded out to bring in a run. That would be the only run for MSU; the Spartans up 1-0.

Dzierwa was back out in the top of the third inning for MSU and he walked the first batter before striking out the next. He proceeded to give up a single to right field and induced a fly out. A single to left field brought in a run for Penn State, but that would be all. The score was tied at 1-1.

Back out for the top of the fourth, Dzierwa allowed a solo home run off the bat of infielder Grant Norris. Besides that, Dzierwa was able to escape the inning just costing one more run with Penn State up 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Michigan State came out firing on offense. The Spartans were able to get a hit-by-pitch, a single and a double, which brought in two runs. A singlefrom infielder Ryan McKay brought in another run, making the score 4-2 in favor of Michigan State. Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Michigan State hit a single, sacrifice bunt, triple and a sacrifice fly, bringing in two runs to make the score 6-2.

Michigan State's pitching and defense was relatively strong, until the top of the eighth inning. The Spartans allowed an error and a double, leading to Penn State scoring. Then, a few batters later, the Nittany Lions hit two more doubles and brought the score to 6-5.

In the top of the ninth inning, Michigan State was able to close out the game and win 6-5.

Game Two

Left-handed pitcherNick Powers started as pitcher for Michigan State while Penn State's right-hander Jaden Henline started.

Powers began the top half of the first inning with a walk and a hit batter before inducing a fielder's choice. Then, he gave up a single which brought a run in, the first of the game. By the middle of the first inning, the score was already 1-0, Penn State.

Offense was quiet from both teams until the bottom of the third inning when Michigan State was able to garner momentum. A walk, bunt, error and two singles later, Michigan State was up 3-1 and took the lead for the first time in the game.

Powers came back out in the top of the sixth inning for the Spartans and gave up a solo home run to right-center field, but escaped the rest of the inning, only letting in one run; the score was 3-2, Michigan State ahead.

Designated hitter Christian Williams started off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double, followed by two more hits from Spartans, leading to a bases-loaded at-bat for Jack Frank. Frank hit a sacrifice fly and brought in a run. The offense didn't stop there, however, as Michigan State hit a double and two singles, which brought the score to 8-2 in favor of Michigan State.

Michigan State's momentum from the bottom of the sixth inning carried over to the seventh:the Spartans hit three singles and a double, which added to their lead and made the game 11-2.

In the last two innings, Penn State scored three runs off of a two-run home run, an error and a single.

The Spartans, however, were able to retire the Nittany Lions in the top of the ninth inning and won 11-5.

Game Three

Right-hander Nick Ferazzi started the game for pitching for MSU in the third and final match of the series. He was matched up against right-hander Frankie Sanchez for Penn State.

Both teams were quiet in the first two innings offensively, tallying up four combined hits.

In the top of the third inning, Ferazzi gave up two two-run home runs, causing an early 4-0 lead for Penn State. Then, in the top of the fourth inning, Michigan State allowed two doubles and a two-run home run, as Penn State had a very dominant 7-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Michigan State was looking to come back from a seven run deficit and try and gain some momentum. The Spartans were able to get two walks and a single, before getting another walk, an error and two singles, which let them score five runs.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Michigan State scored on a wild pitch as the bases were loaded, and then scored another run from a sacrifice fly; the game was tied at 7-7.

In the eighth inning, both Penn State and Michigan State scored a run, which made it 8-8 going into the ninth inning.

Penn State's offense in the ninth inning was too much for Michigan State's defense and pitching. The Nittany Lions were able to get a walk and a single up the middle, which led to a thre-run home run;Penn State was now up 11-8. After the home run, the Spartans were able to stop the bleeding and get out the inning without any more hits.

As a last chance for Michigan State to tie or win the game, the Spartans needed a miracle to come back in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Spartans got two singles and scored a run, making the score 11-9. That was all, however, for them, as the Spartans lost the third game 11-9.

Boss Jr. spoke about his team and praised their competitiveness post-game, saying that overall he was happy with his team's performance.

"I thought our two hitting guys,Graham Sykes and Andrew Stone, put together a great plan and a great approach," Boss Jr. said. "Our guys bought in all weekend long, and so, you know that was certainly really positive. We'll be back at it (on) Wednesday, and we'll be ready to go for Ohio State."

The Spartans moved to 17-20 overall on the season and 5-7 in the Big Ten, and will carry this Big Ten series win into playing at Ohio State this upcoming weekend for another Big Ten series. The first game is on Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m.

Raymond and his owner, Mike Harju, have become familiar faces for students at Michigan State University. They walk around ten miles a day, with many of these excursions taking place on and around campus.

However, before coming to East Lansing, Raymond was a one year-old puppy at a small kennel in Haslett and Harju was looking for another service dog as his, at the time, was reaching twelve years old.

"I had to get one to replace him, which was tough, so we went to a lot of kennels and looked at all the dogs and then I found him," Harju said.

Now, Raymond is five years old. His job as a service dog is to keep Harju company, manage his anxiety and assist if Harju were to pass out or faint. Raymond knows the first two steps of CPR.

But on top of being there in the event of an emergency, Harju said, Raymond has had a relaxing effect on his life.

"He just brings comfort to me," he said. "And he's with me. Everywhere I turn, he's there."

They often spend their time together walking, relaxing and working. Raymond has become Harju's buddy. It's important to have pets around to provide a sense of comfort and friendship, Harju said.

"My mom was a person who stuck to herself, and I'm the same way," Harju said. "I have no friends up here, I do all my own cooking … so it's just the companionship."

Harju has spent a large majority of his life running for sport. He has run multiple marathons, but fourteen years ago, while training for a 100 mile race, his body broke down and doctors could not figure out what happened.

A while ago, Harju had heart surgery and was told afterwards not to do any strenuous exercise. While he no longer trains for races, he is able to stay healthy and protect his heart through walks.

Now, his days are spent walking with Raymond.

"It's good for my heart and it's good to see him say hello to everybody," Harju said.

Their walks help Harju just as much as they allow Raymond to get out and exercise.

"He sleeps a lot and he plays with the cats, (and) that's about as much activity as he has," Harju said. "When I take him for a walk, it's his turn to enjoy life."

Raymond's personality is often happy and social. If you come across him on one of their daily walks, Harju said, he is likely to welcome you with a wagging tail.

"He smiles all the time, he's very calm," he said.

Harju's favorite part about Raymond is his friendliness.

"I have to ask people if he can say hello and he just loves people," he said. "He loves Friday night parties. The best thing is The Riv, when they have the big long line at the door, he loves to walk the line and see everybody."

Students that interact with Raymond all seem to love him, which is largely because they miss their own dogs, Harju said.

"We go through the Union, and he goes to different tables,"he said. "He likes to see people and I always have to ask if he can come up. A lot of the people he can spot have goldens at home. He knows if you have a golden, he'll come up to you first."

One interaction Harju remembers in particular was with a woman who said she was scared of dogs, but was persuaded to pet him by Raymond's calm personality.

"He was the first dog she petted," Harju said. "And then the other day, she came by and she just hugged him and really enjoyed being with him."

Harju, who attended MSU in the 60s, enjoys walking on campus not only for the social interaction that Raymond gets, but also for the atmosphere.

"The gardeners and everyone else knows him," Harju said. "We walk through the garden as many times as we can. It's always been a beautiful campus, a beautiful place to walk, and it's changed so much."

While their walks are usually calm, Harju said, one thing about Raymond is that he's stubborn. During the winter, their walks become sparse because the golden doesn't like the cold.

"We were sitting down one day when it was real cold last year and I said, 'let's go for a walk,' (and) he refused to go," Harju said. "Two days later, I've been trying to figure out how to get him to go out, so I drove him to where he likes to go to the bathroom. He went to the bathroom, got right back in the car, and we went home."

Their walks are also dictated by where Raymond wants to go most.

"When we're at the corners and I want to go one way and he wants to go the other way, we go his way," Harju said.

The stubborn parts of Raymond's personality make for funny stories, but there are too many to recount for Harju.

"Every day is a memory with Raymond," he said.

Schedule

The ceremony for students receiving master's and educational specialist degrees will be held on Friday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at the Breslin Center. The ceremony for graduating doctoral students will be held on that same Friday at 3 p.m.

Students who will be receiving bachelor's degrees for spring and summer 2024 are invited to participate in the spring convocation in addition to their college-level degree commencement ceremony. The convocation ceremony will take place on April 26 at 1 p.m. at the Breslin Center.

The ceremony for graduating seniors in the following college will be held on Friday, April 26:

• Communication Arts and Sciences at Breslin Center at 7 p.m.

The ceremony for graduating seniors in the following colleges will be held on Saturday, April 27:

• Social Science at Breslin Center at 8:30 a.m.
• Nursing at Wharton Center at 9 a.m.
• Natural Science at Breslin Center at 12:30 p.m.
• James Madison at Wharton Center at 12:30 p.m.
• Eli Broad College of Business at Breslin Center at 4 p.m.
• Music at Wharton Center at 4 p.m.
• Residential Arts and Humanities at Wharton Center at 7 p.m.
• Agriculture and Natural Resources at Breslin Center at 7:30 p.m.

The ceremony for graduating seniors in the following colleges will be held on Sunday, April 28:

• Arts and Letters at Breslin Center at 9 a.m.
• Lyman Briggs at Breslin Center at 12 p.m.
• Engineering at Breslin Center at 3:30 p.m.
• Education at Breslin Center at 7 p.m.

The ceremony for graduating veterinary nursing seniors will be held on May 3 at 12:30 p.m. at the Wharton Center.

Speakers

April Clobes, president and chief executive officer of MSU Federal Credit Union, will address master's and educational specialists degree recipients during their ceremony. She will also receive an honorary Doctor of Business Degree.

The speaker for the spring convocation ceremony will be former MSU head football coach Mark Dantonio. After addressing all baccalaureate degree candidates, Dantonio will receive an honorary Doctor of Education degree.

Bolaji Balogun, chief executive officer of Nigerian banking firm Chapel Hill Denham, will address graduating doctoral students at 3 p.m. He will also receive an honorary Doctor of Business degree.

Livestream

All commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed on the homepage of MSU's Commencement website.

Additional info

• No tickets are required.
• There are no limits on the number of guests per graduate at this time.
• Seating for guests is first-come, first-seated.
• Only small, transparent bags not exceeding 12" X 6" X 12" will be allowed into the buildings.
• Food and beverages of any kind are prohibited.
• There will be no charge for parking in any lot or ramp during commencement.

A notable symptom of HIV is a neurocognitive disorder similar to Alzheimer's. Pharmacology and toxicology professor Norbert Kaminski's research looks into the possibility for certain chemicals found in cannabis to delay this mental decline.

The neurodegeneration found in HIV patients is progressed by inflammation, which certain cannabinoids may be able to counteract because of their anti-inflammatory properties, Kaminski said.

In his research, Kaminski has found that HIV patients who do not use cannabis have a high level of monocytes, a type of white blood cell that can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause the destruction of neurons in the brain. Patients who use cannabis have a monocyte level closer to that of individuals who don't have HIV.

Despite its potential benefits, the Food and Drug Administration is unlikely to approve a drug like cannabis, which has psychoactive effects, for medical use, Kaminski said. Therefore, a main goal of his research is to find a way to separate the chemicals that benefit the patient from those that create a high.

"The long term goal for us, for the research program that I'm leading, is to identify synthetic or man-made cannabinoids that are not psychotropic, or they don't produce the high," Kaminski said. "We would want those molecules to still have the anti-inflammatory activity that we see with cannabis use."

Family medicine professor Omayma Alshaarawy is also researching potential benefits of cannabis on cardiac and metabolic health due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Alshaarawy's research is striving to confirm the plant's inflammation suppression in humans, as research has yet to be validated outside of animal models.

One factor Alshaarawy is researching heavily is the effect smoking cannabis has on the user. In animal studies, THC and CBD, chemical compounds found in cannabis, are delivered orally or through an injection, which is not how humans tend to use the drug, she said.

Researching the effect of smoking as a delivery method is especially important as smoking itself causes inflammation, Alshaarawy said.

"If we're talking about inflammation as the basis for cardio metabolic condition, it can actually worsen cardio metabolic condition if we're smoking," Alshaarawy said. "Independent of THC (and) CBD, the smoking itself can generate harmful chemicals."

In general, Alshaarawy said that studying cannabis is necessary as the drug becomes legal in more states across the country. In particular, understanding the most and least harmful ways of using the drug is vital as the population of cannabis users increases.

"I don't believe it's a yes or no question, no, it's harmful or yes, it's beneficial," Alshaarawy said. "I think there's a way in the middle where we can understand more about the beneficial effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, where we understand the harmful effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, and use a strategy that's least harmful and most beneficial."