On Friday April 17, the MSU Union Centennial yearlong celebration came to an end with a capstone event. Over 1,500 from among the MSU community gathered at the iconic venue for an event featuring free food from local vendors and free ice cream from the Dairy Store.
MSU Union and Alumni Chapel Director Cathy Fitzpatrick says it was a capstone event meant to close out the centennial year and look forward to the future of the MSU Union.
“The celebration has been significant to the history of the MSU Union,” Fitzpatrick says. “The initiatives we put in place this year are visible outside and inside our building and will remain for future generations of Spartans to observe and learn from.”
The event brimmed with refreshments, photo opportunities, balloons and historical significance, drawing Spartans of all ages and members of the wider community to the building, showcasing it as the lively gathering place it has been ever since its inception. In fact, for many, it is more than just a building.
“The union serves as a living room for campus,” Union Committee Member Emily Blue says. “It’s a fantastic gathering place for students, faculty and staff to collaborate — be it work related or just for fun — outside of their living spaces and classrooms but still collaborate and celebrate with each other.”
Everyone in attendance became part of this landmark moment for one of the longest-standing buildings on campus. It was a day for every attendee to make a memory and celebrate the ongoing history of the building.
“People are a part of a tremendous milestone,” Union Committee member Danielle Matlick says. “Their MSU Union memories and experiences are what make the building so special. While we are celebrating the centennial of the building itself, we are also celebrating the people who built the building; have walked through the halls; visited with family and studied with friends. It’s a celebration for all Spartans who have shaped the importance and legacy of the MSU Union.”
With one of the biggest years in the history of the MSU Union coming to a close, there are memories aplenty to go around. From discovering the original name of the building to creating bonds that will live in the next hundred years of the union, it was a memorable year for everyone involved in the celebrations. Along with the festivities, several university officials were on hand to help the MSU Union Centennial Committee unveil a new Michigan State marker outside the building’s west entrance.
“I hope people felt a sense of belonging at the event, renewed from their time spent at the union,” Committee Member Molly Chrome says. “For those who are new, I hope they sensed the excitement and the love we all have for our building.”
“We want our Spartan community to feel a sense of pride that Michigan State University invested in our historical spaces and we celebrate significant anniversaries such as the union centennial,” Fitzpatrick says.
While it’s emotional to put the centennial festivities in the rearview mirror, the MSU community is excited for the next century of the MSU Union. More events. More relationships. More memories. Here’s to the next 100...
