Michigan State has unique LDS student community that welcomed BYU fans for the game
Michigan State students Kennedy Thatch, Emily Tibbitts and Kalin Tibbitts pose for a photo outside the Howard James Stoddard Living Center on the MSU campus before the Spartans hosted BYU on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016.
BYU fans in East Lansing, Mich., prepare for football game against Michigan State on Oct. 8, 2016.
LDS missionaries enjoy lunch at the CougarTown tailgate party in East Lansing, Mich., before the BYU football game against Michigan State on Oct. 8, 2016.
BYU fans in East Lansing, Mich., prepare for football game against Michigan State on Oct. 8, 2016.
Tucked away in East Lansing, Mich., is a unique community called the Howard James Stoddard Living Center.
Just off the large Michigan State University campus, the Stoddard Living Center is a modest set of two apartment buildings located right next to the LDS Institute building.
They are also the only student housing units owned by the LDS Church that aren’t at an LDS-owned institution.
“This is a super-prime location because it is super-cheap,” said head resident Emily Tibbitts. “It’s about 60 percent LDS and I think about half of the people here are married couples. We have the institute and we are right across the street from MSU. It’s dedicated ground. It’s a nice community we have here. One of the mottos is to be a refuge from the storm and I think it is. It’s nice to have similar beliefs in an area.”
The “LDS island” in East Lansing got an influx of people of the same faith on Saturday as the BYU Alumni Association hosted their CougarTown tailgate party on the back lawn before the Cougars took on Michigan State.
Right next to that party was another, smaller gathering — a tailgate party for the many Spartan fans in the complex.
“It’s been fun,” said senior Kennedy Thatch, who grew up in Lander, Wyoming, and is now the president of the institute council. “I’ve driven around and seen cars with BYU flags and it’s like, wait, where am I? We read some talks about the importance when Saints gather and this is awesome. We’ve never had this many Mormons together at one time in Michigan, like, ever.”
Kalin Tibbitts, Emily’s husband, said there is a lot of crossover in the area between LDS members who are fans of BYU as well as of Michigan State.
“People have family here who love both Michigan State and BYU,” Kalin said. “It’s just fun to have everyone come together.”
Kalin actually went to both schools — and thus was sporting a green-and-blue striped shirt before the game.
“I’m totally undecided,” he said with a grin.
Many of the LDS students at the Stoddard Living Center looked at going to BYU or some other school with more LDS ties but decided they wanted the experience and opportunities at Michigan State.
“I didn’t want to go to BYU because I wanted to stand strong in my faith with a good ward, but I never grew up being around a bunch of Mormons all the time,” said senior Elizabeth Zimmerman, a Michigan native. “There is a nice balance here where I can be myself, practice my faith, but then also have a great community as well as on-campus life.”
Russ Tibbitts, the institute director, explained that the center has been a special location since it was dedicated more than 40 years ago.
“We hope it is an oasis,” he said. “It’s not that there is anything wrong with secular learning, but this is a place to escape from the secularism that seems to invade all aspects of our society, especially at a university. It’s refreshing to come across the street and know that you are in a safe place.”
But there is no structure established for the management of this type of facility.
Don Solomon, the singles ward LDS bishop in the area, was the head resident when the LDS Church was deciding what to do with the facility.
“There was some back-and-forth and so (LDS President Thomas S. Monson) decided to come out and see it for himself,” Solomon said. “He came out here in 2009, I think. He didn’t walk inside the building but just walked around the area, around the parking lot, came back, sat down in my office there, then shared story after story. Mid-story, he said, ‘We are going to keep this property. I love the way it feels.’ And that was the end.”
The facilities were renovated and now Solomon sees them benefiting another generation of LDS students at Michigan State. He also thinks it is great to have the tailgating there so more LDS members are aware of the unique opportunity at Michigan State.
“We love the Stoddard House,” Solomon said. “We have members in Michigan who still don’t know about this place. Now we have people coming hundreds of miles who now know what the living center is. Now if their child comes to MSU, they know they have a safe place where they can come and live.”