Events

The Department of Military Science holds events throughout the academic year for cadets, alumni, families and the MSU community. Explore below to learn more about these events.


 

Army ROTC 2025-2026 Events

Aug. 20-22

Solarium

MS Classrooms

Aug. 23

Welcome Picnic

Dem Hall Grassy Area

Aug. 24

Sparticipation

IM East Field, 4-8 p.m.

Sept. 19-21

FS25 FTX & Awards

Ft. Custer (Battle Creek) and Dem Hall

Oct. 10-12

FS25 Army 10 Miler

Washington DC

Oct. 10

FS25 Homecoming Parade

Grand River, East Lansing, 6 p.m.

Oct. 24

FS25 Alex's Great State Race

Location TBD

Nov. 11

FS25 Veterans Day Ceremony

MSU Alumni Chapel, 6-7 p.m.

Dec. 5

Fall 2025 Dining in

Location TBD

Dec. 12

FS25 Contracting/Commissioning Ceremony

Dem Hall Ballroom

Feb. 6

SS26 Military Ball

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

Feb. 24

SS26 Prayer Breakfast

Dem Hall Ballroom

March 9

SS26 FTX

Ft. Custer (Battle Creek)

April 17-19

Gettysburg Trip

Gettysburg, PA

April 24

SS26 Awards 

Dem Hall Ballroom

May 3

SS26 Commissioning Ceremony

Dem Hall Ballroom

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This is an opportunity to help incoming students adjust to college life and the Army ROTC Program, both academically and socially. It typically occurs before the start of the academic year and includes a variety of activities and information sessions to welcome and prepare students for their college experience. Cadets will receive initial orientation from the Professor of Military Science and the Senior Military Instructor. Cadre will speak to the cadets about prioritizing training, classes and personal time to be successful in the program and as a student at MSU. Cadets will get to meet and greet with some of their peers that have been in the program.

Students sit across from cadet at long tables set up in a semi circle with papers and other materials around them.   Students sit at tables outside looking at a person standing in front of a presentation board.  A group of cadets face the camera while gather around a pathfinders table set up.

This Student Orientation for current or returning cadets happens every year before the fall semester commences.

Photo of Spartan Solarium Students sitting in a classroom during Solarium

Student looking at their laptop during Solarium

Sparticipation is an annual involvement fair to promote opportunities with student organizations, departments, and the broader community to kick start your Spartan’s journey.

Learn more

Photo of ROTC members at Sparticipation Army ROTC tent at MSU's Sparticipation

 Students talking at the Army ROTC tent at Sparticipation Student talking at the MSU Army ROTC tent at Sparticipation

Students working at the MSU Army ROTC tent at Sparticipation

Cadets gather once during the academic year for a healthy session of spiritual exercise. The event’s intent is to create an opportunity for cadre and cadets to come together, to eat together and, of course, to pray together. Cadre and cadets know all about physical and mental fitness and the annual Cadet Prayer Breakfast allows them to pause and evaluate their spiritual fitness.

Photo of ROTC members at food buffet

Since 2014, ROTC cadets from MSU and U-M have joined together to run 64 miles from East Lansing to Ann Arbor, or viceversa and present the home team with the game ball for the rivalry football game.

Learn more

Cadets running down a road with the front cadet holding an american flag during the Alex's Great State Race Cadets running down the road with the front person holding an American flag during the Alex's Great State Race

UM and MSU cadets gathered together outside for Alex's Great State Race Cadets with former MSU interim president Teresa Woodruff in a gymnasium after Alex's Great State Race

ROTC race

Annually, we honor veterans from MSU and the surrounding areas with a joint Army/Airforce service at the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel followed by a flag lowering ceremony and community outreach.

Veterans Day ceremony at the MSU Alumni Chapel Group picture of attendees of the Veterans Day ceremony at the MSU Alumni Chapel

Veterans Day ceremony at the MSU Alumni chapel Photo of ROTC veterans day church service

During Homecoming Week, the ROTC Program participates in the Homecoming Parade, marching and passing candy out to spectators who line the streets.

 Photo with ROTC members with Sparty mascot Cadet taking a selfie at the MSU homecoming parade with students dressed as Captain America in the background

Photo of ROTC at homecoming parade

Field Training Exercises are held over the course of a weekend during which cadets use skills previously learned during leadership labs such as Land Navigation, and Troop Leading Procedures.

Two cadets in the woods discussing materials one cadet is holding in his hands Cadets examining materials under red lights

Cadets participating in field training exercises Yellow smoke surrounding a cadet in the snow covered woods

Cadets laying in the snow aiming toward targets Photo of Spring Field Track Exercises

The Staff Ride consists of a trip of Army ROTC Seniors and Cadre to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During this trip, students and instructors visit the Gettysburg National Military Park and Museum. Students are exposed to historic sites and experiences for a truly historic visit.

People gathered around a fence outside by a coach bus A group of people standing near a historical canon listening to a speaker

Group shot of the Staff Ride attendees holding an MSU flag with the Spartan helmet on it Group of students standing in front of an exhibit of a historical canon

Cadet standing behind a historical canon Person holding a blue notebook standing at the front of the aisle of a coach bus

The Army’s annual Army Ten-Mile Race and Expo is conducted in our nation’s capital by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW).  Attracting over 35,000 runners and 900 teams from around the world, the Army Ten-Miler (ATM) exemplifies the Spirit of Sport and the Spirit of a Nation.  Participants include military, civilians, wheel chair athletes, and wounded warrior athletes.   ATM’s mission is to support Army outreach, build morale, and promote physical fitness.  Over 900 Soldiers and 900 volunteers support the Army’s “world class” ATM race. 

Learn more

Photo of Army Ten Miler A group of cadets standing together in front of an Army Ten Miler sign all wearing American flag shorts

A military "Dining In" is a formal dinner event for members of a military unit, designed to foster camaraderie and esprit de corps through traditions, speeches, and sometimes, playful rituals. It's a chance for cadets to bond in an atmosphere of good fellowship, distinct from regular unit functions. The "Dining In" can be traced back to Viking traditions of celebrating victories with feasts, which then influenced the British military and eventually the U.S. Army.

A cadet in dress uniform sits a dining table in a large dining room facing the camera and smiling.  Color guard exits a banquet room where diners are standing and facing them as they exit.  

Color guard faces the front of the crowd in a banquet dining room where all the diners are standing.

During the Contracting Ceremony, cadets recite the Oath of Enlistment administered by the Professor of Military Science. The first Oath of Enlistment was developed during the Revolutionary War when the Continental Congress established different oaths for the enlisted men and officers of the Continental Army. The first Oath of Enlistment under the Constitution was approved by an Act of Congress on 29 September 1789. It applied to all commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted Soldiers in the United States military.

Commissioning represents the culmination of years of hard work and dedication and marks the transformation from Cadet to Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. During the commissioning ceremony, cadets hear from distinguished military leaders from the U.S. Army or other speakers, and take the Oath of the Commissioned Officer, a tradition dating back to the Continental Army era. Commissioning is a monumental event attended by the Cadets, Cadre, family, friends, university officials, and distinguished guests.

 

Photo of officers with flags Cadet with parents on either side during commissioning

Cadet shaking hands after commissioning

Group of contracted students Group of students in an auditorium in front of the crowd with their hands up to give an oath

An MSU Army ROTC Tradition

The Department of Military Science at Michigan Agricultural College was founded during the school year 1884-85. One of the many traditions established since the program's development is the Military Ball, an annual formal dinner-dance hosted by the Spartan Battalion and the Department of Military Science. The Ball evolved from military "hops" which were organized by the Michigan Agricultural College Officers' Associ­ation and were held each term during the early 1900's. In 1909, Cadets were required for the first time to wear their uniforms to the hops. This gave the affairs a distinctly military flair and dramatically distinguished them from other formal social functions on-campus.

In the fall of 1920, the custom of electing coed "sponsors" for Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps was established. Sponsors were formally "crowned" at the winter Coronation Ball, making it the most important social event of the year.

During the early 1970's, with the admission of women into the Army ROTC Program, the sponsor coronations ended and the MSU Military Ball assumed its current form. Today, it serves not only as a premiere campus social event, but also as part of the Cadets' formal education on customs and traditions of the military service.

Group shot of cadets dressed for the Military Ball Cadet in uniform standing next to two other Military Ball attendees

Group of Military Ball attendees sitting at a ballroom table

Group of cadets and one of their guests at the Military Ball

Cadet entering the Military Ball under an entryway of swords People sitting at table 

A variety of awards (medals, ribbons, certificates, etc.) are presented each year to members of the Spartan Battalion. These awards recognize meritorious performance in the areas of military, scholastic, physical, and personal achievement. The awards are sponsored by the Army, national and local societies, organizations, and by private sponsors.

Four students in fatigues standing in a row holding green folders flat in front of them that are embossed with a gold T figure. Two cadets standing next to one another wearing fatigues holding green folders in front of them that are embossed with a gold T figure

One cadet in fatigues stands at a podium speaking while another cadet in fatigues stands at attention in front of a row of flags. Two cadets in fatigues shaking hands while facing the camera holding a paper award above their shaking hands.

Two cadets in fatigues shaking hands while facing and smiling toward the camera and holding a green folder with a gold embossed T figure above their shaking hands. Four students in fatigues standing in a row smiling at the camera. All are holding objects in their hands - two are holding wooden spikes, one is holding a large bronze spartan helmet at the other is holding a bronze spartan battalion figure.