Community Letter from AD Alan Haller
8/31/2023
Dear Spartans,
At the end of this week, our Michigan State football team will host Central Michigan, kicking off the 100th season of Spartan Stadium. Many of us will be among the 70,000-plus who gather together at Spartan Stadium, while thousands more will watch with friends and family on televisions throughout our great state and beyond. It’s not just an opportunity to cheer on our student-athletes, but also to celebrate our common love and support for all things MSU!
I love new beginnings and the start of new seasons. It’s a time full of optimism, opportunities and possibilities. I can’t help but think back to my freshman year here at Michigan State. A local product of Lansing Sexton High School, I was filled with a healthy mix of excitement and nerves as I eagerly anticipated my chance to run out of the Spartan Stadium tunnel to the thunderous roar of the Green and White faithful. Little did I know that my Spartan experience would shape my entire future. Such is the transformational experience that presents itself for ALL of our student-athletes.
Nearly two years ago, almost to the day, I became athletic director. At that time, I stated that we would provide the resources for all of our teams to be excellent. That’s not a promise that comes with a quick fix, but rather a strategic and multi-faceted approach that lays a foundation for sustained success. That process has been started. We’ve continued to invest in expanded off-field resources for our student-athletes including mental health services, sports medicine, performance nutrition and NIL education. And we’re investing in facilities and infrastructure across the board, with exciting and impactful projects nearing completion as well as others on the horizon. It’s all part of an effort to build sustained holistic success.
Beyond facilities and programmatic support, our greatest resource is our people: our student-athletes, our coaches and our staff. We’ve proven over the course of the last two years that if you invest in people, there will be a tangible impact on what they produce. Everyone, regardless of duties or title, plays a vital role in the department’s success. We’re creating a culture where everyone is valued and welcomed.
I’m hoping you’re as excited about the upcoming season as I am. Your support is incredibly important to any success we realize as a department.
So how can you help?
First, you can join the Spartan Fund, where your gifts are an investment in our student-athletes, helping them to become champions in competition, the classroom, and the community. Second, and just as important, you can show your Spartan spirit in an assortment of forms: wearing your Green and White, sharing your Spartan pride with family and friends, or coming out and supporting any of our talented teams – perhaps making it a goal to attend a new sport for the first time.
Friday night marks the beginning of the football season, some of our teams have already opened the 2023-24 athletic year. Our nationally-ranked women’s soccer team was the first to open play. Volleyball, men’s soccer and field hockey all started their seasons last week. Cross country joins the group this Friday, and men’s golf gets underway on Monday. Volleyball and women’s soccer join football in hosting home competitions this weekend. If your holiday weekend plans allow, I think you’d enjoy watching two programs on the rise.
The future is bright for Spartan Athletics and we look forward to celebrating our successes together!
Go Green!
Alan Haller
Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
