What do a floating putting green, Zeke the Wonderdog and fencing have in common?
They're all part of MSU Rec Fest, the annual spring semester “welcome back” event hosted by MSU Recreation Sports and Fitness Services.
Rec Fest introduces students to campus fitness programming — intramural and club sports, campus facilities, drop-in fitness classes and more — in a fun, interactive environment.
January 2026 marked the eleventh year of this popular event, which is the brainchild of Jody Strank, assistant director of IM East operations and marketing, who saw a need to bring more awareness to students about the types of fitness opportunities on campus.
“The first few years we had simple games, but when I was able to get sponsors for the event to pay for more inflatables, games and door prizes, it flourished,” she says. “At its highest point, we have had 1,800 students attend.”
Held at IM West, Rec Fest invites students to explore the facility while engaging with various vendors, club sports representatives and activities set up throughout the building. Students collect stickers along the way, which earn them an entry to win the grand prize: a 50-inch flatscreen TV.
The Impact of Student Team Members
Not only do students benefit from the fest itself, but several gain experience assisting in developing the event.
“One thing that makes this a great event is that we’ve always had a group of students help plan it,” says Strank.
That’s where the RSFS student marketing team comes in. The team chooses the event theme, helps secure sponsors and donations, oversees decorations, and promotes and staffs Rec Fest.
But there's more to the experience than just pulling off an event. Students get to apply what they learn in the classroom — communication skills, social media, photo and video knowledge — to a real-world experience, explains Strank.
“It’s a resume builder — something to add to their portfolios,” she says of the students’ involvement. “The campaigns they’ve created for these events are tangible pieces they can use moving forward in their careers.”
I can think of at least six students who are in super cool positions because of the skills they’ve learned or been given the opportunity to learn through our department.”
One of those individuals is Dajia Burke.
In 2026, Strank, who this year is celebrating 29 years at MSU, passed the event-planning torch to Burke, a recent MSU graduate, who joined the team full-time in August last year as marketing coordinator and facilities operations coordinator at IM East.
While her role may be new, Burke is no stranger to the RSFS team. Her first on-campus job during her first semester as a Spartan was at IM West as part of the Rec Sports marketing team — a job she enjoyed so much, she remained in all four years of college.
“I loved planning the events and doing the tabling … I knew that’s what I wanted to do in my career,” Burke says.
And this year, with the support of Strank and the student marketing team, Burke took the helm of planning Rec Fest.
“Being a student for those four years gave me so much knowledge,” Burke says. “And I’m still learning so much every day.”
This year's theme, Camp Rec – Adventure Awaits, was highlighted by campsite decor complete with tents, trees and faux fire. The event featured everyone’s favorite mascot, Sparty, and his trusty sidekick Zeke the Wonderdog as well as inflatable activities, a floating putting green, plenty of vendors, food and more. Nearly 20 MSU club sports also attended to showcase their offerings for the semester.
“The Club Sport demonstrations are a big hit … ultimate frisbee, rugby and fencing are popular,” Strank says. “Students also love the temporary tattoos and free food.”
Collin Steele is a junior majoring in kinesiology and has been on the RSFS marketing team for two years. This year, his primary responsibilities leading up to Rec Fest were coordinating Club Sport participation and working on the event’s themed décor.
“I also assisted with graphic design, social media content, and creating the floor plan to ensure each group had the appropriate space,” he says. “While I contributed to several areas, Rec Fest is truly a team effort, and we collaborate closely throughout the entire planning process leading up to the event.”
Planning begins in the fall, with teams focusing on promotion, facility logistics and equipment rentals months in advance, Steele says. The thorough planning and teamwork shows.
“Through the years, I have had many students tell me it is their favorite event of the year,” says Strank.
This year, a group of international students approached Joel Eddy, associate director of operations at IM West, to share they have attended Rec Fest all four years they've been at MSU. It became a favorite tradition for the group of friends, she says.
Investing in the Student Experience
While one of the goals of Rec Fest is for students to have fun and connect with their peers, it’s also an important opportunity for them to link health and wellness to their overall collegiate experience.
According to MSU University Health and Wellbeing’s 2024 State of Spartan Health, a report compiled from the American College Health Association, “physical health is crucial for college students, as it directly impacts their academic performance, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.”
Strank believes the event helps play a part in encouraging students to get involved and active outside of the classroom. Rec Fest provides a safe environment for them to learn about activities they can participate in during the semester that can assist with mental health and stress relief.
Steele echoes the sentiment. “Rec Fest plays an important role for students at every stage. New students get a chance to explore Rec Sports and see what we offer, while returning students can learn more about Club Sports and other opportunities they may not have known about. Our department supports a wide range of activities, many of which students and even staff don’t always realize fall under Rec Sports. Having everything in one place allows attendees to fully experience what our department has to offer. Each year, we look for ways to make Rec Fest more inclusive, engaging and reflective of what students want.”
This year, with students engaging with group fitness instructors, watching the MSU Cheer team do a stunt with Sparty and getting a chance to toss a frisbee to Zeke, Burke says she’s proud of number of outstanding experiences provided to students and how the event came together.
“Since this was my first time being in charge, I was nervous before the event but seeing how well it all went and how happy all the students were made it all so worth it.”
Looking Ahead
As MSU prepares to open the new Student Recreation and Wellness Center in 2026, IM West is slated to close and eventually demolished. Strank and Burke both say the impending end is bittersweet.
“When [IM West] was built in 1959, it set the bar for recreation facilities around the country,” Strank explains. “So much space dedicated to being used for recreation and sport activities set a precedent across college campuses. Staying active and creating a well-rounded student with opportunities to engage in many different types of sports was unique.”
Since the building’s construction nearly 70 years ago, Michigan State has continued to place value in the “well-rounded student,” emphasizing physical and mental health as crucial to academic success.
Although plans to thoughtfully phase out IM West are still in the works, the campus community can look forward to the new 293,000-square-foot recreation center constructed in the northern portion of the former Cherry Lane site.
The facility includes gymnasiums and multi-activity courts, a turf arena, indoor running track, strength and fitness studios, a climbing wall, sports simulators and more. It will also feature two university classrooms, gender-inclusive locker rooms, a 50-meter recreational pool to support instruction, water fitness and open swim, and plenty of space for events like Rec Fest.
“This was my fifth Rec Fest at IM West, and it is definitely bittersweet knowing it will not be [there] next year, but I am extremely excited to get to start a new chapter of Rec Fest in the new building,” says Burke.
Strank says the wheels are already turning for next year’s event.
“We are really excited to move the event to our new Student Recreation and Wellness Center,” Strank says. “It will begin a new era with even more space to recreate.”
Author: Ilene Davis