The 10 members on this year’s homecoming court will serve as ambassadors to the MSU community throughout the 2009-10 school year. From left (standing) are: Megan Threats, Karren Lewis, Jill Paladino, Amanda Palaka, Kaushalya Muthukuda and Kathryn Kosko. From left (sitting) are: Jacob Lestan, Ryan Hayes, Nicholas Visconti and Jeremy Blaney. Photo by Harley Seeley.

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University has named 10 outstanding seniors to its 2009 Homecoming Court.
 
Members, who were nominated by an individual or an organization, were chosen through a highly selective process. Nominees were evaluated based on leadership, community involvement, academic excellence and Spartan pride.

A group of MSU faculty, staff, alumni and students conducted personal interviews with students to select the final 10 court members.
 
In addition to representing the MSU community during homecoming week from Oct. 12 to Oct. 17, members will continue their commitment to help the community and carry on the tradition of Spartan pride.

“Homecoming Court members are eager to contribute to MSU and to the greater community,” said Jane Olson, homecoming court co-coordinator. “Representatives have been very involved welcoming new students to MSU, meeting with alumni, faculty and staff and supporting the ideals of MSU.

“They are willing ambassadors for the university and represent students in a varied and positive way. Each seeks to make a difference to their peers and leave MSU ready to contribute to a global community.”
 
During homecoming, court members will attend many events including the parade on Oct. 16, the annual MSU Alumni Association Green and White Pregame brunch and the football game against the Northwestern University Wildcats on Oct. 17.
 
“My hometown is more than 1,000 miles away, yet I feel at home as a Spartan,” said Karren Lewis, an interdisciplinary studies and health studies major from Laramie, Wyo.

“Being able to represent the senior class and MSU throughout Michigan is the best culmination of four years that I could have imagined,” Lewis said. “We have wonderful and unique court members and I have met so many outstanding alumni and MSU friends that I would never exchange this experience.”

The court includes:

• Jeremy Blaney, of Holland, son of Jim and Linda Blaney. He is majoring in international relations and comparative cultures and politics with a specialization in Muslim Studies in the James Madison College.
• Ryan Hayes, of Chicago, son of Thomas and Joanne Hayes. He is majoring in materials science engineering in the College of Engineering. He is a pre-med student and is a member of the Honors College.
• Kathryn Kosko, of Dearborn, daughter of Jeff and Jan Kosko. She is majoring in child development in the College of Social Science and College of Education and is a member of the Honors College.
• Jacob Lestan, of Kildeer, Ill., son of Greg and Katie Lestan. He is majoring in marketing with a specialization in international business in the Eli Broad College of Business.
• Karren Lewis, of Laramie, Wyo., daughter of Randy and Lorrie Lewis. She is majoring in interdisciplinary studies and health science in the College of Social Science and is a member of the Honors College.
• Kaushalya Muthukuda, of Walled Lake, daughter of Carmen and Lal Muthukuda. She is majoring in political science/pre-law with a minor in anthropology and specializing in peace and justice studies and international development in the College of Social Science.
• Jill Paladino, of Northville, daughter of Michael and Deborah Paladi. She is majoring in psychology in the College of Social Science.
• Amanda Palaka, of Point Pleasant, N.J., daughter of Stan and Christine Palaka. She is majoring in international relations and comparative cultures and politics with a specialization in Muslim studies in the James Madison College.
• Megan Threats, of Grand Rapids, daughter of Louis and Rene Threats. She is majoring in political theory and constitutional democracy and comparative cultures and politics in the James Madison College.
• Nicholas Visconti, of Sterling Heights, son of Robert and Carol Visconti. He is majoring in marketing with a specialization in entrepreneurship in the Eli Broad College of Business.

For more details and a high resolution photo of the court and photos of individual court members, contact Rachael Zylstra at rachael.zylstra@ur.msu.edu or visit http://homecoming.msu.edu/2009/homecoming_court/index.html.

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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.