On the night of Monday, Feb. 13, a gunman opened fire in two buildings on the Michigan State University’s campus, in which he injured five and killed three. Students were told to shelter in place while local police forces searched for the suspect in the town of East Lansing. The buildings where the shootings took place, Berkey Hall and the MSU Student Union, are now closed for the rest of the semester. 

  After the shelter in place was released and the suspect was found, several traumatized students decided to flee back to their hometowns if they were able to. As Michigan State University is a place where countless residents of Traverse City have received an education, including a handful of former WSH students and current staff, this tragedy hits close to home in many ways. Numerous people are feeling a number of emotions as the aftereffects continue to linger, therefore communities are coming together to support the ‘Spartan Strong’ fundraiser, including WSH. 

  On Monday, Feb. 21, students and staff wore green and white and had an opportunity to donate to the Spartan Strong fundraiser to show support toward Michigan State University’s students, staff and affiliates. The ‘Spartan Strong’ fundraiser supports the needs of those impacted by the tragedy, including students and first responders, and goes toward enhancing campus safety. 

  As an alumnus of Michigan State University, AP Government teacher Tak Ready felt the impact of the shooting on a deeper level. During his time as a student, he attended many history classes at Berkey Hall, studied for countless hours in the Student Union building and taught many students who have attended the university. 

  “I always loved going into [the] old buildings, like Berkey and the Union, because they were so peaceful and helped put your mind at ease. It is so sad for all of those students who lived through this tragedy. Those beautiful old buildings will forevermore be associated with trauma and horror instead,” Ready said.

  As the class of 2023 is starting to make decisions about where they want to further their education, many of them have mixed feelings about choosing to go to MSU. However, for seniors like Taylor McGregor, the decision was not impacted by the recent events. 

  “My brother is a junior at MSU and has definitely influenced my decision [to go to MSU] quite a bit. Through visiting him, I have experienced the friendliness and beauty of the campus. The International Relations program [at MSU] is also one of the best and that’s what I hope to pursue,” McGregor said.

  On the day of the shooting, McGregor decided that she would commit to Michigan State.

  “I think that it is definitely a tragic situation and something no one was expecting, but I believe that the students and staff will bring back the fun-loving atmosphere. Seeing the outpour of love for MSU from different communities and schools just shows that it is an amazing place to be a part of,” McGregor said.