Dedication of the Alumni Memorial Chapel; June 7, 1952
Located on Auditorium Rd, situated next to the Kresge Art Center and across the street from Baker Hall, is the Alumni Memorial Chapel. A small chapel, most people walk by paying it no attention, but it is a stop all MSU students and alumni should make. Construction on the chapel began in 1951 and was dedicated on Alumni Day, June 7, 1952. The alumni of MSU paid for the chapel to memorialize all Spartan men and women that served in the United States military forces and died while serving their country during World War II. Inside the chapel’s narthex, above the entrance to the nave, is a sign that reads, “These names represent those who died in the armed forces” and the walls are engraved with 589 names and dates of the men and women that died. Even though the chapel was dedicated to the fallen during World War II, all MSU affiliated men and women that died during military service have been included in the memorial. The earliest dates go back to 1861 when the first graduating class of MSU and students associated with the class of 1861 left to go fight in the Civil War and the latest names from 2005.
Source : Jennie Russell, “Alumni Memorial Chapel”, MSU Archives & Historical Collections Current Events Blog, May 26, 2017.