MSU Graduation

By: Brittany McCallum
May 6, 2010, was graduation day at Michigan State University. I went on a mission to find graduates and people preparing for the special event. It was harder than I thought. Not too many students were awake at 8:30 a.m. and most venues were not set up yet. I was able to find a couple people who played roles in the MSU graduation. In this video you will hear from a senior, Roland Morsee, a restaurant manager, Mary Welsh, and a restaurant server, Judy Parrish. They were all very excited for graduation day. Each one of these people had been looking forward to graduation day in a different way.

Honors College Pre-graduation Reception

By Patrice Hendrix

The MSU Honors College had their pre-graduation reception on Friday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Breslin Center. Graduates, friends, and family members all turned out for the occassion. There was a disk jockey, refreshments, picture stations and a podium set up for speeches from some of the graduates, faculty, and staff of the Honors College. 

There was a station set up with two world maps.  On these maps students placed sticky notes on the places in the world they have been and the places in the world that they plan on going to when they graduate. 

I interviewed a few graduates who talked about their career or school plans for the future as well as their immediate plans for graduation night. Nicole McGowan, for instance, said she was going to do a fifth year of interning with the Detroit Public Schools system and take a year off from school.  Then she said she would continue on to get a masters degree in education.  She wants to be an elementary school teacher.  She said that her only plans for post-graduation night would be to get some much needed sleep.  She would graduate this evening with a bachelors in communications.

I also spoke with Mary Welsh over at the Kellogg Center.  She is the manager at the State Room restaurant.  She talked about how fast reservations are booked, with some already booked right now for 2011.  She said that people would not be able to eat at the State Room without reservations.  Everything is booked up due to graduation and Mother’s Day.  Here’s the video. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynskUnfkitw

Getting Ready For Graduation

EAST LANSING- Looking for a reason to give your mind, body and spirit a makeover? GRADUATION is the perfect excuse!

For many MSU students, Douglas J on Grand River is the place to hit before the big day. You’re going to be in the spotlight crossing a stage to get your diploma in front of a thousand plus people; why not look your best?

Typically, Douglas J gets 75-80 appointments on an average day, but when the month of May starts looming and the smell of graduation is in the air, they get upwards of 120 appointments per day.

Students come from all parts of campus and East Lansing to get their hair cut, colored, curled or styled. They also come for massages, manicures and pedicures.

Yes, they get very busy, but everyone at Douglas J wants you to come and have a great time relaxing after finals!

Douglas J student and stylist Kristi Skinner enjoys the busy work schedules. “We get a chance to do updos, make-up, nails- the whole package. It’s stuff that we don’t usually get to do all at once, so it is kind of a vacation from just cutting and coloring hair everyday,” Skinner said.

Think salons are just for the ladies? According to Brandon Fitzgerald, Douglas J key holder, men come in just as frequent-if not more- than women, especially when graduation is approaching.

Why not get yourself looking good before you put on those robes and take the next big leap as a Spartan?

Getting Ready for Graduation

Stabbings in Chinese Kindergarten Copycat Crime

This MSNBC story illuminates the sheer terror that any one would have felt hearing the screams of children from a place of education.

School is supposed to be a place where children can be safe – learn, play, eat, make friends…

At this Beijing elementary school however, a man entered, stabbing 28 children, two teachers and a security guard using an eight-inch blade.

It raises two issues in within global social norms.

Firstly, it’s been a central rallying point for those trying to show that guns are not the source of violence, and that instead people are.

Secondly, it’s another call for better care for mentally unstable individuals, as was the criminal that stabbed children at the school. Although the Westernized world has developed an arguably strong system for the mentally handicapped, some countries, including China, have been slower to catch on.

It’s not uncommon for those that are mentally unstable and left to take care of themselves to commit crimes like these. It’s not something they can often control and it’s the primary reason that better institutions need to be established for their care.

Class soundslides

Mo Hnatiuk: Flint fires and Hometown Rock Crown

Craig Ebinger: NFL draft and NBA playoffs

Lindsay Nowak: The small town of Bath, Michigan

Nick Bryant: Battle of the Bands and South Complex Construction

Lauren McKown: Hutaree Militia – Clayton, Mich.

Lions LB Follett Might be Insane

by Craig Ebinger

Ok, so I read this story and felt obligated to blog about.

by Associated Press

Detorit Lions linebacker Zack Follett is best known for a big hit he put on a Rams kick returner during last season, probably because other than that hit, nobody really knows who the guy is.  He played very little and mostly on special teams.

I guess because he’s expecting a bigger role on the team this year, due to the losses of linebackers Ernie Sims and Larry Foote, he wants to get his name out there.

After the NFL Draft, he was so excited about next season that he put his helmet on, went to a nearby Target and bought some tampons and Barbie Band-Aids for opposing players for when they entered Ford Field next season.  The whole story and video can be seen here.

Wow.

Now that’s something.  A no-name, back-up linebacker and special-teamer had the nerve to do this.  As a Lions fan, all I can say is…

I LOVE IT!!!

Finally, the Lions have someone who appears insane.  Every team needs that guy.  The guy who will go into the line, full force, and just blow someone up.  I really hope this guy gets some action this year.  He looks exciting to watch and definitely has the passion for the game.

Construction Junction – What’s going on around campus?

Construction Junctions are held by the MSU Physical Plant at 8:30 a.m. the second Thursday of every month in Room S107 of South Kedzie Hall. The meetings are held to engage in community discussion about current construction projects on campus and to provide information to students and East Lansing residents. Inspired by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon’s Boldness by Design initiative, they serve as a construction town hall meeting. Designers and project representatives are often available to answer questions about funding, design and traffic implications of different construction projects.

In order to see past minutes from construction junctions, visit the Construction Junction website.

Upcoming Construction Junctions

• May 13, 2010
• June 10, 2010
• July 8, 2010

Communications manager for the MSU Physical Plant Karen Zelt said renovations to Wells Hall will put three large lecture halls in the building out of commission, as well as displacing University Activity Board events such as free movie showings and the East Lansing Film Festival. Alternate locations for classes and events have been found on campus.

Beautiful weather video

By Samantha Scheltema

This video is mostly the plants around campus, but the voice-over is about the weather and how it is affecting students.

Spartan Stampede

By Samantha Scheltema

The first video I made.

Construction awareness day pictures

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By: Brittany McCallum