At the beginning of each school year, Spartans gather at the IM East Field for Sparticipation. Sparticipation is Michigan State University’s annual fall club fair to showcase the over 1,000 student organizations on campus. From Fraternity and Sorority Life to theater, MSU truly has something for everyone, and Sparticipation is one of the many ways students can learn about it all.
One of the many clubs with a table at Sparticipation was the Feminist Literature and Film Club. Founded just last year, Feminist Literature and Film Club is a new community that advocates and educates on women’s role in the media. The club’s table was hosted by second-year English and political science student Ava Le who wanted to spread the word about the club and reach the wider Spartan community.
“We wanted to get more outreach,” Le said. “We just started last year so this was a good way to get more people involved.”
Le explained that Sparticipation is especially important for new MSU students because it gives them a chance to socialize and learn about different extracurriculars before the stress of classes takes over.
Another club at Sparticipation this year was Spartan Speech. Spartan Speech is MSU’s forensics club that is focused on promoting public speaking skills. This year's Spartan Speech table was hosted by fourth-year civil engineering student Brendan Kenny and second-year political theory and constitutional democracy student Pierce Leix.
“We have a table because we want to get the word out about Spartan Speech,” Kenny said. “We think it's a great club and a great opportunity for anyone who was a part of forensics in high school or the speaking and acting world, they can come here and be a part of that community in college.”
Both Leix and Kenny know that getting involved in different student organizations can help make a big campus feel a bit smaller. Sparticipation allowed students to explore new communities that excited them and gave them the ability to carve out their own place at Michigan State.
“I came to Sparticipation because I want to get involved with clubs that are attached to my major as well as clubs that just interest me,” said first-year marketing student Scarlett Epstein. “So, this is the perfect place to be with all the organizations here.”
Despite the large crowd, Epstein was looking forward to browsing the fair and signing up for different groups that spiked her interest.
“It’s definitely a bit overwhelming but I don’t feel like it’s anything crazy,” said Epstein. “I’ve found tons of clubs that I’m interested in and I want to sign up for, so it’s very exciting for me.”
Sparticipation is one of Michigan State’s rare events where everyone from week-old Spartans to veteran Spartans can come together with one common goal: to find their community and make their time at MSU the best it can be.
Photography by Sideny Cummins
The Red Cedar Log is the official yearbook of Michigan State University, established in 1889. The award-winning publication is produced and distributed by students on the RCL staff—students with passions rooted in writing, editing, design, photography and business. Every year, their talents and the stories on MSU’s campus culminate in a collection of Spartan history.
