The State News, Homecoming 2024 by The State News

MSU MARCHING BAND PREPARES FOR ‘PURE MICHIGAN’ HOMECOMING PERFORMANCE

included in the performance. The students in the band also had input,

By each spring, the band finalizes the theme for the coming fall. But this year, the band has been busy learning other songs and weekly game preparation. It didn’t start practicing its 2024 homecoming performance until Oct. 7, a short turnaround, Thornton said.

“There’s a lot of planning and systematic things that have to be in place for us to process, learn, memorize and do all those things in a way that allows us to be at our best on every game

Though it can seem overwhelming and chaotic for the band, it doesn’t often have trouble with turnaround times and can learn songs and movements quickly. The homecoming rehearsals are “no different than anything else we do,” Thornton said.

The 300-plus-person pack practices every weekday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and runs through the same drills before any other game.

This has led some members, like vice president and trump squad leader Noah Socha, to approach the homecoming game like any other home football game. Socha said to be successful every performance, the band has to hit its marks and ensure its formations are correct.

“Nervousness isn’t as big a part of it. It’s sort of just remembering what we have to do,” Socha said. “We

approach the marching and playing with the same passion, pride and standard that we usually do.”

Even though band members approach homecoming with the same mentality as any other week, they still recognize the importance of the tradition and what it means to the Michigan State community.

President and alto saxophone section leader Gabriella Richmond said she’s excited about homecoming and for all the football game attendees to watch the band perform.

“I think it’ll resonate with a lot of people who are coming home here. It’s cool to see everyone come together and nice to see older people come back,” Richmond said. “I know they always enjoy homecoming. It has a special place in my heart.”

Socha believes the performance’s “Pure Michigan” theme will also give alumni the true feeling of returning home.

Drum major Lacy Jewell said the homecoming performance is special due to the fan-created environment, specifically the alumni. She said it’s easy to tell people are “really excited to be back” to support the band and university.

As the days count down to the MSU-Iowa game, the Michigan State Marching Band is preparing for its halftime show, one Jewell said will be “electric.” Band members continue to push one another an d ensure their fast-paced rehearsals are efficient, Richmond said.

“Everything’s one step at a time. Everything is a segment, and you have to give it your all at every stage of the day,” Socha said.

HOMECOMING 2024 EDITION

MSU Spartan Marching Band performs at the homecoming game against Western Kentucky. State News file photo.

Michigan Supreme Court That Puts the Right to Choose in Citizens’ Hands

The fact is that a majority of Americans support legal abortion: 63% of Americans think it should be legal in all or most cases, according to 2024 polling by Pew Research Center. That figure jumps to 76% for people under age 30. But when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abortion across the country, it made access to safe, legal abortions much more difcult. That’s because the ruling left the decision to states, many of which have since banned abortion in most or all cases – even if it’s necessary to protect the life of the mother.

In Michigan, abortion remains legal thanks to the Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan voters. In 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the question of whether abortion should be protected under the Michigan Constitution could be placed on the ballot and the voters would decide.

On Election Day, the ballot measure was passed by everyday Michganders , which amended the State’s Constitution to guarantee the right to an abortion in Michigan just months after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Although abortion opponents are appealing the decision at the federal level, they are unlikely to win because the U.S. Supreme Court already made clear they consider it a state-level issue.

This is one of many reasons why it’s important to have a balanced Michigan Supreme Court that will put the interests of Michiganders first. After all, 750,000 voters had signed the petition to put the question on the ballot – well over the 425,000 that were required. Voters wanted their voices heard directly, and the Michigan Supreme Court sided with the people.

Michigan is one of 24 states that empower voters to elect their state Supreme Court justices, which is a significant civic duty. The decision on abortion rights shows just how important it is that voters get to choose who will sit on the Michigan Supreme Court, which serves as the guardian of justice, fairness, and our freedoms.

Many Michiganders don’t realize they have the power to decide who will serve on the state’s highest court. But in November, voters get to choose who will fill two seats on the seven-person court. Those two seats could decide the balance of power, because even though it doesn’t say so on the ballot, Supreme Court Justices must be nominated by a political party.

First, it’s important to do your homework: Know who is running and which party nominated them, and decide on the two candidates who best represent your values. Second – and this is crucial – don’t skip the non-partisan section of the ballot. That’s where the Michigan Supreme Court candidates are listed.

Who you vote for matters, because the Michigan Supreme Court makes decisions that impact every aspect of our lives, from civil and reproductive rights to gun safety and fair elections.

So don’t stop at the top. It’s fine to vote a straight-party ticket, but you have to individually vote for the two candidates you want to fill the two spots on the Michigan Supreme Court. Whoever wins this election is going to have a big say in what the future of Michigan looks like – and you have a voice in electing the candidates you think will best represent the interests of Michiganders like you.

Visit www.misupremecourtrocks.com for details about the Michigan Supreme Court, your voting rights, and a preview of what the non-partisan section of your ballot will look like. And use the website’s tools to help spread the word, because every vote counts.

- Abigail Slate, Deputy State Director of For Michigan

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Family or Friends in Town?

A young fan watches in awe as Michigan State University hockey players begin their warmups before a match against Boston College at Munn Ice Arena on Oct. 11, 2024.Photo by Matthew Williams.

HOMECOMING WEEK

CELEBRATES SPARTAN COMMUNITY

By Amelia Fraser afraser@statenews.com

There’s no place like East Lansing during Michigan State University’s Homecoming week. Events will be taking place all over campus to welcome back alumni and celebrating what it means to be a Spartan. The celebration begins on Monday, Oct. 14, and will continue through Saturday, Oct. 19.

MONDAY, OCT. 14

To kick off festivities on Monday, the University Activities Board will welcome all students to help them paint the rock from 1-3 p.m., and later that evening “Stuff-a-Zeke” will be hosted in the Union Ballroom from 7-9 p.m. UAB will have a variety of other events all week. A full schedule can be found at the UAB website.

Communications manager for MSU Alumni marketing and communications Megan Cunningham is looking forward to the parade for its expression of Spartan spirit. She loves to see Spartans come back just for the celebration.

“(The parade) is always an unforgettable experience,” Cunningham said. “It’s a tradition that dates back a long time now and it’s an honor to continue it every year and see how it grows.”

Cunningham encourages participation and recommends heading to Hannah Community Center, where the parade will start. There will be gift bags, snacks and little basketballs signed by this year’s Grand Marshal, Sam Vincent. The parade will feature a Spartan Marching Band performance as well as local high school bands, Zeke the Wonderdog and this year’s homecoming court.

Being on Homecoming court is an honored

FRIDAY, OCT. 18

On Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. the Homecoming parade will weave its way through the heart of East Lansing and MSU’s campus for approximately one and a half miles. More information about the parade can be found on the Alumni website.

tradition showcasing the community involvement of seniors at MSU. To be on court the applicants went through a process of applications and interviews, after which 11 were ultimately selected.

Tazira Amin, Kailyn Butler, Erin Caldwell, Jerome Hamilton Jr., Mahak Keswani, Connor Le, Sanaye Lewis, Niya Patel, Abigail Rodriguez, James Suggitt and Lily Wenkel make up this year’s Homecoming court.

These Spartans are honored to be a part of court, and it means something different for each of them. Neuroscience senior Kailyn Butler is proud to be a representative for another community she’s apart of: the community of African American females in the college of Lyman Briggs.

“(I was) struggling to fnd someone who looks like me within Briggs to look up to,” Butler said. “Now I get to be that person for

“Take it one step at a time and soak it all in because it’ll end just like that when you’re a senior and you graduate.”

other young Black girls within Briggs who are younger than me.”

History and political science senior Connor Le is ready to represent the Spartan community on the feld at the football game. He said he is proud to show that Spartans can do anything.

“Something I’ve always taken to heart ever since I’ve came to MSU is the phrase ‘Spartans Will,’” Le said. “Although it’s a very small sentence, I think it holds a lot of weight because Spartans really can achieve the most impossible feats if they really put their minds to it.”

Soon Butler, Le and other Homecoming court members will be joining the alumni community and celebrating Homecoming wherever they end up. For Spartans who can’t quite make it, Le loves the Glow Green tradition. Glow Green invites Spartans in East Lansing, Lansing and anywhere else in the

world to put a green lightbulb on their porch.

“I think that it’s a very small thing, having a green light bulb on,” Le said. “But, at the end of the day when you walk through campus or walk into the neighborhoods on Grand River and you see all the green lights, it’s a very beautiful thing.”

Though Butler is excited to join the alumni community, she will never forget the days she has cherished on campus and encourages other Spartans to appreciate them while they’re here.

“Take it one step at a time and soak it all in because it’ll end just like that when you’re a senior and you graduate,” Butler said. “Soak up the days where you’re stressed about exams and crying about it with your friends to celebrating getting a good grade on an exam, football games, soak up every side of everything because it goes by so fast.”

Sparty hypes up the crowd during the

Student puts paint on her hand to put a handprint on the Rock on Farm Lane. State News File Photo.

Hand in hand, two Spartans walk in front of a CATA bus at last year’s Homecoming Parade. State News File Photo.

As the end of the first half nears, Spartan fans eagerly watch the game against Florida Atlantic at Spartan Stadium. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.

Kailyn Butler Neuroscience senior

GRAND MARSHAL IS FORMER ATHLETE, FIRST ‘MR.

By Hannah Locke hlocke@statenews.com

Each year for Michigan State University’s homecoming celebrations, the Alumni Association selects a notable alum to serve as the Homecoming Grand Marshal, an alum who represents the core values of MSU.

This year, the senior director for Alumni Engagement, Lisa Parker nominated James Samuel Vincent, often referred to as Sam.

“The nomination practically wrote itself,” Parker wrote in a statement to The State News on Vincent’s nomination. “Sam is a terrifc example of a Spartan who continuously seeks to better himself and others while remaining humble and connected to those he meets along the way.”

As a student from 1981-1985, Vincent played for MSU basketball and studied theater with a focus in broadcasting. In 1985, he was drafted into the NBA to play for the Boston Celtics. After playing professionally he became a coach and has coached basketball all over the world.

Now he is returning to Lansing, not only as an MSU alumnus, but as a Lansing native.

“For me, being from Lansing, that’s where it all started, and a chance to come back in a meaningful role to connect with the campus and talk to people about what I’m doing and share some of my stories and experiences, that means a lot,” Vincent said.

As a high school basketball player in Lansing, Vincent’s ultimate goal was to play in the NBA.

In 1980 Vincent got his first taste of championship basketball when, alongside his Lansing Eastern High School teammates, they won the state championship. In 1981, Vincent was the frst recipient of Michigan’s “Mr. Basketball” award.

When Vincent was offered a spot on MSU’s basketball team it was a no brainer. Head coach Jud Heathcote had just won a national championship with players like Magic Johnson and Vincent’s brother, Jay, on his roster in 1979.

“I knew that was going to be an opportunity

to play with a coach that was going to improve my game and give me a chance to reach my ultimate goal, which was to become an NBA basketball player,” Vincent said.

Not only that, Vincent was given the chance to stay in his community.

“I really wanted to stay close to home,” Vincent said. “Making the decision to go to MSU and stay in my community with family and friends was probably the most important part that I really enjoyed about going to Michigan State.”

From Lansing Eastern to MSU, Vincent was able to build on the foundational principles that defned his game. Everything eventually came full circle in 1985, where Vincent was selected 20th overall in the NBA draft.

Vincent went on to win the NBA national championship with the Celtics in his rookie season. He then played for the Seattle Supersonics, the Chicago Bulls and ended his NBA career in 1992 with the Orlando Magic. From the beginning of his basketball career to the end, Vincent credits his coaches and the leaders on his team for building him into the player and leader he grew to be. After his career in the NBA was over, Vincent went on to be a coach himself.

“When you have an opportunity to learn from a high level coaching staff and players… you feel a little bit of a responsibility to share some of those experiences, to give back some of what you learned, because the quality of the experience that I was able to get from the level of coaches I had is sometimes rare,”

Vincent said.

Coaching was a natural ft for Vincent. After the NBA, he went overseas, coaching teams in Nigeria, South Africa, the Netherlands and a few other countries. He also coached within the NBA, spending a year with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Throughout his time as a player and a coach, Vincent has built a nine element philosophy for coaching that he has coined the “championship principles.” Each element is one he observed in the teammates that he played with through college and the NBA.

The three most important elements, he said, are passion, communication and respect. These are three that he believes were cultivated during his time at MSU through the leadership of Magic Johnson. The other principles are preparation, confdence, appreciation, work ethic, competitive

spirit and sacrifce. He noticed each of these principles were foundational elements for legends he shared the court with, such as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

“In combining those nine examples from three of the game’s greatest players in most championship winning teams, I kind of harnessed that into a little bit of a practice plan, and that’s how I approach my teams,” he said.

Now Vincent is continuing to coach and since 2022 has been the head coach of Beacon College basketball team. Beacon College is an institution in Leesburg, Florida that has been developed to serve students with learning disabilities.

the meaningful programs moving forward that can somehow beneft this population of kids that I work with, or something else that’s a fundraising initiative for for the campus,” Vincent said.

Alongside his fundraising efforts on campus, Vincent hopes to have meaningful conversations about sports at the high school level in the Lansing school district.

“Having a chance to get back and and just really have some open discussion around, what can we do to really give those young student athletes, more opportunities to be successful,” Vincent said. “(We) already know all the positives that come from kids being in sports

Sam Vincent Grand Marshal

MSU’s 2024 Homecoming Grand Marshal Sam Vincent. Photo courtesy of Sam Vincent.

BENEATH THE SURFACE: UNCOVERING THE UNDERWATER HOCKEY CLUB

By Satvik Shubham sshubham@statenews.com

Underneath the still surface of the pool at IM Circle, the clatter of sticks and whirring of fns break the silence.

A small, dedicated group of Spartans have dove deep into a sport unknown to many: underwater hockey.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 8 p.m., the MSU Underwater Hockey Club transforms the calm waters into a battleground where strategy, stamina and skill blend together in an unorthodox way. For the athletes, it’s not just about chasing a puck at the bottom of the pool — it’s about pushing the limits of what teamwork can achieve in an unconventional space.

Club president and games and interactive media sophomore Kevin Koch decided to take the club under his wing this semester.

“So usually, the frst question we get is, ‘What is underwater hockey?’ and mostly, it’s very similar to any team sport, just remove the ice of regular hockey and submerge us down below,” Koch said.

As players glide through the water, it’s easy to see why this sport stands on its own. With every breath held, communication takes on a

Members of the underwater hockey club practice at IM Circle on Oct. 3, 2024. The club originated at MSU in 2003 and participates in tournaments around the country.

Photo by Brianna Schmidt.

ANDY T’S IS THE HEART OF HAYRIDE TRADITION

By Lauren Coin lcoin@statenews.com

Fall marks the beginning of changing leaves and colder weather, but for many Michigan State University students, fall is synonymous with the beginning of hayride season at Andy T’s.

For decades, hayrides have been a cherished tradition at MSU. Various clubs and organizations gather at Andy T’s corn feld where they sit on hay bales around a fre and take a trip around the property on wagons. But Andy T’s is more than just a yearly destination for MSU students, it’s a staple within the local community founded by owner and namesake: Andy Todosciuk. Born and raised in Michigan, Todosciuk has been a farmer for most of his life. Growing up, he was involved in vegetable farming through the 4-H program. That passion turned into a roadside stand that Todosciuk and his mother ran starting in 1978.

“We had a pumpkin contest when I was 16 years old and I grew pumpkins,” Todosciuk said. “Well, then I had too many pumpkins, so they basically started selling them.”

Todosciuk attended MSU’s agricultural technology school and, following his graduation in 1985, purchased the farm’s current site.

The farm itself comprises 300 acres of land, where Todosciuk grows a wide variety of vegetables, such as sweet corn, soybeans, pumpkins, tomatoes and zucchini. Most days he’s outside harvesting his crops.

“Sweet corn season, I’m out in the feld from usually six to nine o’clock, and then a little bit of book work until noon, and then out and about taking care of the crops,” Todosciuk said.

“Basically, I work 10 hours to 12 hours a day.”

Over the years, Andy T’s has expanded to incorporate an entertainment space, wedding barn, fresh market and bakery. Todosciuk said the key to managing such a large operation is record keeping and organization. Maintaining the company’s reputation is also crucial for Todosciuk.

“We’ve turned into a destination where we’re an icon for shoppers and we strive for good service, good quality product, at a fair price,” Todosciuk said.

St. John’s resident Edmund Kemp has been shopping at the farm market for almost 20 years because of their fresh products and convenient location. Kemp said he’s spoken with Todosciuk during his visits.

“He’s very friendly, very knowledgeable,” Kemp

plans to expand. In fact, he has plans to sell the farm market, but struggles to fnd someone who can run the “one man operation.”

“I’m looking for a buyer of the market,” Todosciuk said. “I can do the other stuff, but I am 61, so I gotta look at an exit program.”

The hayride tradition

Hayrides began in the 1990’s when a local bartender asked if he could come out to his farm for $100 and have a bonfre, Todosciuk said. Since then, the tradition has evolved to host local universities, such as Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University, but primarily MSU. Todosciuk estimated that he hosts about 140 bonfres each year and welcomes around 10,000 MSU students to his farm.

His favorite part of the hayrides is when students thank him for “bringing them back home.”

“We got people that miss home because you’re at college, you’re in that city area and you’re a country kid and you get out here and it just makes you feel like home — true bonfre, seeing stars,” Todosciuk said. “Yeah, that always hits me hard.”

Maintaining a safe environment at the hayrides is a priority for Todosciuk. He

that’s our job.”

One MSU organization that Todosciuk looks forward to hosting is Spartan Ski Club because of their dedication to safety.

“They are so organized … they run it smooth and they run it effciently and safe,” Todosciuk said. “If I could have every group do like the ski club, there wouldn’t ever be a problem.”

Ski club vice president Deaglan McGreevy said the organization delegates jobs to the executive board members and offcers to achieve this.

“We always have offcers around the cornfeld, around the border of our area, on the actual hayride monitoring,” McGreevy said. “Our job is just to make sure that all of our members are respecting his property.”

McGreevy said he’s met Todosciuk at multiple different hayrides throughout his time at MSU.

“I feel like he gives off really cool uncle that you see at a family function,” McGreevy said. “Super, super personable, very nice, will go out of his way to introduce himself to literally everyone.”

The hayrides at Andy T’s are a quintessential part of the college experience at MSU, McGreevy said.

“Andy T’s feels like it is the fall event,” McGreevy said. “If you’re a college student at MSU, in the fall you’re going to Andy T’s. You tell someone you have hayride and it’s like,

McGreevy said the tradition won’t be

“It’s part of the culture here and so I think that legacy it’s built, it’s just going to keep it around forever,”

Andy T’s Farm Market head baker Angie Herald brings out a tray of fresh donuts on Sept. 29, 2024.

Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

Andy T’s Farm Market namesake Andy Todosciuk shows off homegrown pumpkins on the farm.

Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.