EAST LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — It’s been a challenging week for students still on the campus of Michigan State University. Empty classrooms and empty sidewalks are all a reminder of what took place less than 72 hours earlier.
But filling the darkness are students like Brennan Haugen, a Junior who's also President of the student organization MSU All Together.
“Monday was a terrible day, a terrible night for many," Haugen said. "We felt a calling as an organization to help out the Spartan community as much as we could.”
All Together has been delivering food to students on campus, paying for the orders from their own funds. They even are delivering the orders all themselves for free.
“It's been a lot of work, but it’s been really rewarding," Haugen said. "We’re getting a lot of support from a lot of people.”
On Thursday, Haugen was one of two drivers who filled 100 orders. Senior Aryn Hillman, who is also a part of the organization, went back home to Clarkston but spent the day placing those orders online from home.
“There was one person who wrote along with her order, she ordered a Chipotle burrito bowl," Hillman said with a smile. "She wrote along with that a thank-you note to us and told us that it’s been hard for her to get out of bed with all of this and not having to leave the dorms to get something has been a big comfort for her.”
Along with that effort, six other MSU graduate students launched "Spartan Sunday," an effort to make the return to campus more welcoming for students.
“I threw the idea out. These girls picked up on it, made flyers, reached out to other people," graduate student Emily Damman said. "Man, it blew up.”
Spartan Sunday includes providing goodie bags and treats for students, along with positive messaging from volunteers. They plan to have tables of volunteers lining the path along the Red Cedar River from the Sparty Statue to the Main Library.
“Anything that can bring a calming sense," graduate student Meredith Friend said. "I can only imagine how scary campus must feel, especially having to return after everything that’s happened.”
“Just knowing we are helping other students by bringing a positive light to this, I think it’s helping us cope with it too,” graduate student Mackenzie Freeman said.
The group says the university is now involved, helping get more help and donations. They're doing anything to help make this place they all love feel safe and welcoming once again.
“This is just our way of coping and trying to bring support for not only us, but our fellow students," graduate student McKenzie Ann Winne said. "To try and make them feel a little bit of light in a place that’s had so much darkness lately.”
For more information on Spartan Sunday or for information on how to donate and volunteer, check out their Facebook event.
For more information or to donate to the MSU All Together food delivery, visit their GoFundMe page.
